Lockport’s proposed budget includes $11.4 million in road, infrastructure projects

Lockport — The Lockport City Council held a public hearing on Nov. 20 for its proposed 2025 budget, which it plans to approve at its Dec. 4 meeting.

The official budget summary estimates revenues for the city to amount to $57,113,250 for 2025, while expenses are estimated at $68,798,950, which represents an increase of $1.5 million in spending from 2024.

City Finance Director Lisa Heglund noted that the excess expenditures not covered by the projected revenue will be paid for with $12 million in reserve funds, which she said “the purpose of is to reinvest in the community.”

Legally, Heglund noted, the city is required to keep the equivalent of four months’ worth of expenses in reserve, however, even with the $12 million withdrawn, Lockport will still have about $10 million in reserves.

The $68.8 million in expenses covers $22,242,100 in general fund expenses, which Heglund explained covers $13,877,500 in payroll as well as additional administrative costs, police and emergency management services, city pensions, insurance for city property, the annual audit, debt payments, and maintenance for storm sewers and streetlights.

Additionally, the water/sewer/garbage fund accounts for $19,540,500, and the capital projects fund is estimated to spend $11,438,300 in 2025.

Reserves used for infrastructure

The majority of the $12 million being drawn from the excess reserves is earmarked for capital projects.

According to Heglund the capital projects slated for 2025 include $4 million for street reconstruction and water main replacement on 11th Street from Hamilton to Garfield, $3.5 million in road resurfacing throughout the community, and $4 million for “rehab” work on the city’s wells and water pumps.

An addition $1 million will be spent to relocate water mains from residents’ back yards to their front yards on Cove Avenue, to allow for easier access to the water system, as well as funds for sidewalk replacement and maintenance, and some rollover costs from 2024 for the Illinois Route 7 Channelization project.

In addition to presenting the budget proposal, Heglund also presented the proposed property tax levy for 2025 to the Committee of the Whole.

The total property tax levy amounts to $7,810,750, which makes up 31% of the general fund’s budget and represents an increase in revenue for the city of about $200,000, the majority of which will go towards debt repayments.

Despite the increase though, Lockport residents will be paying a lower rate in taxes than they did in 2024.

According to Heglund, the rate is down 9% from the previous year, and down 15% over the course of the last three years.

This means that, with inflation, a family with a house worth $350,000 will see an increase on their city taxes of about $4 in 2025.

In addition to the property tax levy, the city’s revenues in the budget also include $18,679,000 in revenue from water and sewer service, $19,242,500 in state and local taxes, $2,620,300 in donations and grant funding, $1,410,500 in property development fees, and an additional $890,000 from the city’s TIF district and the city portion of the Road and Bridge levies from Homer and Lockport Townships.

There were no comments from the public regarding the budget presentation at the meeting, and both the budget and the tax levy will be voted on at the City Council meeting on Dec. 4.