Village approves budget with fifth year of no tax increase

Source: Freeport Village

Tax rates in Freeport will continue to remain flat. The Board of Trustees passed its 2018-2019 budget with no increase on taxes on Jan. 19. This marks the fifth consecutive year the village of Freeport approves a budget with no increases.

According to Mayor Robert Kennedy, the Board of Trustees had to go line by line in efforts to ensure increasing taxes was not an option. Initially the tentative budget included a tax increase of 1.598 percent, but after a few follow up meetings and a couple of public hearings, the Board of Trustee were able to successfully bring it down to zero percent. The new budget will go into effect March 1 to Feb. 28, 2019.

The board increased trash pickup fees by $25 to cover the increase of price from the sanitation company contracted by the village. It’s the first time in seven years since the trash pickup fees have increased, according to Kennedy.

Moving forward the Board of Trustees has plans to continue its capital plan through the development of road and water main repairs, bulkhead improvements at Waterfront Park and water system improvements. These plans also include continue the economic development of the village.