Yesterday the Naperville City Council approved its annual budget for 2022. It will provide an estimated $540.5 million to keep the city in operation.
City Budget
The budget funds a variety of things, including employee salaries and benefits, vehicle replacements and beautification to city gateways with banners, signage and lighting. In addition, it pays for infrastructure projects such as North Aurora Road reconstruction and underpass expansion, Washington Street bridge construction and downtown streetscape improvements.
The approval of the budget followed hours of discussion across three workshops.
The council’s decision did not come without some opposition. Council members Paul Leong, Paul Hinterlong and Patty Gustin voted the budget down. Each had expressed reservations about increasing the burden on taxpayers and/or wanting an independent review to be conducted by a consultant during a series of recent budget workshops put on by the city.
New Tow Away Zone
Also at the meeting, the city council decided action must be taken to crack down on illegal parking on both sides of Franklin Avenue and Main Street. The panel voted to establish a new tow away zone.
The decision is meant to help curb concerns raised by residents, in part, because of what they have said is overflow parking from customers of Fiammé.
Councilman Paul Leong questioned if the threat posed by a tow away zone creates too harsh a penalty. “I turn to my fellow council members to take a more graduated approach to solve this problem,” Leong said.
The city already has no parking signs installed along Franklin Avenue and Main Street. But residents have said people have been violating the city’s parking regulations in large numbers.
Leong suggested that fines should be gradually escalated for repeat offenders.
Ultimately, the council decided the new tow away zone will be established in areas already designated by the city as a no parking zone along Franklin Avenue and Main Street.
The change goes into effect immediately.
Naperville News 17’s Megann Horstead reports.
If you have a story you’d like to share, send us a tip!
