Spinning the Wilmette Village Budget

(Guest post by Mr. Backyard Conservative)

The current issue of the Village Communicator proudly presents as a budget highlight a very curious statistic. Village households receive $3,631 in “services” while paying only $1,091 in property taxes. Are we to think that we are getting a bargain because $1 in property taxes provides $3.33 in services? Is this meant to show that Village government is efficient? I have another bargain for you then—Cook County Government. The county executive recommended a budget that provided each household $4.27 in services for every $1 in property taxes. Is Cook County 28% more efficient than the Village of Wilmette? Chris Canning, call the County and talk to whoever answers the phone!

The Village has chosen to highlight a truly meaningless statistic so that we won’t focus on the budget. This is truly a shame because the official budget is actually a model of disclosure and clarity as to the Village’s revenues and expenditures. We don’t need this silly spin.