Palos Park outlines $13.2 million spending plan, emphasizes healthy reserves and transparency

The mayor of Palos Park said the village's total spending plan for fiscal year 2026 is $13,200,000 and described the village's financial position as strong, citing healthy reserves and a bond rating described in the address as "double A2."

The mayor said auditors issued an unmodified opinion on the annual financial report and the village earned a certificate of achievement for excellence in financial reporting for the fifth consecutive year. Allison Brethman, finance director and village treasurer, was identified in the address as the official who oversees Palos Park's budget and taxes.

The address also broke down how property-tax dollars are distributed, saying that for every $1 in property taxes about $0.07 goes to the Village of Palos Park and the remaining $0.93 goes to schools, Cook County and other taxing bodies. The mayor described the village finance staff as a small team and said the village implemented a new enterprise resource planning (ERP) system last year to centralize data and streamline operations. The village also said it eliminated the vehicle sticker program.

The mayor reported the village processed 85 "freedom of movement information requests" and prepared documentation for 37 public meetings in the past year, as part of the administration's transparency work. The address noted the finance department has maintained a balanced budget and that Palos Park has earned awards for transparency.

The financial information was presented as part of the State of the Village address; no vote or formal council action on the budget was recorded in the address itself.