Trustee Keanna Belcher told the Village of Dolton Board of Trustees that the village is carrying a $2,043,397.16 deficit for the fiscal period May 1 through Aug. 31, 2025, and a total outstanding debt of $8,021,674.57.

Belcher said the figures come from the village’s accounting firm and that the board will convene a finance committee meeting to review details and potential responses. "I said fiscal year starting in May 1. Our total debt currently right now is $8,021,674.57," Trustee Keanna Belcher said at the meeting.

The deficit matters because Dolton receives a large share of its revenues from property taxes, which arrive later in the fiscal year. An unnamed trustee who spoke after Belcher said the village typically sees its largest deposits when property taxes are billed and collected and that officials expect roughly $4 million to $4.4 million to arrive around September or October. "It is common for the first 3 to 6 months of the fiscal year for the village to space the deficit because our biggest deposits come in when the property taxes come," the trustee said.

Board members described several revenue and cost items the village is pursuing to manage cash flow while awaiting tax receipts. Officials said an outstanding invoice of about $330,000 was identified in past billing that had not been collected, and the village realized roughly $500,000 from a tower lease transaction. The board also cited increased business-license sales as an improving revenue source.

Belcher warned that difficult choices lie ahead. "There are gonna be some decisions that we have to make that are tough decisions," she said, and noted that losing expected property tax revenues adds pressure on budgeting for services and street repairs.

At the meeting, trustees discussed limits on near-term capital work because of cash constraints. Belcher said streets are being repaired but that the village lacks funds to fix a large backlog — "we can't repair 50 streets," she said — and that the finance committee will examine priorities and timelines.

Trustees also noted ongoing legal liabilities from past years as a material factor in the village’s financial condition; the board added legal updates to the agenda to track litigation that could affect budgets. Officials said they will schedule a dedicated finance committee meeting to review the accounting firm’s full report and specific policy options, and that the board intends to be transparent about steps taken.

The board did not take a formal, recorded vote during this portion of the meeting. The finance committee meeting date was not specified at the session.