Mount Pleasant board adopts 2026 budget after $500,000 reallocation to lower local levy
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Summary
After a day of debate over process and priorities, the Village of Mount Pleasant adopted its balanced 2026 budget with an amendment that reallocates $500,000 of capital spending to reduce the levy line; staff said the change cuts the Mount Pleasant portion of the typical $250,000 homeowner’s bill from about $51 to roughly $22.
The Village Board of Mount Pleasant on Nov. 10 adopted its 2026 budget after approving an amendment that shifts $500,000 of proposed capital spending in order to lower the village’s levy line.
Finance director Kathy Casper told trustees the proposed levy before amendments was $26,998,230, roughly $1.2 million (about 5%) higher than last year and driven primarily by staffing costs and health-insurance increases. She said the proposed mill rate for the Mount Pleasant portion of the bill falls from $6.09 to $5.78, but rising property assessments mean many residents still face higher bills. “So what we are looking at for a $250,000 home … is about a $51 impact to that taxpayer for that Mount Pleasant line,” Casper said during her presentation.
Trustee Rahm proposed the amendment the board ultimately approved: reduce the scope and borrowing tied to the Dros Park enhancements by $500,000 and move $500,000 into the village roads/bond-proceeds line so the total borrowing stays the same but the levy portion is decreased. Rahm said the change would let the park work proceed in phases while easing near-term tax pressure. “My sole objective…is I am representing my community to make sure that their tax dollars are well spent,” Rahm said.
Casper and other staff clarified the mechanics: borrowing does not automatically increase the 2026 levy for amounts paid in later years, and phasing/bid alternatives were possible for the park project. On the numbers, Casper said a $500,000 levy reduction would reduce the Mount Pleasant line impact on a $250,000 home from about $51 to about $22.
The board first voted on the original motion to adopt Resolution 18-2025 and rejected it (Bhatia, Ventrini and Washburn voted No; Karas and De Groot voted Aye). The board then voted on the amended resolution — the motion that made the three account adjustments staff specified — and approved the budget as amended in a subsequent roll call where all trustees voted Aye.
Casper noted the budget remains balanced and qualifies for the village’s expenditure-restraint and levy-limit rules. Major items in the document include a previously ordered aerial platform fire truck with an anticipated 2026 payment of roughly $2.1 million and multi-million-dollar park enhancements. With the amendment, staff will implement the account transfers and return any required paperwork to reflect the adjusted levy and project scope.
The board did not set additional public hearings on the budget at the Nov. 10 meeting; staff said they can provide more detailed levy-impact sheets earlier in future budget cycles if trustees request them.