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Elmhurst aldermen press staff on proposed cuts to senior services and taxi/Uber subsidy
Summary
Councilors questioned a proposed reduction to senior programs including a taxi/Uber subsidy that recently required a $24,000 overage; staff says the subsidy is a base fee contract plus call recoveries and is working with neighboring townships and partner agencies to mitigate impacts.
Aldermen at the Nov. 3 Committee of the Whole expressed concern about proposed cuts in the human services cost center that would trim funding for the taxi/Uber senior subsidy, Metropolitan Family Services counseling and Meals on Wheels.
Councilors said the proposed 2026 reduction appears inconsistent with the program’s recent usage. "To say it's budgeted now at 55,000, I'm not sure where we're getting that number from," Alderman Hill said, referencing a $24,000 overage the council approved earlier in the year after the program moved to an Uber model. Hill asked staff to revisit the decision and provide updated usage and cost data as a circle‑back.
Staff described the subsidy arrangement as a base monthly fee paid to the contracted provider (a county program working with PACE and predominantly Uber) plus recovery of fees from insurance or transported individuals; the current contract runs through September 2027. The city manager said trimming the line is part of broader budget‑reduction efforts but acknowledged the risk of running out of budget mid‑year and noted conversations with York and Addison townships about shared services if hours are reduced.
Metropolitan Family Services provides counseling at the Key Center in partnership with the Park District; staff said cutting their line would reduce on‑site hours unless another partner increases coverage. Council unanimously requested a circle‑back to detail the effects of proposed reductions on the senior population and to provide usage history for the taxi subsidy and counseling hours before any final decision.
Provenance: senior services discussion and circle‑back requests were raised during the human services cost center review.
