Will County leads the state in numerous categories, including population growth, job creation and single family housing development, said County Executive Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant.
Demands for county services have grown with the population, Bertino-Tarrant said during her annual State of the County address Thursday, where she also introduced a $791 million balanced budget for fiscal year 2026.
In November, the County Board approved a $832 million budget for Fiscal 2025, with $273 million in the corporate fund, which is used for county operations, and about $558 million in special revenue funds which are restricted in their use.
Bertino-Tarrant touted that Will County has been the number one job creator in Illinois since 2019 and has created 15,000 jobs. This includes 1,900 manufacturing jobs despite a nationwide reduction in that sector, she said.
In the last year, the county has seen a 44% increase in building permits, Bertino-Tarrant said.
Since 2019, the assessor’s office has seen an 11% increase in commercial property values and a 27% increase in industrial property values, Bertino-Tarrant said. Its retail occupancy is at 97%, which is the highest level in Will County history, she said.
She said county officials are working to provide services to meet the county’s growth.
“Growth is not a scary word,” Bertino-Tarrant said. “It delivers benefits for the people of Will County. Commercial developments reduce tax rates, increases local employment, connects residents with better retail options and reduces the challenges that come with unemployment and underemployment.”
As part of the growth, there has been increase in service calls at Animal Protection Services and 911 calls at the Laraway Communications Center, Bertino-Tarrant said.
To address growing needs for veterans, the county is creating a new Veterans Assistance and Support Center to consolidate veteran services in one campus in Joliet. A ribbon-cutting ceremony is expected soon, Bertino-Tarrant said.
The county has also expanded its transportation options for senior citizens and individuals with disabilities through its dial-a-ride service, which is expected to provide 14,000 rides this year. The program increased its coverage area from seven to 16 townships and expanded into southwestern Will County, Bertino-Tarrant said.
The county is also investing in road improvement projects, Bertino-Tarrant said, noting the reconstruction of 80th Avenue in Tinley Park and Mokena, the second segment of the Laraway corridor expansion in New Lenox, roadwork on Bell Road in Homer Glen and intersection improvements at Cedar and Francis roads in New Lenox.
A 25-year long range transportation plan, Our Way Forward, will help meet transportation needs in years to come, she said.
Residents want fewer trucks in their neighborhoods, increased public transportation options, improved trail networks and road improvements that ease congestion, Bertino-Tarrant said.
“I’ve been closely involved with the ongoing discussions at the state level to reform our region’s mass transit agencies and ensure that Will County taxpayers have a seat at the table and the transportation access they deserve,” she said.
Bertino-Tarrant said federal pandemic relief grants helped fuel some of the county’s accomplishments in the last several years. Using federal funds, the county has helped distribute $2.6 million in food and connected 170,000 households with food pantries. It also provided 1,300 teaching and nursing scholarships to the four higher education institutions in the county.
Silver Cross Hospital also recently opened an immediate care facility in Crest Hill with the help of pandemic federal grants.
The fiscal year 2026 budget will be the first one that does not include COVID-related federal support, Bertino-Tarrant said.
Bertino-Tarrant proposed a $791 million budget, which includes $282 million in its operating budget.
The County Board will review the budget over the next few months and make changes. The county’s fiscal year begins Dec. 1.
The proposed budget prioritizes public safety and judicial operations, which make up 65%, and includes two new positions in the state’s attorney’s office and two new positions in the public defender’s office, Bertino-Tarrant said.
Another new position proposed will be in the clerk’s office to work on elections.
Bertino-Tarrant said her proposed budget will also ensure stability in the Will County Health Department, whose officials are concerned that federal cuts will affect critical programs.
The budget contains $1 million from the cannabis sales tax to maintain services that address maternal health, food access, disease prevention and immunization, Bertino-Tarrant said.
Another $750,000 from the opioid settlement funds will benefit preventative substance abuse programs, and $865,000 from the opioid settlement funds will help problem solving courts, she said.
Another $1.3 million will help the housing stabilization program, the Children’s Advocacy Center, the workforce services re-entry program, the 211 United Way helpline and help provide senior citizens with healthy food, she said.
Will County this year earned the Distinguished Budget Award from the Government Finance Officers Association. The county has an AA+ rating from Moody’s, which notes its strong financial management practice and growing economy, Bertino-Tarrant said.
County Board leadership Joe VanDuyne, the Democratic Speaker from Wilmington, and Jim Richmond, the Republican Leader from Mokena, said they look forward to examining the budget and working across party lines to answer any questions.
“I want our county to be successful,” Richmond said.
Board member Judy Ogalla, a Republican from Monee, said she wants to ease the tax burden on residents.
“In Illinois, we are taxed to death,” Ogalla said. “We cannot continue to have those taxes. We need to do what we can at our level and talk with people at the other levels within government whether it’s the state, local school boards and fire (protection districts).”
She said she would like to have a dialogue with the executive’s office and County Board leadership on how the cannabis and opioid funds should be allocated.
Michelle Mullins is a freelance reporter.
