The Elmhurst Committee of the Whole heard a report from the finance committee on Nov. 10, 2025, that included a formal recommendation to raise the city’s general‑fund property tax levy by $1,000,000 and to pass through the pension contribution, with a report to be posted to BoardDocs before the council’s Monday meeting.

“A recommendation…to recommend the tax levy increase of a million dollars in the general fund and the passing through the pension contribution,” Alderman Talutto, chair of the finance committee, said during the committee’s Nov. 10 meeting. The committee said staff would publish its report on Thursday ahead of the Nov. 17 Committee of the Whole meeting.

Why it matters: finance committee members told aldermen they have already identified $3,000,000 in cuts built into the proposed 2026 budget and discussed an additional $600,000 in deferrals. The committee agreed to meet again on Friday for a public meeting (posted with the required notice) to review additional potential cuts and to report any recommendation to the full council on Nov. 17.

Alderman Talutto summarized the committee’s approach and timeline, saying staff will bring information on candidate reductions and their operational impacts so the committee can decide whether to recommend those cuts to the full council. He said the finance committee meeting would be a public meeting with an agenda posted at least 48 hours in advance.

Some aldermen described the schedule as unusual but said it would still allow motions on Monday if committee members agreed on changes in advance. “This is definitely unusual at this point in the council meeting,” Alderman Graham said, questioning whether members would have adequate time and information to make adjustments. Mayor and staff said any committee agreement would be posted and distributed before Monday so council members would not come in cold.

The committee also discussed restoring an initial tranche of senior program cuts after a more favorable general liability insurance proposal was reported to the finance committee. City staff said the lower insurance cost could cover the restoration of the first round of senior program cuts that had been proposed.

Next steps: the committee was told the budget would be discussed at the Committee of the Whole on Nov. 17. Staff and aldermen also discussed the schedule for levy hearings and votes: a public hearing on Dec. 1 and second reading and adoption targeted for Dec. 15, though members exchanged clarifying corrections on the exact dates during the Nov. 10 meeting.