Investing in Infrastructure

How does the Village fund infrastructure improvements? Infrastructure improvements are primarily supported by one of the following funds: The General Capital Projects Fund is supported by utility taxes (municipal natural gas, electric, telephone) and is used for projects associated with Village buildings, annual programs like yard flooding assistance and sidewalk replacement, and storm sewer improvements. The Water/Sewer Capital Projects Fund is supported by the capital improvement surcharge (CIS) on your water bill and is used for projects related to our water system, as well as wastewater collection and treatment. The Motor Fuel Tax Fund is supported by the statewide sales tax on motor fuel and can be used for projects related to highways or road work, such as our annual street improvement program. For more information about each fund, view the Village's FY 2023 Budget.

Do my property taxes fund infrastructure improvements?

No. Approximately 10% of your property tax bill goes to the Village; property taxes go into the General Fund, which is used to cover government operating expenses like personnel (including Police, Fire, and Public Works) and contractual services (such as paramedic services, snow removal, and more). For more information, view the Village’s FY 2023 Budget.

Is the Village planning to increase property taxes to fund infrastructure improvements?

No, the Village is not considering levying additional property taxes to secure funds for infrastructure projects.

Is the Village considering increasing other rates/fees to fund infrastructure improvements?

Potentially. Some options for securing necessary revenue could include rate or fee increases that would need Village Board approval. Other options would require voter approval and would be decided by a future referendum. Ultimately, the Village wants to hear from the community before choosing a path forward. The Village will solicit feedback on funding options from forum attendees and will continue the conversation with residents over the coming months.

Why does Roselle need to increase funding for infrastructure improvements?

Wastewater Treatment & Collection:  IEPA-mandated removal of nitrogen and phosphorous from wastewater at both Devlin and Botterman Wastewater Treatment Plant; Expansion and equipment upgrades at wastewater treatment plants to keep up with regulations and future capacity needs. Learn more:  Wastewater: Critical Improvements + Funding Sources (PDF)

Streets:  Additional funding needed to address pavement conditions. Learn More: Streets: Improvement Programs + Funding Needs (PDF)

• Water System: IEPA-mandated deadlines to replace existing lead service lines 
• Stormwater: Mitigate stormwater flooding within Devlin Drainage Basin and Seasons 4 Drainage Basin

How much additional annual revenue is needed for infrastructure improvements?

$6 million in additional annual revenue for infrastructure will allow the Village to comply with IEPA mandates and improve the effectiveness of the annual Street Improvement Program.

• Completing the critical improvements to our wastewater treatment plants will cost over $80 million. The Village will take out loans to complete these IEPA-mandated projects as it has in the past. In order to repay loans taken out for these wastewater projects, the Village will need an additional $4.5 million in annual revenue.
• Additionally, the Village must increase funding for the annual Street Improvement Program in order to improve more streets each year and avoid a steep decline in Roselle's overall pavement condition after 2024. Increasing funding for streets by an additional $1-$1.5 million per year will improve overall pavement condition in our community.

Overview of Funding Solutions

Want to get a better understanding of our funding solutions? The chart below has detailed information; view Funding Solutions At-a-Glance for summarized information.

User Fees + Utility Tax Increase	Non-Home Rule Sales Tax (1%)	Home Rule Status
Additional funding comes from: Increased CIS rates (2-3x) Electric utility tax increase Vehicle sticker cost increase New 1% municipal utility tax	Additional funding comes from: 1% sales tax A Non-Home Rule Sales Tax (NHST) maximum rate is 1%; could not increase later if additional funding is needed.	Additional funding comes from: 1-2% sales tax 2-4 cents per gallon local gasoline tax Home rule sales tax can increase by increments of .25% with Board approval.
Does this solution provide enough additional funding? Some support for streets: Electric tax: $90,000 Vehicle sticker increase: $130,000 Municipal utility tax: $44,000 The Board can raise enough annual revenue for wastewater updates by increasing CIS fees.	Does this solution provide enough additional funding? NHST revenue would be directed toward wastewater updates. Any additional funding for street improvements would have to be generated from increased user fees and utility taxes. Some support for wastewater: NHST: $3.5 million The Board would also have to raise CIS rates (though not as drastically) to reach the needed $4.5 million in annual revenue for wastewater projects.	Does this solution provide enough additional funding? Some support for streets: 3 cents/gallon local gasoline tax: $300,000 Additional revenue from Home Rule sales tax ($750,000) would be directed to streets. Good support for wastewater 1.5% sales tax: $5.25 million Revenue above the needed $4.5 million for wastewater projects would be directed to streets.
How could the Board implement this solution? The Board can vote to implement these solutions at any time;  no referendum required.	How could the Board implement this solution? The Board can only implement this solution by successfully passing a referendum.	How could the Board implement this solution? The Board can only implement this solution by successfully passing a referendum. 2/3 of home rule municipalities in Illinois gained Home Rule status via referendum. Municipalities automatically gain Home Rule status when their population reaches 25,000.
Who contributes revenue towards infrastructure improvements? Roselle residents and businesses only Communities with Home Rule status or a Non-Home Rule Sales Tax can use revenue from local taxes to fund infrastructure improvements. This lowers the burden on residents because visitors contribute revenue, too. However, Roselle does not currently have those tools at our disposal.	Who contributes revenue towards infrastructure improvements?  Roselle AND visitors When you shop in many of our neighboring communities, your purchases contribute revenue to their infrastructure improvements. This solution would allow Roselle to raise revenue from visitors like our neighbors already do.
What are the cost implications for me? The amount billed on your monthly utility bill depends on water usage. With no additional revenue to offset higher CIS charges, CIS rates per 1,000 gallons would climb from $9.00 in 2025 to $20.00 in 2032. At $20.00/1,000 gallons, a single family household with average water use would spend $1,032 on CIS fees for the year. View this chart to compare projected CIS rates with and without additional revenue from a Non-Home Rule Sales Tax.	What are the cost implications for me? Under a 1% Non-Home Rule Sales Tax, spending $100 on a qualifying purchase would add $1.00 to the transaction. CIS rates would increase to close any gap between sales tax revenue and funds needed for infrastructure, climbing to $10.00 per 1,000 gallons by 2032. At $10.00/1000 gallons, a single family household with average water use would spend $516 on CIS fees for the year.	What are the cost implications for me? Under a 1.5% sales tax, spending $100 on qualifying purchases would add $1.50 to the transaction. Filling a 15-gallon tank would add an additional 45 cents to your total. Any CIS rate increases would be smaller and more spread out over time since infrastructure improvements would gain significant funding from local taxes.

What are the charges on my utility bill? Water rates are developed to recover the cost of purchasing water for the community. Sewer rates vary depending on your county. Roselle’s Cook County residents are in the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago and pay into that system through a combination of user rates and property taxes. Roselle residents in DuPage County pay for sewer services through user rates only. The Capital Improvements Surcharge is used to support improvements to our wastewater and water systems. The amount you pay for water, sewer, and the Capital Improvement Surcharge depends on your household’s usage level, which can fluctuate over the year. Contact the Finance department if you have questions about your utility bill or water and sewer rates.

Is the municipal campus master plan/Petal Plaza part of the library’s proposed new building?

The Village of Roselle and the Roselle Public Library District are separate taxing bodies that do not share funding. The Village’s plans to update the municipal campus are not tied to the result of the library’s referendum question on the April 4, 2023 ballot. While the Village and the Library have worked together to create initial concepts for the space between its buildings, it is important to note that any construction of a new Library building and the Village’s planned renovation of the municipal campus are separate projects. 

In this video, you'll learn how property taxes support local taxing districts that serve our community, how those taxing bodies can and cannot collaborate on special projects, and why a property tax increase is not being considered to increase financial support for infrastructure.