Still hoping for cigarette tax, DuPage County delays budget

Hoping against hope state lawmakers will hand DuPage a cigarette tax, county leaders agreed today to delay budget plans.

Under new board rules, county board Chairman Robert Schillerstrom is re-quired to present a budget in mid-September.

But with the county facing a shortfall of at least $20 million, many officials were reluctant to pull the trigger on a fiscal plan that could include layoffs if a solution is at hand.

The General Assembly could enact a tobacco tax that might generate more than $25 million for DuPage. But the likelihood of that gaining approval is dim, board member Brien Sheahan predicts.

"If the news is bad, we owe it to people to get the budget out sooner," said Sheahan, who voted against pushing the budget deadline into October.

He was in the minority, however, as others were optimistic legislators would come through.

"These things are still in the works," finance committee chairman Patrick O'Shea said referring to proposals to increase cigarette and sales taxes. "They're still talking."