The true deficit of Lasalle Il. 

BREAKING INVESTIGATIVE REPORT: LaSalle's $2.7 Million Budget Mirage Revealed Ahead of April 2025 Election

LaSalle's $2.7 Million Budget Mirage Revealed Ahead of April 2025 Election

LaSalle, IL — March 21, 2025

In a bombshell discovery with major implications for transparency and fiscal accountability, the City of LaSalle's FY2024 audit reveals that over $2.1 million was quietly transferred into the General Fund from a patchwork of TIF districts, utility accounts, and even library and playground funds. These inter-fund transfers effectively masked a real operating deficit of approximately $2.7 million just ahead of the city's critical mayoral election on April 1, 2025.

The Illusion of Balance

According to the official FY2024 audit (ending April 30, 2024), the City reported a General Fund ending balance of $2,339,796. On the surface, this appears as a positive outcome. However, the same report shows an operational shortfall of $624,624, which would have resulted in a deep deficit had it not been offset by a massive injection of cash from other funds.

Where Did the Money Come From?

The audit discloses that a total of $2,114,496 was transferred into the General Fund from the following sources:

• TIF VIII Fund: $845,798

• Water Fund: $855,798

• Sewer Fund: $432,900

• Playground Fund: $127,985

• Library Fund: $35,784

• Debt Service Fund: $60,738

• TIF I Fund: $31,610

These transfers, detailed in the audit's Note 6 (Page 25), served to mask the structural imbalance in city operations. None of these source funds were designed to serve as bailout mechanisms for General Fund operations.

Political Timing Raises Questions

The timing of this financial sleight of hand is impossible to ignore. Mayor leadership and city officials facing public scrutiny over ongoing concerns about spending, transparency, and environmental accountability now appear to have propped up the budget just before voters head to the polls.

"This isn't balancing the books; it's a bailout from LaSalle's future," said an anonymous local government watchdog. "Playground funds, library funds, and critical infrastructure budgets were all tapped to make things look okay for an election year. That should alarm every taxpayer in this city."

What's at Risk?

These internal loans, if not paid back, could cripple LaSalle's ability to:

• Maintain infrastructure under TIF district agreements

• Fund water/sewer capital projects

• Invest in parks, public services, and essential library programs

While the audit shows a balanced bottom line, the true picture tells a story of financial fragility and pre-election optics. The General Fund was kept afloat not by fiscal responsibility, but by draining other areas of government meant to serve the public.

This raises serious questions not just about financial practices, but about leadership, priorities, and the use of public funds for political preservation.

REFERENCES

1. "audit 2024.pdf", Note 6 – Interfund Transfers, Page 25

2. "audit 2024.pdf", Budgetary Comparison Schedule, 

3. "audit 2024.pdf", Statement of Revenues, Expenditures, and Changes in Fund Balances, Page 9

4. FY2024 General Fund Transfers Table (generated from official audit)

5. City of LaSalle Appropriations Document, FY2023-2024