HINSDALE, IL — Prince once sang about how he would party like it was 1999. Now, many want to return to what now seems like the good ol’ days of 2019.

For government, that means getting back to the finances of the pre-pandemic times of nearly two years ago. Hinsdale says it’s already there.

“The village revenues, while they were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, are pretty much rebounded to 2019 levels,” Village President Tom Cauley said at last week’s Village Board meeting. “The board did cut spending, as the board knows, during the pandemic.”

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The village is preparing its budget for the 2022 fiscal year, which starts Jan. 1. The village’s capital improvements plan, Cauley said, would increase by $625,000, bringing it back to historic, pre-pandemic amounts. The village also plans to allocate $200,000 to its master infrastructure plan and transfer $400,000 to support its water operations, he said.

The village is doing all that, Cauley said, while setting aside 25 percent as a fund balance. This balance is recommended by bond rating agencies, he said.

Find out what’s happening in Hinsdale-Clarendon Hills with free, real-time updates from Patch.

The village has identified $2.7 million in projects for 2022, including “extensive” improvements to the local pool, upgrades to Katherine Legge Park Lodge and replacement of snow removal equipment, Cauley said.

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