By WMBD-TV

NORMAL – The continued budget stalemate in Illinois is forcing Heartland Community College to take a hard look at its budget over the next few years.

On Tuesday, school leaders asked the Heartland’s Board of Trustees to allow officials to draw out of the school’s reserve funds, in order to balance the operating budget, if it becomes necessary. The school is already looking at a $3 million loss in tax revenue and with the uncertainty of state funding, Vice President of Business Services Doug Minter said being able to tap into the reserves can prevent unnecessary cuts that would hurt students.

“We don’t want to draw down the reserves, but the reserves allow us the flexibility to be able maintain continuity in our services if we need to,” he explains.

Heartland has already cut programs and positions over the last few years. Right now, the school has about 15 percent of its total budget in its reserve fund, but hopes to bring that up over the next few years.

“If we have to make decisions based on unknowns, we may unnecessarily cut things that don’t need to be cut,” Minter said. “We learned that last year, when the money was released on the very last day of the year. Programs that had already occurred and that we had already made decisions about.”

The board will make a decision later this summer.