55 ILCS 5/6-24002
Budget estimates shall be prepared and appropriations shall be made in a manner that reflects the utilization of program, performance and cost effectiveness principles, and budget estimates shall include statements of the amounts and sources of all anticipated revenues including those from Federal, State, other governments, and all other sources. Appropriations shall be arranged according to funds and programs and sub-activities and also according to departments and other offices and agencies of the County. Such annual appropriation bill shall specify the objects and purposes for which appropriations are made and the amount appropriated for each object or purpose and shall include appropriations for (a) all current expenditures or charges to be made or incurred during such fiscal year, including interest to accrue on anticipation tax warrants and notes and temporary loans; (b) all final judgments, including accrued interest thereon, entered against such county and unpaid at the beginning of such fiscal year; (c) any amount for which the board of commissioners of such county is required to reimburse the working cash fund from the general corporate fund pursuant to the provisions of Division 6-27; (d) all other liabilities including the principal of all anticipation tax warrants and notes and all temporary loans and accrued interest thereon, incurred during prior years and unpaid at the beginning of such fiscal year; and (e) an amount or amounts estimated to be sufficient to cover the loss and cost of collecting taxes to be levied for such fiscal year and also the amounts of taxes so levied for the nonpayment of which real estate shall be forfeited to the State and abatements in the amounts of such taxes as extended upon the collectors' books.
The objects and purposes for which appropriations shall be made are classified and standardized by the following items, and by such items shall be designated in the budget documents and the annual appropriations ordinances: (1) personal services, (2) non-personal expenses, (3) equipment outlays or contracts, (4) land and permanent improvements, (5) contingencies. Contingencies shall be for subsequent transfer, if necessary, to purposes or objects to cover only expenditures required that could not reasonably have been foreseen and provided for at the time of the enactment of the appropriation ordinance. The amount of any such contingency items for each separate fund shall in no case exceed 3% of the total annual appropriations of such fund. Contingencies appropriations shall be by funds. Land and permanent improvements shall include the fiscal year's portion of the county's long-range capital improvement plan, or so much thereof as is to be appropriated therefor from all funds, regardless of source appropriated by the county board.
In addition to amounts provided for in this Section, (1) an unreserved fund balance may be carried to provide adequate support for the county's bond ratings and protection against unanticipated revenue shortfalls, and (2) a self insurance fund may be provided to satisfy claims for which the county may be liable.
55 ILCS 5/6-24002