Nov. 14, 2011 Cook County Budget Meeting: Finance Committee Passes Proposals to Increase Revenues

Full Budget still Expected to Be Voted on Friday, Nov. 18

Following a public hearing where final public testimony was heard on a series of proposals to add revenues in order to balance the proposed 2012 Cook County budget, the Finance Committee voted to approve 13 items (several as amended) and 2 items were deferred.  As a result, there will need to be either some other revenue proposals or further cuts to the proposed budget in order for it to be balanced.  Comm. Suffredin stated that he has a couple revenue enhancement proposals on the agenda for Tuesday’s regular Board meeting that can be referred to the Committee, which he would expect would take these proposals up on Friday, when the Finance Committee is again meeting.  Accordingly, Chairman Daley said that Friday’s meeting would begin at 8:30 am so that there could first be a public hearing on those revenue proposals before votes are taken on those and the rest of the proposed budget for 2012.

The proposed ordinance on the Amusement Device Tax was deferred at the request of the Administration.  The Finance Committee also voted to defer the Wheel Tax Amendment, which would double the vehicle sticker fee for those in unincorporated Cook County.  This amendment was expected to generate $1.54 million.  The main reasoning for deferral was that this should be part of the considerations of the Blue Ribbon Committee appointed by the President to deal with unincorporated areas.

The two amendments which probably received the most attention in the press were the ones that would increase the Alcohol Beverage Tax and that would expand the Tobacco Tax to cover other tobacco products besides cigarettes.  Both of these passed, though the Tobacco Tax proposal was amended to phase in the tax over two years, with only half of it coming into effect in 2012.  Comms. Fritchey and Suffredin, who voted no to the Alcohol Tax increase, along with Beavers and Collins, expressed concern over lost jobs in the hospitality sector.  Comm. Gorman said that she supported the measure because, with the rollback of the sales tax which was applicable to alcohol (along with many other items), the net effect is that even with the increase in the Alcohol Beverage Tax, everyone is still ahead.  As a result of the phasing in of the expansion of the Tobacco Tax, it is expected that Cook County will receive $2.6 million less in 2012.

The third proposal which generated the most discussion at the meeting was the Courthouse Facility Parking Resolution which would institute a $4.75 daily parking rate ($65 monthly charge for in-and-out privileges that employees would likely pay) on the parking facilities (garages and surface lots) at the County’s courthouses.  Two amendments proposed by Comm. Fritchey and Suffredin, respectively, were passed which exempt jurors, victims, subpoenaed witnesses, law enforcement officials who are testifying, and early voters.  As amended, this proposal passed.  However, these fees will not be levied for 6 months, and there will need to be bargaining with the unions during this time.

Other proposals which passed, some of which are expected to bring in relatively small amounts, are:

1.  an annual inspection fee of $200 under the Gasoline Vapor Collection & Control System Ordinance; 
2. the Demolition Amendment that would raise fees for permits and permit revisions; 
3. Asbestos and Related Substances proposal that institutes a $200 certificate of registration for contractors; 
4. an increase of the filing fee for evaluation of plans for fuel-burning equipment; 
5. an increase in fees under the Department of Building & Zoning for contractors doing work in unincorporated areas; 
6. an increase in the fee for the Recorder to provide electronic copies of documents; 
7. an increase in the charge for copies of documents from the Recorder’s web site; 
8. a realignment of the County tax on parking garages and valets, as amended by Comm. Suffredin to exempt municipal garages for communities under 250,000; 
9. an increase in the Use Tax applicable to the sales of such items as cars and boats; and 
10. a substitute amendment to apply a Use Tax to the transfer of title to motor vehicles from family members.

None of these revenue proposals received unanimous support, with Comms. Beavers, Collins, and Schneider voting against most of them, and other Comms. voting against some.

--  reported by Priscilla Mims