Commissioners Present: John Daley, Larry Suffredin, Earleen
Collins and Gregg Goslin
The following people testified before the commissioners.
1) George Blakemore (a citizen) urged commissioners to
maximize use of tax dollars and not to employ illegal immigrants, who take jobs
away from the black community.
2) Nefertiti Smith (AFSCME Council 31) was pleased that the
budget contained no wholesale layoffs.
She was concerned that no one is being hired to fill current vacancies
in the public defenders office, state's attorney, e.g. clerical
positions. Attorneys are forced to
handle paperwork themselves because of short staffing.
3) Teayonia Cannon (AFSCME, Local 3696) was pleased that
there were no layoffs, but she, too, was concerned that vacancies are not being
filled in juvenile probation, forensic clinical services, and public defenders,
e.g. She urged commissioners to look for additional revenue for these support
staff positions.
4) Joel Africk (Respiratory Health Association) spoke in
support of the $1 increase in the cigarette tax. Young smokers are sensitive to cost and many
will quit or not start in the first place.
We can save $25 million in medical expenses if we keep people from
smoking.
5) Bruce Edenson (a citizen) said that he is a legal firearms owner
and a member of the NRA. He shoots for
recreation and is opposed to the tax on firearms and ammunition. He cited the 2nd amendment right
to bear arms. There have been 400
homicides in Chicago,
but 99% of bullets used were used in hunting and shooting. This tax imposes a hardship on the gun owners
and does not impede crime. Gun owners
will go outside Cook
County for bullets and
firearms.
6) Mary Kenney (AFSCME, #3486) represents probation
officers. The budget cuts 35 positions
in the adult probation department. They
have lost 14% of work force, number of cases have jumped 82% and 40% of
officers are working above case load.
The paperwork is burdensome. With the “second look” program the court
will further stress the probation staff.
She urged restoration of at least 35 positions.
Commissioner Collins asked if there was any data on
probationers’ recidivism. Is the
probation department effective? She supports reduction of jail population, but
then there needs to be good probation services instead.
7) Barry Roseth (a citizen) objected to the taxes related to
guns. He stated that gun owners were
being singled out and that is unfair.
8) Don C. Haworth (Owner of firearms school in Chicago and a private
investigator) felt that he was being harassed because he recently was ticketed
for a sign violation. He wondered why
the County doesn’t do something about all the unsupervised kids. He advocates
concealed carry and is against the tax on bullets. Gun owners will only go to other counties to
buy bullets.
9) Jennifer Bobay (a community college teacher) had four students shot and
killed. She supports the tax on firearms
and bullets. She said if something can
take someone’s life, it should be expensive to obtain.
10) Richard Feiss (a citizen) said he is a Vietnam vet
with many pre-existing conditions. Many
of his fellow citizens are hurting now and need the safety net in Cook County.
One should not have to commit a crime to get free health care in the jail.
11) Diana Hackbarth (Illinois Coalition Against Tobacco) has
a PhD. in nursing and takes care of patients with tobacco-related
diseases. She approves of raising
tobacco taxes because it will discourage kids and adults from smoking. Taxes
will result in savings to long-term health costs for Cook County.
12) Becky Dea Kyne (a citizen) is the mother of a child lost
to gun violence. She supports the bullet
tax to combat violence that took her son.
13) Leonard Simpson (SEIU, Local 73) supports tax on tobacco
and firearms. He does not support
managed competition and privatization of services. Union workers can provide
better services with fewer turnovers. There should not be a “race to the
bottom” in wages.
14) Anna Cienkowski (a citizen) opposes the tax on firearms
and bullets. She said she needs to protect her home. She
does not feel safe. Taxes on “Mom &
Pop” shops that sell guns are a hardship.
She supports concealed carry. She asserts that guns are already regulated by the State Police. She is against providing services to
undocumented people.
15) Vidan Cienkowski is a naturalized citizen who
objects to the rise in taxes. Government
makes excuses for raising taxes. She is
opposed to firearm and bullet taxes.
16) Lynn Morris (owner of Morris Gaming) is a naturalized
citizen opposed to gaming terminal tax.
The video gaming tax will destroy her business. It will hurt jobs.
Hearing was declared closed by John Daley.
--Submitted by Georgia Gebhardt
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