No Lack of Input at Second Public Hearing on Proposed Budget

2016 Budget Public Hearing:  Maybrook Court House, Maywood,  November 5, 2015,  6:30 PM.

The hearing began on time and had 12 commissioners present. The hearing was chaired by Comm. Boykin. 

Approximately 25 people spoke, some alone and some on behalf of groups with many people standing at the podium.
Many people spoke out against the e-cigarette tax, one even claiming that such a tax would increase the amount of people who smoked regular cigarettes. One speaker was the owner of a “Vape” shop and worried about the loss of business that might occur. Also noted were several speakers who wanted more money for Restorative Justice programs. A group called Peacekeepers handed out sheets of statistics to the commissioners about lowering recidivism rates. These folks were very polite and thanked the board for the $500,000 donation to their group. Conversations about budget balancing ensued. Finally, Reclaim Chicago spoke about the Responsible Business Act. It basically taxes employers who pay less than a fair wage.

   

Some other interesting speakers included the Mayor of Lyons who complained about the 3% Amusement Tax hurting seniors the most. The Commissioners thanked this mayor profusely for the recent regulations placed on the gun shop in Lyons. Other speakers complained about the same tax. Comm. Daley stated that this tax probably would not happen.

A doctor from Access to Care based at Loyola Medical Center in Maywood asked for more funding. Some discussion ensued about treating illegal immigrants. Comm. Suffredin said that he would work with this program to try to come up with a solution to this problem. Others complained about county taxes treating illegals. Comm. Garcia said CCHHS has a mission to treat everyone equally and doctors have an oath to treat the sick.

The SEIU (state unionized workers) speaker complained about cutting the grafitti removal team because it has been very successful. A speaker from Safer Foundation thanked the board for its support in the past. Several cancer patients thanked the board for County Care and the expansion of Medicaid. Many had had no health care at all until 2 years ago.
 

A huge group from TASC (Treatment Alternatives for Safe Communities) came to the podium. They explained their mission and looked forward to working with the State’s Attorney's Office and the Jail by expanding diversion programs. Another speaker asked for more county facilities to be compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. She complained about both downtown county buildings and the difficulties wheelchair bound people have negotiating some of the doors and elevators.

   

The most emotional part of the evening came when one speaker (calling himself “just a taxpayer") complained about the increasing sales tax which makes Cook County have the highest sales tax in the nation. Comm. Sims said that it was a fair tax because it hits everyone who shops in Cook County evenly. She became emotional when she told everyone how difficult it was to balance this budget when all groups are asking for more money.

--Submitted by Jan Goldberg

Opposition to Tax on Cable TV and E-Cigarettes; $2 Million for Restorative Justice; Tax on Corporations Paying Less than Living Wage; and Lost Animals Raised at Public Meeting

2016 Cook County Proposed Budget:  Public Hearing at the County Building, November 3, 2015

Lawrence Msall, on behalf of the Civic Federation, after complimenting the County government for the actions taken with regard to criminal justice reform, health care, and rationalizing the workforce, said that with regret, the Civic Federation could not support the proposed budget. The opposition was mainly to the 1% increase in the sales tax that the Board had approved this summer, and on which this budget is based.  The Civic Federation cited the competitive disadvantage the Board was creating for the many businesses in Cook County, particularly those on the County’s borders. 

However, in response to a question by Commissioner Suffredin, the Civic Federation thinks the $30 million in additional taxes and fees that are part of this budget proposal are reasonable.  This was clearly not what the Commissioner wanted to hear, as he expressed his concerns about these revenue proposals.   Subsequently, the Chamber of Commerce expressed its opposition to extending the amusement tax to (or rather eliminating the current exemption for) cable television.  There were several other speakers similarly expressing opposition, as well as one speaker in favor.  Chairman Daley stated that in talking with the individual Commissioners, it seemed unlikely that the Board would pass the expansion of the amusement tax, so the Commissioners will have to come up with proposals to cover the $18 million projected from this tax, either through other new revenues or through cost cuts.

Several speakers also voiced opposition to the proposed tax on E-cigarettes. 

Several speakers called on the Board to increase the $500,000 for restorative justice programs in the budget to at least $2 million. The dialogue between a couple of the Commissioners and one of the speakers got a little heated at one point, as the Commissioners explained that they supported more money for restorative justice programs, but also were faced with trying to balance the budget.  The speaker argued that if the County would stop spending so much on the jail, it could fund restorative justice, which would do much to reduce the jail population.  Commissioners pointed out that they have a responsibility to see that there is sufficient money for the jail in order to protect the public from those committing crimes.

Several speakers spoke in support of a proposed ordinance (the “Responsible Business Act”) that would impose a tax on employers who had 750 or more employees making less than a “living wage.”  Chairman Daley pointed out that this proposal is not part of the budget, and has been referred to a Board committee for separate consideration.

Several speakers also urged that the focus of the Animal Control Department of the County be expanded to include helping owners find their lost pets. 

One speaker complained about the Health & Hospitals System treating undocumented immigrants.  Chairman Daly stated that the mission of the County’s health system has always been to treat everyone.

Next Steps

The Finance Committee finished its last department meeting on Nov. 2, and has one more public hearing at the Maybrook Courthouse at 6:30 pm on November 5.  Chairman Daley indicated that the deadline for the Commissioners to submit amendments to the proposed budget would likely be next week, but had not been finalized.  Check on the budget calendar.  A meeting of the Finance Committee to vote on these amendments and the resulting budget will then be held, followed by the Board meeting to vote on the budget, as amended.

-- submitted by Priscilla Mims, League Observer