League of Women Voters of Cook County
  • Home
  • About
    • LWVCC Interest Groups >
      • Cook County & MWRD Group
      • Criminal Justice
      • Cook County Health
      • Forest Preserve Interest Group
    • LWVCC Positions
    • LWVCC Action and Testimony
    • LWVCC Activities
    • Archived Newsletters
  • Observer Reports
    • Cook County Board Observer Reports
    • MWRD Board Observer Reports
    • CCH Board Observer Reports
    • Forest Preserve Board Observer Reports
  • Voter Info
  • Cook County Gov. Contacts
    • Cook County Board
    • Forest Preserve Board
    • Cook County Elected Officials
    • MWRD Board
    • Cook County Health Board

 Beverage Tax and Layoffs Main Topics at Public Hearing on Proposed County Budget

10/31/2016

0 Comments

 
Cook County Board Finance Committee Budget Hearings
Public Hearing - County Board Room

October 31, 2016 -  9 am to 2 pm

Well over 100 speakers registered to speak, meaning that there was not sufficient room for all to be in the room at the same time.  A Spanish interpreter was made available for anyone needing that service.

Commissioners Present:  Because this observer was not able to be in the room, it was difficult to tell which Commissioners were there for the hearing.  However, it was clear from the live stream that showed the entire Board floor from time to time that for much of the meeting there were only a few Commissioners present at any given time.  Chairman Daley was there throughout.

Meeting Highlights:
  • The Civic Federation, a nonpartisan government research organization, is supporting the proposed budget which it feels is reasonably balanced between new revenues and spending reductions.  Concern was expressed about the falling County revenues and the pension costs, as well as questions about the extra pension funding the County is doing over the statutory limit.  The full 95 page analysis is available HERE.
  • By far the majority of the speakers were there to either support or object to the proposed sweetened beverage tax of one-cent per ounce that, if passed, would take effect on July 1, 2017.
    1. Those supporting argued that it would raise needed revenues to balance the budget and was preferable to cutting employees and services or to raising other taxes, particularly the property tax.
    2. Those supporting also argued that it would discourage people from purchasing sweetened beverages, citing the number of people dealing with diabetes and obesity and the attendant health costs that affect all.
    3. Those objecting to the tax said that it was mainly to raise revenue and if it were truly about improving health, the tax would not be applied to artificially sweetened beverages.
    4. Those objecting to the tax also cited the burden being placed on businesses which are faced with a number of new taxes this year and next, which the speakers say will result in layoffs.
    5. However, there were no suggestions provided as to where the County could replace the revenue expected to come from this tax.
  • The other major topic raised was the proposed layoffs to reduce staff
    1. The toxicology department (about 9 positions) in the Medical Examiner’s Office; the proposal is to instead utilize an outside lab.  Although a Request for Proposal has not yet been issued, the Medical Examiner has stated that she estimates that this outsourcing would save $1 million and would result in faster turnaround times.  There were several speakers who were the affected employees.
    2. There were questions from several Commissioners of the speakers which reflected the Commissioners’ skepticism as to whether this is a good proposal.
    3. There are also a number of positions in the Health & Hospitals System being eliminated.  There were several speakers who are currently Licensed Practical Nurses who are losing their jobs in the emergency room at Stroger who argued that they provide needed services which would be lost.
    4. A speaker who currently works in the Recorder of Deeds office also spoke against the 17 employees losing their jobs there.
    5. However, there were no suggestions as to where the money would come from to cover the costs of retaining any of these positions.

Observer - Priscilla Mims
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Individual authors are credited at the end of each post.

    Archives

    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    August 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015

    Categories

    All
    Assessor
    Ballot Referendum
    Board Of Review
    CCHHS
    Chief Judge
    Contracts
    Cook County Board
    Cook County Budget
    Cook County Health (CCH)
    Cook County Sheriff
    County Clerk
    Covid 19
    Criminal Justice
    Departmental Budget Hearings
    Economic Development
    Election Administration
    Environmental Control
    Ethics Ordinance
    Gun Violence
    Healthcare
    Independent Inspector General
    Paid Sick Leave
    Pensions
    Performance Based Management
    Police Matters
    Public Defender
    Recorder Of Deeds
    Shakman
    Soda Tax
    State's Attorney Office
    Taxes
    Tax Incentives
    Technology
    Transportation Plan

    RSS Feed

LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF COOK COUNTY
332 S. Michigan Ave., Suite 634
Chicago, IL 60604

312/939-5935 x 127
info@lwvcookcounty.org
Terms and Conditions of Use
© Copyright League of Women Voters of Cook County, Illinois. All rights reserved.
Membership Information
CONTACT US
  • Home
  • About
    • LWVCC Interest Groups >
      • Cook County & MWRD Group
      • Criminal Justice
      • Cook County Health
      • Forest Preserve Interest Group
    • LWVCC Positions
    • LWVCC Action and Testimony
    • LWVCC Activities
    • Archived Newsletters
  • Observer Reports
    • Cook County Board Observer Reports
    • MWRD Board Observer Reports
    • CCH Board Observer Reports
    • Forest Preserve Board Observer Reports
  • Voter Info
  • Cook County Gov. Contacts
    • Cook County Board
    • Forest Preserve Board
    • Cook County Elected Officials
    • MWRD Board
    • Cook County Health Board