Community Members Bring Concerns to Cook County Budget Hearing in Skokie

FY 2017 COOK COUNTY BUDGET PUBLIC HEARING
OCTOBER 24, 2016, 6:30 PM
SECOND DISTRICT COURT HOUSE, SKOKIE, ILLINOIS

The following Commissioners were present: Daley, Goslin, Silvestri, Morrison, Schneider, Steele, Suffredin, Sims, and Garcia. Commissioner Boykin was present for the beginning of the meeting.

There were 51 public speakers expressing their concerns about the proposed 2017 Cook County Budget to a standing room only crowd.

Three major Areas of Concern:

• 1 cent per ounce proposed tax on sugary beverages 
• Outsourcing of the toxicology Lab at the Department of the Medical Examiner
• Increasing the budget of the Public Defender’s office to hire more staff

1 cent per ounce Tax on sugary beverages:
Opposed included the Teamster Union, Pepsi Co, Coca Cola, Dr. Pepper and Snapple Group (including beverage delivery drivers, distributors and managers of plants.), Marcus Theatre, IL Beverage Association, IL Retail Grocery Industry, IL Retail Merchant Association, and IL Committee of Blind Vendors.
Concerns Expressed:

• There are already too many taxes. 
• This tax will affect the middle class and is discriminatory.
• The tax will impact jobs. The public will travel to other counties to buy sugary beverages causing beverage plants to close. This will impact families.
• Also taxed will be certain waters like Vitamin Water, Iced Teas, Gatorade, and juices.
• Government should not tell people what to drink.

In favor included IL Rep. Robyn Gable (18th District), Dr. Sanborn - Cardiologist, Dr. Daniel Zeigler - Evanston Health Advisory Center,  IL Public Health Institute, Am. Heart Association, Lurie Children’s Hospital.
Concerns Expressed:

• The rise in obesity and diabetes especially in children.
• This tax could improve the fiscal health of Cook County and the health of residents.
• The revenue from the tax should go to wellness education programs especially in schools and access to health food programs.

Out sourcing of Toxicology Lab at the Medical Examiner's Office
This topic provoked a lot of discussion. Current employees of the Medical Examiner’s office raised the following concerns:

• Outsourcing would diminish the interaction between pathologist and toxicologists. 
• Questioned need for updated equipment.
• Outsource lab would provide what is asked for and not necessarily what is needed.
• Efficiency of the Lab would be questioned. Employees questioned the goal of the Lab to have 90% of the work out in 60 days. They believe this will not happen if outsourced.
• In house lab can test for new emerging drugs - concern that outsourced labs will not have information on new classes of drugs. 

Mary McMillian from AFSCME 1276 opposes outsourcing because:

• Cut 18 of 22 jobs. The lab will only test for carbon monoxide and alcohol deaths. Drug testing will be outsourced.
• The need to upgrade instruments to keep testing in house is false. Instruments are fine

Dr. Arunkumar, Medical Examiner was present to answer questions from the Commissioners.:

• Outsourcing would lower the cost of running the office.
• The time for return on testing results would be lowered to 7-14 days, allowing for more efficiency in the office.
• There will be more real time analysis of cases and more opportunity to be up to date on new emerging drugs.
• There is not presently a Chief Toxicologist, difficulty in hiring one. 
• There is no RFP for a toxicology company, that is certified and can do the testing.  There are not many labs and none in Illinois
• Staff needs training in new instruments
• Question was raised as to whether staff are licensed, certified or both. Told employees are licensed but not certified. 

There were a lot of concerns with the Medical Examiner’s office.  Commissioners have requested a meeting with Dr. Atunkumar.

Public Defender's Need for More Staff
Kevin Ochalia, AFCME Local 3715, Stephanie Schleger, Public Defender’s Office, and Jeanne Bishop, Public Defender’s office, spoke to the need to increase funding in the budget for the Public Defenders Office.

• To protect citizens, protect the innocent, and protect the accused.
• Too many cases - not enough staff to do the work.

Other Concerns:

• Joy Wikowski from CC Access To Care, wanted to make sure they will get the total amount of money in the proposed budget. This is needed to make sure poor have access to care in the communities where they live.
• Margaret Stapelton, Sargent Shriver Poverty Center, supports sugar tax, bail system with no money bond, to use affordable care-Medicaid for the Criminal Justice system. 
• Elizabeth Clark, Juvenile Justice Initiative, concerned about incarcerated children. She believes that there should be reduced incarceration and community alternative programs for children.

Observers - Nancy Marcus and Sue Kravis