Cook County Board of Commissioners - November 19, 2020 
Virtual Meeting 10am-1pm

Public Speakers - Statements read by the Secretary of the Board

• A statement from the League of Women Voters of Cook County (LWVCC) concerning the 2020 3rd Quarter Report from the Office of the Independent Inspector General was read. The item referenced was sent to the Litigation Subcommittee for the December 15 meeting when the Inspector General’s report will be reviewed. (see below)
• There were a number of statements read concerning replacing Columbus Day with Indigenous People Day to be celebrated on the second Tuesday of October.  

Items of Interest:

• Resolution concerning the Annual Calendar of Regular Board Meetings and consent Calendar meetings for calendar year 2021 was approved. There will be 11 Board meetings with no meeting in August. (Agenda Item 20-5487)
• Cook County Justice Advisory Council Annual Report of the Juvenile Temporary Detention Center Advisory Board was sent to Criminal Justice Committee. (Agenda Item 20-5424)
• Proposed Resolution calling for a Hearing of The Criminal Justice Committee to examine length of stay of detainees for the Cook County Department of Corrections and its effect on Jail populations. This has the support of the Chief Judge, Sheriff, State’s Attorney, Clerk of the Court, Public Defender, and Director of Cermak Health services.  All of the Commissioners were happy to hear this would occur. Commissioner Aquilar voiced concern as his District (16th) has experienced an increase of crime. This item was referred to the Criminal Justice Committee where they will set the date for this Hearing. (Agenda Item 20-5479). 
• Cook County Department of Public Health (CCDPH) quarterly Report 4Q 2020 was referred to the Health and Hospital Committee.
• Office of the Independent Inspector General Quarterly Report for the 3rd quarter was referred to the Litigation Subcommittee. A letter from the LWVCC was read during Public Comment. This letter urged the Board to take appropriate steps to ensure that the Board of Review both address and adopt each of the recommendation of the OIIG, as detailed in both the 2nd Quarter and the 3rd Quarter Reports. (Agenda Item 20-5462). 
• New item was proposed by Commissioner Anaya. This is a proposed Resolution requesting presentations from the Cook County Treasurer and the Cook County Assessor to discuss the impact of increased property taxes on constituents. The Treasurer and Assessor will be invited to present to the Finance Committee the following: Treasurer is asked to present on the major findings of her office’s report, specifically on the areas within Suburban Cook County and the City of Chicago that have seen the greatest differences between an increase in property taxes and an increase in wages and cost of living.   The Cook County Assessor will present on the accuracy of assessments in Cook County and how property tax bills that Cook County taxpayers pay have been impacted. This item was referred to the Finance Committee.  (Agenda Item 20-5667)

Committee Items requiring Board Actions:

• During the report from the Technology Committee, Commissioners emphasized the need for full cooperation especially from the Chief Judge and Sheriff’s office with the Bureau of Technology.

Items for Follow-up

• Inspector General’s 3rd Quarter Report to be reviewed at the December 15 Litigation subcommittee
• Hearing of the Criminal Justice Committee date TBD, to examine length of stay of detainees for Cook County Department of Corrections and its effect on jail population. 
• New item proposed by Commissioner Anaya, a resolution requesting presentations from Cook County Treasurer and Cook County Assessor. 

​Commissioners and President Toni Preckwinkle honored former Commissioner and current Recorder of Deeds, Ed Moody who is retiring in December. 

Observer: Nancy Marcus

Cook County Board Finance Committee Budget Meeting
Monday, Oct. 26, Morning Session

Overview of Proposed Budget:    
    $6.9 B (2021) - $6.2 B (2020) = increase of $0.7 B
     21,820 FTEs (2021) – 22,074 FTEs (2020) = decrease of 254 FTEs
Offices under the President:  
    $1,222.5 M (2021) - $1,041.4 M (2020) = increase of $181.1 M
    1,798 FTEs (2021) – 1,812 FTEs (2020) = decrease of 14 FTEs
(FTE = full time equivalent; 1 FTE is equal to 1 employee working a fulltime job)
Offices under the President include 6 Bureaus and 34 Departments (most of which are under the Bureaus) which encompass the following:  the President’s office and the Justice Advisory Council; the Bureaus of Administration, Asset Management, Economic Development, Finance, Human Resources, and Technology; the County Auditor; the Department of Administrative Hearings; and the Department of Human Rights & Ethics

Assessor:
    $31.12 M (2021) - $29.94 M (2020) = increase of $1.81 M
    276 FTEs (2021) – 277 FTEs (2020) = decrease of 1 FTE

​Highlights from the Overview of the Proposed Budget:

• There are NO TAX INCREASES.
• Most of the $700 million increase from 2020 is due to increased County Care membership (that brings both revenues and expenses) and some increases in new revenues, helping to offset the budgeted reduction in other revenues.  CFO Ammar Rizki stressed that core County services have grown over the last 11 years at an annualized rate of just 1.5%, equal to the inflation rate.  County Care, in contrast, has grown from $96.2 M in 2013 to $2.2 B in 2021.
• FTEs have decreased 9% since 2011
• New sources of revenue are:  online sales tax (budgeted at $80.3 M), cannabis tax ($13.9 M), and sport wagering tax ($3.6 M)
• The gap identified this summer between projected revenues and expenses in the General Fund was eliminated through reduction of some expenditures, additional revenues identified, $50 M to cover allowable expenses in December from the Federal CARES Act, and $76.8 M drawn from the County’s reserves.  CFO Rizki stressed the importance of both the CARES Act money and having a healthy reserve ($400 M as of the end of 2019, the last audited year) that allowed the budget to be balanced.
• Cook County Health (composed of County Care, the managed care program for those on Medicare and Medicaid, and the “service providers,” which are the 2 hospitals and clinics, plus the Public Health Department) makes up $3.3 B of the County’s budget.   This year, the County’s allocation is $122.7 M (an increase of $40 M from 2020) to cover the costs of Public Health and health services for those in the County Jail.  The County also provides $162.6 M in pension support and $136.4 M to cover debt, for a total of $421.7 M.
• The 2021 budget supports close to $100 M in Equity Funding to be invested over the next 2 years in restorative justice, violence prevention, digital equity, public health, workforce training, affordable transportation, and housing assistance.
• The budget includes a supplemental pension amount (drawn from sales tax revenues) of $342 M, so the County is still on track to achieve 100% pension funding by 2047.  Without the extra funding from the sales tax, the projection is that the pension fund would have been insolvent by 2038.

Highlights from the Meeting with the Offices under the President:

• Chief of Staff Lanetta Haynes Turner provide the overview, which was at a very high level, in contrast to prior years where there were presentations by each of the Bureaus and remaining departments.  
• Instead, the presentation focused on how the President’s portion of the budget is being used to carry out her “Policy Roadmap” of Healthy Communities (health and wellness), Vital Communities (economic development), Safe and Thriving Communities (criminal justice), Sustainable Communities (environment and sustainability), Smart Communities (public infrastructure), and Open Communities (good government)
• Commissioner Miller asked about where the money for the Equity Funding came from.  $40 M is from drawing from reserves, but it was stressed that the need to find sustainable funding is now part of the County’s long-term financial planning.  There were few other questions from the Commissioners, and none related to the individual department budgets.  Commissioner Degnen did state she had some line-item questions, but would schedule a separate, private meeting.

Highlights from the Meeting with the Assessor
Assessor Fritz Kaegi Identified several key accomplishments in 2020:

• Over 100,000 online appeals from the initial assessments processed
• 1.07 million online and auto-renewal exemptions
• New, award-winning website
• Roll out of phase 1 of the Tyler Integrated Property Tax System
• No findings of unlawful political discrimination since taking office and significant progress in meeting the requirements under Shakman, including implementing an employment plan, achieving a fully-staffed HR department, conducting performance evaluations for the first time in 10 years, and an updated and finalized employee handbook
• Rebuilding office capacity per the International Association of Assessing Officers audit, including 31 new hires in compliance with Shakman
• Triennial reassessment of South Suburbs
• Dealing with the effects of COVID, which included reducing some assessments across the County.  This will be reflected in the 2nd property tax bill of 2021.

Priorities for 2021 include:

• On-time completion of the City of Chicago triennial reassessment (the City comprises 52% of the total County assessments)
• Continuing to build quality data to provide fair, uniform assessments.  Assessor Kaegi says key to this is passage in Springfield of the Data Modernization Bill, that failed to come out of Committee this spring session.  Assessor Kaegi said that this bill would be particularly useful in correctly assessing smaller properties which aren’t usually correctly reflected in other data sources.
• While Springfield did authorize automatic renewals of the senior exemption, and for this year only, automatic renewals of the senior freeze and veterans with disability exemption, the Assessor hopes to get Springfield to continue such automatic renewals.
• Commissioner Miller asked about the number of appeals in Cook County vs. norms elsewhere.  Assessor Kaegi said they are higher here because of past inaccurate assessments.  First step is to improve the accuracy, which he says his office is doing and keeps working on improving.  Second step is the need for transparency, and he is posting his methodology.  Once people have trust again, the number of appeals should go down.

Again, no questions on the proposed budget, though Commissioner Degnen stated she had already met with the Assessor’s office to raise her questions.

Note: slide presentations given at all these meetings are available under “Meeting Details” for each meeting, which is listed on  https://cook-county.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx

Observer:  Priscilla Mims

Cook County Board Finance Subcommittee on Litigation
February 25, 2020

The Court-Appointed Compliance Administrators and representatives from the 3 offices under court supervision pursuant to the Shakman settlements updated the Litigation Subcommittee on Feb. 25.  The 3 offices are the Recorder of Deeds, the Assessor, and the Clerk of the Court.

• Shakman provides that, with just a few exceptions, decisions regarding hiring, firing, promotion, and salaries are to be made free of political considerations.  The Recorder’s office has been under court supervision since 2010, the Assessor’s office since 2012, and the Clerk of the Court’s office since August 2018.  The Litigation Subcommittee began asking for quarterly updates with the goal of encouraging faster compliance, as recommended by the League.
• The Recorder’s office has some serious challenges to coming into substantial compliance by December 2020 due to loss of most of the staff in the Human Resources area, as well as other issues.  Commissioner Degnen urged the Recorder to talk to the Clerk about that office providing help with Human Resources since the two offices are to merge in December.  The Court-Appointed Administrator does not know what impact the case may have on the Clerk’s office (not currently under court-supervision) once the merger occurs.
• While progress has been made in the Assessor’s office, and no new complaints have been filed since the current Assessor took over at the end of 2016, it is likely that substantial compliance will not be reached this year because performance evaluations will not be able to be conducted before the end of this year/early next year.  The Assessor’s representative explained that the Assessor needs to complete the property assessments by the end of November, and so it would be difficult to start the evaluations before then.
• The Clerk of the Court is making good progress, but is still in the early stages and has much to do before that office can be found in substantial compliance.

Priscilla Mims - Observer

Cook County Board of Commissioners Committee Meetings - Oct. 23, 2019
Board Meeting - October 24, 2019

The Cook County Board quickly passed an ordinance creating a name change for CC’s Homeland Security Department.  The new name is: Department of Emergency Management and Regional Security.  The renaming occurred after a CC Homeland Security vehicle created alarm among attendees at an Evanston street fair because they did not differentiate between the Cook County and the US Immigration Homeland Security vehicle signage and therefore were concerned that US ICE Agents were there to round up people with potential immigration issues.  

Other Agenda items Passed:

• 19-5620, Ordinance requiring ballots to be printed in additional languages in time for the 2020 elections.  Requires the County Clerk to determine by March 1, 2020, and at least every 3 years thereafter, limited-English-proficient populations of 13,000 or more Cook County residents and then produce special language ballots.
  
• 19-5845, The creation of the “Assessor GIS Fund” with language stating that the revenue collected for the Assessor by other County offices from providing GIS data shall go into this new fund.  The County Board retains appropriation authority.
  
• 19-6117, The renewal of a Springfield lobbying contract.  Commissioner Lowery asked for the lobbyist to come to a board meeting or hearing.  Commissioner Suffredin responded that a meeting will be scheduled after the IL General Assembly veto session is over.
  
• 19-6389, The Human Relations Committee requested a hearing to discuss the final report from the CC Committee on addressing bias, equity, and cultural competency.
  
• 19-5830,  A review of County policies as well as holding and incarceration practices in light of the recommendations from the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Global Study on children who are confined, jailed, and/or jailed in adult facilities.  

Items Referred to Committee:

To Business & Economic Development Committee:

• 19-6176, Requesting approval to enter into an Interagency Agreement to provide funding to launch and operationalize the Southland Development Authority for large scale and long term economic development in the South Suburbs.  Initial amount of $300,000 used to hire an Executive Director for the SDA and based on the SDA’s ability to secure additional material funding.
  
• 19-5333, Resolution to establish an enterprise zone in a 15 contiguous square miles of a depressed area including the City of Chicago Heights and several more.  Intergovernmental agreements will be required.
  
• 19-5632, The Bureau of Economic Development recommends the investment of $4 million in Community Development Block Grant Section 108 funds for low interest financing to support the long term redevelopment of two Housing Authority of Cook County (HACC) high rise properties with 226 units of affordable senior housing in the Village of Wheeling and the City of Niles.

To Legislative & Intergovernmental Affairs Committee:

• 19-6194, Amendment to the Ethics Ordinance that adds calendars, vehicles, and equipment to the list of items that may not have a name or image of an elected official paid for with public funds during an election year if that official is running for re-election.
  
• 19-5979, the proposed ordinance to dissolve the Injury Compensation Committee and Advisory Board as it is no longer needed.  Appears to be an effort to clean up the Code to eliminate provisions that are no longer relevant.
  
• 19-6158, the 3rd quarter report from the Recorders office on its consolidation with the Clerk’s office.  Commissioner Suffredin stated that a hearing will be scheduled.  
  

To Rules Committee:

• 19-4770, Another Just Housing Amendment to a  previously passed ordinance defining “demonstrable risk” and  requiring landlords to rent to individuals with criminal records after a 5 year period of time with a clean record [sex offenders are not eligible].  Because landlords are very unhappy with the original ordinance, Commissioners continue to work on compromises.

Other Items of Interest: 

• Although approved without discussion, four public speakers attended the board meeting and asked the commissioners not to appoint Alderman, George Cardenas, to the Environment Committee.  Mr. Cardenas was selected by Mayor Lightfoot to represent the City. 
  
• The States Attorney’s office received multiple grants from the US Department of Justice to add staff for specific purposes including investigating cold cases older than 3 years; hiring an intellectual property crime attorney and clerk; and increased trauma support for sexual assault victims.
  
• The Justice Advisory Council received a 4 year $1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Justice to create a regional coordinated system for returning citizens to receive the appropriate pre and post release (from prison) services.  Goal:  to reduce recidivism.   #19-6162
  

Observed by:    Diane Edmundson

Cook County Board of Commissioners - Finance Committee 
Departmental Budget Hearings 
2020 Cook County Executive Budget Recommendation
​October 28, 2019

Departments heard from:  Chief Financial Officer and Budget Director for Budget Overview, Offices under the President, Treasurer, Cook County Land Bank Authority, Board of Review, and Office of the County Assessor

This is the first of several days during which the Finance Committee (composed of all 17 County Commissioners) is meeting with all County elected officials and their department heads to consider the Proposed Budget.   Last week the League of Women Voters of Cook County submitted questions for some of the departments which Committee Chairman John Daley provided to the applicable department and has requested responses.  For information on the questions click here.

​Overview of President’s Proposed Budget

• $6.18 Billion, composed of $2.84 Billion for Healthcare, $1.31 Billion for Public Safety, $527.9  Million for Annuity and Benefits, $491.6 Million for Capital Projects, $374.9 Million for Finance & Administration, $297,6 Million for Debt Repayment, $144.4 Million for Fixed Charges (expenses that are not attributable to any one department, such as utility costs) $113.9 Million for Property & Taxation, and $82.3 Million for Economic Development.
• Healthcare and Public Safety make up 67% of the Total Budget
• Position counts (“Full Time Equivalents” or “FTEs”) are proposed to decrease by 401 from 2019, for a total of 22,037 FTEs.  These are all positions that are currently not filled.
• There are no layoffs proposed and no proposed tax or fee increases

Board of Review (BoR) presents its case for $2.8 million more than President recommending

• BoR reviews appeals from the property assessments of the Assessor
• Commissioners Dan Patlak, Larry Rogers and Michael Cabonargi stated that BoR needs 35 more FTEs than the 142 budgeted for in order to (1) be able to deal with the expected increase in assessment appeals in time so that the 2nd installment tax bills can go out on time, and (2) reduce the amount of overtime and the corresponding wear and tear and loss of existing employees.  Cost would be an additional $2.8 million above the proposed $13.5 million budget.
• Number of appeals has almost doubled over last 10 years but FTE count has remained essentially flat.  Technology has enabled BoR to handle the work increase, but BoR argues that at the end of efficiencies gained from technology and now need more FTEs.
• Budget does have 16 more FTEs than 2019, but BoR asking for 35 more
• County Commissioners were sympathetic because want to avoid delaying the 2nd installment property tax bill which would hurt all government bodies in Cook County (schools, municipal governments, libraries, park districts, etc.)
• However, the question is where will extra money come from?  Chairman Daley asked BoR for ideas that would not be a one-time revenue fix (such as TIF surplus) for a cost that will be ongoing

Assessor sees correlation between number of appeals and accuracy of initial assessments

• Accordingly, his goal is to hire and train employees and provide better data tools and technology to improve the accuracy and fairness of assessments
• Expects that this will take at least 3 years or more as each area of County is reassessed and trust in the assessments improves
• Budget of $30 million is $1.6 million more than 2019 and has 17 additional FTEs
• Cites new law which he championed that eliminates need for yearly senior exemption requests

Treasurer Pappas touts technology as allowing better services with continued reduction in FTEs

• Celebrating 1 million visits to web site that provides information and allows public to do many things that used to require a phone call and/or visit to the Treasurer’s office.  Among other tasks the public can do online:  see and print out property tax bill; apply for refunds of overpayments; request name and address changes; view the web site in many different languages; see local government bodies financial statements; and make payments
• More people now paying online than those making payments at Chase banks
• Has 24 Deputy Treasurers from different ethnic backgrounds to help with the outreach being done to communities around the County

Observer:  Priscilla Mims