Cook County Board Looks to Provide Tax Breaks for Families of First Responders Killed in the Line of Duty

Cook County Board of Commissioners Meeting - July 25, 2019

Pre Meeting Press Conference:
As I stepped off the elevator there were many people in the lobby with lots of press coverage. Commissioner Daley was explaining an ordinance he hoped would pass at today’s meeting. 19-4797 is an ordinance allowing for property tax breaks for the families of First Responders who had perished in the line of duty. This ordinance did pass!

The meeting was called to order at about 10:15 AM with all 17 Commissioners present and on time. The gallery was packed with observers. 20 seats were reserved for guests of Commissioner Miller.

Public Speakers: 

• There were 10 speakers in all. Most of them were speaking in favor of  the above mentioned ordinance or another ordinance that was sponsored by Commissioner Anaya. This was Resolution 19-4750, opposing a rule recently imposed by HUD (Housing and Urban Development) at the federal level. HUD has enacted a new rule for recipients of housing assistance that mandates proof of their immigration status. This rule would target mixed status families, those where some members are citizens, others are residents, and others are undocumented. This would cause significant hardship for many families according to housing experts who testified. This opposition resolution passed.
• Two speakers  who drew much attention were George Blakemore and former Alderman Wallace Bradley. Mr. Blakemore condemned Cook County’s health system for being discriminatory towards black people, while helping immigrants.  President Preckwinkle and Commissioner Daley both stated that the county’s health system never turns anyone away. Mr. Bradley complimented President Preckwinkle for Criminal Justice Reform and hoped that comments by Police Superintendent Johnson would not deter her from furthering this reform.

Items Approved by the Board:

• 19-4588, A contract proposed by the Justice Advisory Council (the justice arm of the President’s office) to give grants worth up to $500,000 to Catholic Charities and and the Haymarket Center for helping pregnant and post-partum arrestees before trial.
  
• 19-4820 An ordinance proposed by Commisioner Suffredin to have the Board Secretary post all meetings of advisory boards, task forces, special committees, etc. on their website.
  
• 19-4438 A contract  proposed by Chief Judge Evans worth approximately $1.5 million over a 4 year period to Westcare Illinois for behavioral treatment services. These would be available to pretrial defendants in order to reduce recidivism.
  
• ​19-4285, a resolution proposed by Commissioner Deer to recognize Health Equity in Cook County. He cited some unequal life expectancy statistics: 60 yrs. of age in Englewood and 90 yrs of age in Streeterville.

Items That Were Sent to Committees:

• 19-4656, the Report on the progress of the merger of the Recorder Of Deeds and Clerk’s offices was sent to the Legislation and Intergovernmental Affairs Committee, as proposed by Commissioner Suffredin.
• 19-4770, a resolution for Just Housing, allowing for no discrimination in the rental or sale of housing, to the Rules Committee, as suggested by Commissioner Johnson.
• 19-4849, a resolution to continue Criminal Justice reform, sent to that committee by Commissioner Johnson ( He also told me as an aside that the CJ committee would be considering a no-monetary bail ordinance in Sept.)

The meeting went over agenda items very quickly with very little discussion. President Preckwinkle adjourned the meeting around noon. She wished everyone a happy summer as this was the last summer meeting. She said that the meetings would resume in September.

 Observer - Jan Goldberg