Cook County Board Passes $9.26 Billion Budget for FY2024

Special Cook County Board and Finance Committee Meetings
November 16, 2023

Completing a process that began this summer, the Cook County Board unanimously passed a budget for fiscal year 2024 totaling $9.26 B on November 16, 2023.  This budget contains no increases in taxes or fees.  It does continue to utilize ARPA funds of about $682 M, mainly for special programs, as opposed to ongoing operations.  However, as part of this budget, the County has also begun setting aside some funds for future use to continue those ARPA programs that are deemed most beneficial beyond 2026, when no further ARPA funds may be spent.  See the Observer Reports on the Budget meetings that were held on October 24 thru 26 that are posted on this web site for more information about the initial proposed budget. The 2024 fiscal year begins December 1, 2023.

Amendments to the Original Budget Proposal
The $9.26 B budget passed reflects an increase of $126 M over the initial budget proposed by President Preckwinkle in October as a result of 7 of the 22 amendments approved at the Finance Committee meeting:

• $100 M comes from allocating more of the excess in the Fund Balance at the end of FY2022 for a new Disaster Response and Recovery Special Purpose Fund that was approved at the Special Board meeting immediately prior.  Monies from this fund may only be used after a Disaster declaration at the County, State, or Federal levels.  (23-5710)  
• Pursuant to Budget Amendments #6, 7, and 8, $70 M of the total $100 M for this new Fund is allocated for new arrival health care costs which are over and above the $24 M already in the budget; $20 M is allocated for Suburban local governments’ costs in dealing with disasters, including support for new arrivals; and $10 M is allocated for disaster response and recovery due to events in FY2024.  These amendments drew the most discussion, with Commissioner Gainer asking questions as to how and who would determine when funds were to be expended, particularly with regard to funds to local governments.  The Director of Emergency Management and Regional Security and the Chief Financial Officer, in consultation with the President, will be making the determination. Quarterly reports will be provided to the Board on any such expenditures.
• Other additions to the budget are $17.5 M for capital expenditures (Amend. #5); $5.2 M from Special Purpose Fund Balances to increase expenditures from those funds in 2024 (Amend. # 2); $2.6 M in additional grant monies were identified (Amend. #4); and $818,918 from collections of special assessments on property taxes for C-PACE, which allows property owners to finance the cost of energy or other eligible improvements up front, with payback through a special assessment on their property taxes (Amend. #13).

In addition to these Amendments which increased the overall budget, other amendments moved dollars around from original line items.  Those amendments include;

• Adding a Manager of Purchasing & Operations and 3 administrative assistant positions (one for each Commissioner) to the Board of Review.  (Amend. #15)
• Adding a Special Assistant for Legal Affairs under the Office of the Secretary to provide legal assistance to the Cook County Commissioners.  (Amend. # 17)
• Increasing funding by about $1 M for Doula/Social Support Services in Cook County Health to improve maternal morbidity/mortality rates for women. (Amend. #19).  Several people spoke and submitted public comments in support.
• Adding dentistry positions for the Oral Health Program under Cook County Health that visits the clinics.  (Amend. #20)
• Funding the new ARPA program for the Food for Medicine initiative that was approved at the prior day’s Health & Hospitals Committee meeting.  (Item 23-5723 and Amend. #18)
• Adding $900,000 to the Veterans Assistance Commission. (Amend. # 9)

Public Speakers at the beginning of the Special Board Meeting included

• Sarah Wetmore, Acting President of the Civic Federation, said it supports the budget, but expressed the following concerns:  (1) the General Fund’s increasing reliance on sales tax revenues; (2) the County’s staffing shortages which result in higher costs for contractual services; (3) the need for a unified property tax office; (4) the high costs associated with unincorporated areas within the County; (5) the need for Cook County Health to increase transparency by reflecting the full County monetary support (such as for pensions) in its budget.
• Appleseed expressed concern over the continued use of electronic monitoring, which Appleseed equated as almost as problematic as incarceration in jail.  Appleseed reminded the Commissioners of Appleseed’s report earlier this year which contained a number of recommendations that have thus far not been implemented.
• Two speakers also spoke against increasing the Sheriff’s budget to provide mental health services, arguing those should be provided under other auspices.  As one speaker put it, you shouldn’t have to go to jail to receive such services.
• Another speaker spoke against the Board of Review budget.

Observer:  Priscilla Mims