Cook County Board Recognizes 100th Anniversary of LWV and Proposes 3% Retail Tax on Cannabis Sales

Cook County Board of Commissioners
Committee and Consent Agenda Meetings
January 15, 2020

During the Consent Agenda Meeting the Board honored the League of Women Voters in recognition of its 100th anniversary on February 14, 2020.  President Preckwinkle and Commissioners noted the many suggestions from the League over the years to improve the operations and transparency of the government, as well as the presence of League observers at most Cook County Board and Committee meetings.

The following actions by the Committees are subject to Board approval at the January 16 Board meeting:

• With the advent of legal sales and possession of cannabis in Illinois as of January 1, 
  • The Finance Committee passed a 3% retailer’s sales tax on gross receipts of sales of recreational cannabis.  Sales of cannabis for medicinal purposes are excluded.  Tax (which is on top of the normal sales tax) to be effective July 1, 2020.  Commissioner Suffredin noted that, based on the experience in other states that have legalized cannabis, the County can expect an increase in emergency room visits and in having to deal with more driving while under the influence cases, adding costs to the County’s health and public safety functions.  Thus, the 3% tax is more than justified.  Because the State collects the tax and then remits to the County, the County does not expect to receive any revenues until September or October.  Item 20-0658.
  • The Legislation and Intergovernmental Relations Committee passed a proposal to create a Cook County Cannabis Commission to analyze the impact of recreational and medicinal cannabis industries within unincorporated Cook County.  Commissioner Lowry will be the chair.  Item 20-0763.
• The Health & Hospitals Committee passed a resolution for: 
  • (1) the Chair of the Independent Cook County Health (CCH) Board to meet with the Cook County President and Board to solicit input regarding the responsibilities, background, and attributes to consider with respect to recruiting and appointing a new CCH Chief Executive Officer, which will be done at a public meeting in the Board room within 30 days; 
  • (2) the Cook County Board to have “listening sessions” at several locations around the County so that the public can provide input; 
  • (3) the Cook County Auditor, with the assistance from professional auditing firms experienced in health care, to conduct a management audit of CCH; and
  • (4) such audit to be completed by July 1, 2020, so that its recommendations can be considered for the 2021 budget.  Item 20-0789.
• The Business and Economic Development Committee passed a Substitute Amendment to the Real Estate Tax Incentive Program to waive the relatively new requirement that business receiving the incentive file annual affidavits of compliance.  Previously, the requirement was that such affidavits be filed every 3 years.  With the change, there had been a marked decrease in new businesses seeking the incentive.  The waiver is in place until 2022.  Several people spoke in support during public comments.  Item 20-0768.
• This Committee also passed a resolution supporting a review of the small business and entrepreneur ecosystem in Cook County by an independent expert.  Item 20-0678

Observer - Priscilla Mims