Cook County Board Votes to Boycott North Carolina and Mississippi Based Businesses

Cook County Board of Commissioners Meeting -  April 13, 2016

Significant Decisions Made:

• A resolution boycotting the state of North Carolina and North Carolina based businesses was approved. This is due to North Carolina’s adoption of the Public Facilities Privacy & Security Act, a controversial law that removed protection for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) citizens and banned transgender people from bathrooms if their gender does not match their birth certificate. (Agenda Item 16-2593)
• A similar resolution boycotting Mississippi and Mississippi based business was also approved. The state of Mississippi has also adopted a controversial new law which will discriminate against the LGBT community. (Agenda Item 16-2632)
• An ordinance authorizing the initiation and administration of a Down payment Assistance Program for first time Cook County homebuyers was approved (Agenda Item 16-1343)
• A new lease agreement for the utilization of space in a building on W. Division Street in Chicago as a mental health center operated by the Cook County Department of Corrections was approved. This center will be used for continued care of formerly incarcerated individuals with mental health needs. (Agenda Item 16-2492)

Topics Discussed and /or referred to Committee:
A proposed ordinance amendment calling for a Special Use Gasoline and Fuel Tax was referred to the Finance Committee.  The proposed tax proceeds would be used for the implementation of four separate and related Cook County initiatives designed to strengthen and stabilize low-income neighborhoods. (Agenda Item 16-256). The Initiatives (also referred to Finance Committee) are:

1. Cook County Jobs Council (Agenda Item 16-2567)
2. Cook County Parenting to Prevent Violence Initiative (Agenda Item 16-2569)
   
3. Cook County Office for People With Disabilities (Agenda Item 16-2570)
4. Cook County Community Policing Initiative (Agenda Item 16-2571)
   

Authorization for the Director of Real Estate Management to enter into a redevelopment agreement and associated ground leases on behalf of Cook county with the Civic Health Development Group (CHDG). This concerns the redevelopment of the old Cook County Hospital and adjoining real estate within the Cook County Hospital Campus to be known as the Hospital Campus Redevelopment was referred to the Finance Committee. (Agenda Item 16-2198)

Items to watch for in the Future
A Special Finance Committee is scheduled for May 10 at 1:00 pm following the Forest Preserve meeting. There will be two items on the agenda:

1. Redevelopment of the Old Cook County Hospital site and adjoining real estate within the Cook County Hospital Campus and the Healthcare System. 
2. Creation of new job programs and violence prevention for low-income neighborhoods. 

Other Observations:
There was no action on a proposed resolution to rescind the $0.05 Bottled Water Tax in Chicago.(Agenda Item 16-2333) 
This was a short meeting and most agenda items were referred to committee.

Observer: Nancy Marcus