Public Testimony on Prevailing Wage Amendment Dominates Cook County Board Meeting

Cook County Board of Commissioners Meeting- March 14, 2018

Significant Topics Discussed:

• There was over 3 ½ hours of public testimony regarding  the Property Tax Incentive – prevailing wage amendment.  The Board had passed a requirement that unless expressly waived by the County Board, any Employer occupying a property that receives a property tax incentive for Class 6b industrial property, Class 8 industrial property, or Class 9 multifamily residential property shall pay not less than the Living Wage.   The vast majority of those speaking were opposed to the requirement, yet were emphatic in stating that they were not opposed to unions nor to apprenticeship programs,  but did not think that this approach to pay equity was viable for regions that compete with other states. The Commissioners discussed the issue and voted 12-4 to delay implementation until September, 2018 but still passed the ordinance.  The Board plans to further study the ordinance for possible improvements.  (Agenda Item 18 – 1604)  
• Only one item received significant discussion, the decision to defer Agenda Item 18 – 1277 which would give indemnification to Northwestern University for medical malpractice consequences. Northwestern has received a contract to provide mental health services for minors at the Juvenile Temporary Detention Center. The bulk of the discussion focused on who was at fault for not addressing the issue of indemnification in the original contract, the County or Northwestern.   It was voted to defer a decision until legal advice could be provided to the Board.  The fact that a decision had been made on February 7, 2018 to put the item on hold until legal language was cleared up, was not addressed.
• There was brief, but pointed, discussion of Agenda Item 18 – 2379 that called for representatives from the State’s Attorney’s Office, the Public Defender’s Office, the Chief Judge’s Office, and the Sheriff’s Office to appear before the  Criminal Justice Committee to investigate the issue of violent offenders being released on electronic monitoring.   There were two public witnesses from the Chicago Community Bond Fund who supported passage and gave evidence of Sheriff Dart’s delay in releasing  individuals on electronic monitoring for whom that had been mandated.  After the testimony of one of the representatives of the Bond Fund, President Preckwinkle stated that she hoped that the Fund would sue Sheriff Dart for his lack of compliance.  The matter was referred to the Criminal Justice Task Force for further consideration.

Significant Decisions Made:

• All contracts were passed without discussion. 
• Approved a collective bargaining agreement for the period of December 1, 2017 through November 30, 2020 between the County of Cook/Sheriff of Cook County and the Fraternal Order of Police for wage increases and healthcare.  Effective December 1, entry rate for all job classifications shall be reduced by 10%, and pay rates for all job classifications shall be frozen.  All bargaining unit members shall receive a $600 payment upon ratification of the agreement, and receive the same on June 1, 2018. Pay rates for all job classifications shall be increased by 2% June 1, 2019, and June 1, 2020. (Agenda Item 18-2440)I

Items to Watch in the Future:

• Given the time constraints, most items were referred to committee for further study and later action.
• A call  upon Washington D.C. and the State of Illinois to pass comprehensive gun control legislation  was referred to the Criminal Justice Committee. (Agenda item 18-2672)
• Call to establish a foundation for the benefit of the Sheriff’s office of Cook County was referred to the Finance Committee.  The Foundation would focus on providing services and programming to individuals in the custody of the Cook County Department of Corrections and alternative sentencing programs and supporting additional policy initiatives within the Sheriff’s mandate. (Agenda Item 18-2671)
• The results of further study  of the property tax  incentive – living wage amendment will be forthcoming (Agenda Item 18- 1604) 
• A call on the Illinois General Assembly to create an Indiana border tax and regional economic development strategy was referred to the Legislative Committee. (Agenda Item 18-2648)
• Legal counsel regarding the contract with Northwestern University and legal indemnification. (Agenda Item 18-1277)
• Follow-up action from Criminal Justice Committee regarding study of electronic monitoring of violent offenders. (Agenda Item 18-2379)

​Other Observations: 

• Since the bulk of the meeting was spent in hearing testimony from the public on the tax-incentive – living wage ordinance, all other items were grouped together and passed without discussion.  There were 24 contracts and contract amendments passed, 8 interagency agreements, and 6 reports, all received without comment or discussion.

​Observer – Sharon Welch