Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle released on Thursday a preliminary budget for the county’s next fiscal year, which includes an expected $152.1 million operating deficit.
The deficit is driven by $166 million in cost increases related to employee healthcare benefits, personnel and non-personnel spending, according to a press release from Preckwinkle’s office.
This year’s rollback of the county’s 0.25 percent sales tax accounts and a recent reduction in the non-titled use tax will lead to an estimated $60 million in lost revenue.