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Board of Commissioners

County board approves firearm measures, $2 million to fund anti-violence initiatives

Reacting to a state deadline to approve changes in local gun ordinances, the Cook County Board today approved two gun control measures and unanimously voted to hand out nearly $2 million to local groups for anti-violence initiatives.

County Board approves firearm measures, $2 million to fund anti-violence initiatives

Reacting to a state deadline to approve changes in local gun ordinances, the Cook County Board today approved two gun control measures and unanimously voted to hand out nearly $2 million to local groups for anti-violence initiatives.

Preckwinkle projects $152 million deficit in 2014 preliminary budget

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.

Cook County to ship detainees to Rock Island County

Overcrowding at Cook County Jail has forced the county to look elsewhere to house some of its detainees. On Wednesday, Rock Island County became the 12th Illinois county to agree to house jail detainees that cannot be squeezed into Cook County Jail.

Cook County commissioners unanimously approved an intergovernmental agreement under which Rock Island County will provide boarding and lodging to Cook County detainees at a cost of $50 a day. It costs Cook County $143 a day to house a prisoner in the Cook County Jail.

Cook County lowers use tax

Facing a legal challenge to the county’s new use tax, the Cook County Board on Wednesday voted unanimously by voice vote to lower the tax. 

Fritchey seeks to reduce jail population

With a seasonal spike in crime expected to lead to an increase in the number of inmates at Cook County jail this summer, county Comm. John Fritchey (D-Chicago) is calling for a revised bail structure that would ease overcrowding at the facility.

Preckwinkle to announce re-election campaign

County may review non-profit contracts

Comm. John Daley (D-Chicago) introduced an ordinance at the Cook County Board meeting on Wednesday that would require social service providers who contract with the county to submit annual “performance reports.”

The measure, which was referred to the board’s finance committee, broadly applies to “other governmental agencies or nonprofit organizations, or for profit enterprises engaged in the field of social services.” Contractors must submit an “empirical analysis” describing whether they have met the terms of their deals with the county.

County ends discrimination against housing choice voucher holders

A measure protecting federal housing voucher holders from discrimination by landlords received the approval of the Cook County Board of Commissioners Wednesday on a 9-6 vote.

The new law amends the county’s human rights ordinance to effectively prohibit landlords from refusing to rent to potential tenants on the basis that they possess housing choice vouchers, previously known as Section 8 vouchers.

Beavers: Toss guilty verdict because of lack of black on jury

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