|
January 16, 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE
President
Todd H. Stroger Unveils 2007 Executive Budget Recommendation
Budget
Features No New Taxes; Significant Reductions in Funding, Staffing
Levels
Contact:
Steve Mayberry 708/906.1128
Cook County
Board President Todd H. Stroger today unveiled his $3-billion
dollar 2007 Executive Budget Recommendation. The balanced budget
contains no tax increases, eliminates non-essential programs
and significantly reduces personnel.
“Six
weeks ago before this County Board, I spoke of my intention
to balance this budget without raising taxes…and I indicated
that, from inauguration day forward, there are no more sacred
cows in Cook County government,” said President Stroger.
“Today, we introduce to county government an improved
culture of accountability. We do this by living within our means,
attacking government bloat wherever we find it, and by demanding
higher standards so that the delivery of vital services is not
only maintained, but improved.”
The 2007
Executive Budget Recommendation proposes several new measures
to reduce the County’s $500 million dollar shortfall.
Nearly one-third of the shortfall, or $150 million dollars,
is addressed through debt restructuring. In addition, of the
100 percent budgetary allotment, all departments will receive
only 98 percent, with 2 percent, or a total of $44 million dollars,
held in escrow, allowing for tighter financial management and
greater control over spending.
Other highlights
of the budget include the following:
General
fund budget reduced $112.3 million, or 5.2 percent;
Full-time
equivalent positions reduced by 1,492;
Property
tax levy remains constant at $720.5 million for eighth consecutive
year;
Privatization
of the food services and custodial services in the Juvenile
Temporary Detention Center;
Centralization
of grant management in the Bureau of Finance;
An additional
250 corrections officers for Department of Corrections;
Outsourcing
of selected services at Oak Forest Hospital;
and Consolidation
of Bureau of Health human resource functions.
The 2007
budget includes a pubic safety appropriation of $1.072 billion
dollars for public safety, down $31 million dollars from 2006.
The public safety budget is the largest component of the County’s
budget and funds the operations of the Sheriff, Chief Judge,
Clerk of the Court, State’s Attorney, the Public Defender,
Judicial Advisory Council and the Juvenile Temporary Detention
Center.
The Cook
County Bureau of Health Services, the largest portion of the
budget under the purview of the Office of the President, is
funded in 2007 at approximately $812 million dollars, a $70
million dollar reduction from last year’s $882 million
dollar appropriation. These funds will allow for the continued
operation of Stroger Hospital, Provident Hospital, Oak Forest
Hospital, the Department of Public Health, the CORE Center and
the network of clinics in the County’s Ambulatory and
Community Health Network.
While the President 2007 Executive Budget Proposal proposes
dramatic changes in County government, changes were made with
an eye towards leaving all departments’ core mission intact.
“The
budget plan I propose today closes this inherited $500-million
dollar budget gap without fiscal gimmicks and without new taxes,”
said President Stroger. “This budget plan focuses on straightforward
spending reductions and efficiencies.”
The FY2006 budget public hearing schedule is as follows:
Date
- Time - Location
Tuesday, January 23, 2007 6:30 p.m.
Markham Courthouse
Markham, Illinois
Thursday,
January 25, 2007 6:30 p.m.
Skokie Courthouse
Skokie, Illinois
Monday, January 29, 2007 10:00 a.m.
Cook County Boardroom
118 N. Clark Street, Fifth Fl.
Chicago, Illinois
Tuesday,
January 30, 2007 6:30 p.m.
Maywood Courthouse
Maywood, Illinois
# # #
Links
2007
Executive Budget Recommendation Information (@cookcountygov.com)
Photo Downloads
|
