REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON FINANCE
The Honorable,
The Board of Commissioners of
ATTENDANCE
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Present: |
President Stroger and Chairman
Daley, Vice Chairman Sims, Commissioners Beavers, Butler, Claypool, Collins,
Gorman, Goslin, Maldonado, Moreno, Murphy, Peraica, Quigley, Schneider,
Silvestri, Steele and Suffredin (17) |
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Absent: |
None (0) |
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Your Committee on Finance of the Board
of Commissioners of Cook County met pursuant to notice on
Your Committee has considered the
following item and upon adoption of this report, the recommendation is as
follows:
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289337 |
MORATORIUM ON RAISING OR IMPOSING ANY NEW TAXES FOR THE
2008 FISCAL YEAR BUDGET (PROPOSED RESOLUTION). Submitting a Proposed Resolution sponsored
by Anthony J. Peraica, County Commissioner. PROPOSED RESOLUTION WHEREAS, residents of WHEREAS, WHEREAS, Cook County government wastes
taxpayers money on contracts to politically connected firms which often do
poor or incomplete work; and WHEREAS, the Bureau of Health Services has
added to the County budget problems by amassing millions of dollars in
uncollected debt that is owed to the County; and WHEREAS, the 2007 budget trimmed front line
workers from the payroll and eliminated many vital programs and services,
while protecting political insiders; and WHEREAS, President Stroger proceeded to
hire many of his friends and relatives to high-salaried positions while low
salaried workers were being laid off; and WHEREAS, President Stroger and his
administration unilaterally modified the budget after it was approved by this
Board and redirected millions of dollars as they deemed appropriate; and WHEREAS, some commissioners are now
proposing to shore up the budget deficit by placing an even larger burden on WHEREAS, it is unconscionable for the Cook
County Board President and members of this Honorable Body to require
taxpayers to make larger sacrifices without making sacrifices ourselves; and WHEREAS, the people of Cook County need
visionary leadership from their County Commissioners and County Board
President as opposed to wasteful spending and ever-increasing taxes and fees;
and WHEREAS, the County would have more than
enough money to fund its operations if the waste and fraud were eliminated
and the revenues due the County were collected in a timely manner. NOW, THEREFORE, BE
IT RESOLVED, that
the President and Cook County Board of Commissioners do hereby declare a
moratorium on raising or imposing any new taxes for the 2008 fiscal year
budget. * Referred to the Committee on Finance on |
Commissioner Peraica, seconded by Commissioner
Schneider, moved approval of the Proposed Resolution (Communication Number
289337).
Commissioner Peraica offered opening remarks regarding the
Proposed Resolution.
Commissioner Quigley commented that efforts should be made
to exhaust all other remedies. He stated
that the Board needed to determine the position of the Bureau of Health’s
potential revenues, of which efforts have been made in the past few years to
improve.
Chairman Daley pointed out that in Fiscal Year 2007, the
Board unanimously supported cost of living salary adjustments and union
agreements totaling $146 million. He
added since December of 2006, the Board has approved $106 million worth of
contracts for next year.
Commissioner
Silvestri, seconded by Commissioner Goslin, moved to amend the Proposed
Resolution (Communication Number 289337) to delete paragraphs 2, 3, 5 and 6, as
follows:
WHEREAS, residents
of
WHEREAS, Cook County government continues to waste
taxpayers money on patronage employees, many of whom do little or no work; and
WHEREAS, Cook County government wastes taxpayers money on contracts
to politically connected firms which often do poor or incomplete work; and
WHEREAS, the
Bureau of Health Services has added to the County budget problems by amassing
millions of dollars in uncollected debt that is owed to the County; and
WHEREAS, the 2007 budget trimmed front line workers from the payroll
and eliminated many vital programs and services, while protecting political
insiders; and
WHEREAS, President Stroger proceeded to hire many of his friends and
relatives to high-salaried positions while low salaried workers were being laid
off; and
A vote was taken on the motion to amend the Resolution (Communication
Number 289337). The motion carried. Commissioners Beavers, Claypool, Peraica and
Steele voted no.
Chairman Daley asked the Secretary to the Board to call upon
the registered public speaker, in accordance with Cook County Code, Sec.
2-108(dd):
1. George
Blakemore Concerned
Citizen
Returning to the main motion made by Commissioner Peraica, seconded by
Commissioner Schneider, to approve and adopt the Resolution (Communication
Number 289337), as amended. Commissioner Peraica called for a Roll Call, the
vote of yeas and nays being as follows:
ROLL CALL ON MOTION TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION
(COMMUNICATION NUMBER 289337), AS AMENDED
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Yeas: |
Commissioners Claypool, Gorman,
Goslin, Peraica, Schneider and Silvestri (6) |
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Nays: |
Commissioners Beavers, Vice Chairman Sims, Steele,
Suffredin, and Chairman Daley (11) |
The motion to approve the Resolution as amended FAILED.
Commissioner Moreno, seconded by Commissioner Silvestri, moved to
adjourn the meeting. The motion carried
and the meeting was adjourned.
YOUR COMMITTEE
RECOMMENDS THE FOLLOWING ACTION
WITH REGARD TO THE
MATTERS NAMED HEREIN:
Communication Number 289337 Not
Recommended for Approval (as Amended)
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Respectfully submitted, Committee on Finance xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx John P. Daley, Chairman |
Attest:
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Matthew B. DeLeon, Secretary