Monday, April 1, 2013
Do you think the new tax will help curb taxpayer expenses tied to gun violence?
A new $25 tax on every gun purchase in suburban Cook County took effect Monday as part of the larger 2013 county budget approved by county commissioners and County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, various media outlets reported. The new gun tax is expected to bring in around $600,000 in revenues this year and is aimed at curbing taxpayer expenses tied to gun violence, which Preckwinkle says crowds jails and drives up health care costs, NBC Chicago reported. Patch wants to know do you think the new tax will help curb taxpayer expenses tied to gun violence? Tell us in the comment section. Preckwinkle's chief of staff, Kurt Summers says told the Sun-Times that the average health care cost to treat a gunshot victim is $52,000. He added …
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Preckwinkle's recommendations seek to close $315 budget gap.
Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle’s budget proposal, released today, would increase tax revenue from alcohol and tobacco, reduce the number of inmates in county jails and layoff more than 1,000 employees. Preckwinkle’s budget seeks to close a $315 million budget gap. Her full $2.9 billion budget recommendation can be viewed on the County’s website. Key proposals include: Of particular interest to suburban Cook County residents, Preckwinkle has proposed: Four public hearings on the budget will be held starting Nov. 1 with a hearing at 6:30 p.m. at the Skokie Courthouse. Click here for a full list of upcoming hearings. In the meantime, let us know in the comments section what you think of the budget proposals.
Friday, July 8, 2011
Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle announced county departments will set and track goals through the STAR system.
Cook County government, long criticized for operating with inefficiencies, is moving toward becoming more efficient by measuring the quality of its performance. Toni Preckwinkle, who became county board president last December, says it will reduce costs and streamline services. On Thursday, Preckwinkle, standing alongside several county elected officials, released the county's first quarterly performance management report. The purpose of the Set Targets Achieve Results (STAR) report, Preckwinkle said, is to boost accountability and lower the cost of government by setting and tracking goals for each county agency and department. "Performance management gives us the opportunity to change the culture of the County and begin a new chapter in…
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Republican incumbent fends off pair of challengers.
Peter Silvestri easily handled challenges from Democratic opponent and political newcomer Cary Capparelli and Green Party candidate Brock Merck to again claim his seat as commissioner of Cook County's 9th District. The incumbent Republican chalked up Tuesday's victory to his opposition of new taxes, a "community-oriented response to local issues," backing from multiple unions and editorial endorsments from the Chicago Tribune and Chicago Sun-Times. "We had a very broad list of people behind us," he said. "You put them all together and it helps." Silvestri cruised to victory in the suburbs. He won 64 percent of the vote. The race in the city was much closer, however. Silvestri won about 47 percent of the vote, while Capparelli won about…
Danni
9:26 am on Monday, May 13, 2013
I don't believe a penny will be used as intended-it will be used to pay government empoyee benefits and pensions, as are all the other ever-increasing taxes. $600,000 will treat about 12 of the 500+ gunshot victims in 2012. A 5% bullet tax will increase the treatment for 19 victims. If you buy the gun outside of Crook, you have to send Crook $$$ because that new 1.25% tax went into effect on … more ›