President Preckwinkle Honored As County Leader Of The Year

President Preckwinkle has been honored with American City and County Magazine’s 2012 Leader of the Year Award at the Annual Conference of the National Association of Counties (NACo), held July 13-17 in Pittsburgh, PA. “I am thrilled to receive this award, and by the vote of confidence from my peers,” President Preckwinkle said. “I have been working hard to steer Cook County in a fiscally sound direction, to be inclusive and to ensure transparency and accountability to the taxpayers I serve.

Statement from President Preckwinkle on the Passage of the Cook County Land Bank Advisory Committee

“I am pleased that the Board of Commissioners approved the Land Bank Advisory Committee and kicked off the important process of creating a Cook County Land Bank, a critical tool to help combat the foreclosure crisis and eradicate blight in our communities.  The committee is tasked with advising my office on a responsible, legal and effective model for the Land Bank, as well as the potential budget, target areas for the land bank’s efforts and the scope of services the Land bank will provide.  The committee will also evaluate methods and recommend initiatives to market existing tax

Board of Review Commissioner Larry Rogers, Jr. Continues Pre-Registration Property Tax Appeal Initiative Throughout Cook County

Commissioner Larry Rogers, Jr., of the Cook County Board of Review, has hosted more than a half dozen pre-registration property tax appeal forums throughout Cook County since July 9th. Taxpayers have come out in the hundreds seeking relief from the excessive property tax bills they have recently received. Commissioner Rogers’ Pre-Registration Initiate will come to an end the 2nd week of August, as the Board of Review officially opens for the 2012 Property Tax Assessment Appeal Session. He has hosted these forums along with U.S. Congressman Bobby Rush, U.S. U.S.

Cook County real estate downturn and lower equalizer combine for 10% revenue drop

Cook County Clerk David Orr on Wednesday released the 2011 TIF revenue report, which shows just under $729 million was collected in the 443 active tax increment financing (TIF) districts in Chicago (163 TIFs) and the Cook County suburbs (280 TIFs). “The 2011 report shows that 80 percent of all Chicago TIFs saw double-digit revenue drops,” said Orr. “Only ten TIFs, or 6 percent of Chicago’s TIFs, saw revenue increases.” Despite a net increase of 18 TIFs in 2011 countywide, revenue slid 10 percent from 2010, when taxpayers contributed $807 million into TIFs.

Black United Fund of Illinois to Salute Young Leaders at its Event, "The Embers"

Black United Fund of Illinois (BUFI) will be celebrating the emerging generation of African American leaders at a special reception on Thursday, July 19 at their offices.  BUFI has designated 2012 “The Year of the Man, and as a precursor to their annual Living Legacy/Passing the Torch event in September, they have selected eight emerging  leaders who are making a difference in the fields of government, education, business, media and community service.

Statement from President Preckwinkle on Rating Agencies’ Response to Cook County’s 2012 Sales Tax Revenue Bonds

“The Cook County Board approved an ordinance on July 24, 2012 to introduce a new credit structure and capital funding source for County highway projects. The Bonds will be secured by sales tax revenues, as the County and its finance team recognized the value investors would place on such a broad-based tax revenue pledge.

Free Business & Public Health Preparedness Webinar

The Cook County Department of Public Health (CCDPH) and the Mass Care Workgroup will be hosting a free Business & Public Health Preparedness Webinar on July 19th, from 11am to 12pm. The webinar will highlight the importance of public health preparedness planning as well as provide some tools that businesses can use when preparing for public health emergencies. All suburban Cook County businesses are encouraged to participate in this free event. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Porsha Birden at pbirden@cookcountyhhs.org.

A Message on West Nile Virus from the South Cook County Mosquito Abatement District

The South Cook County Mosquito Abatement District (SCCMAD), the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) and the Cook County Department of Public Health (CCDPH) surveillances indicate a large increase in West Nile Virus activity in mosquitoes. It is important that residents and businesses eliminate stagnant water on their properties. To avoid mosquito bites and prevent West Nile Virus disease, these precautions are recommended: Avoid being outdoors when mosquitoes are most active, especially between dusk and dawn. When outdoors at this time, use mosquito repellent.
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