Cook County Budget $152 Million In The Red For Next Year

By aaroncynic in News on Jun 28, 2013 6:00PM

Rising costs and a projected dip in revenue of $60 million will create a $152 million deficit in Cook County’s budget next year. According to preliminary numbers released by Board President Toni Preckwinkle yesterday, county budget officials expect costs to rise by $166 million next year. The Chicago Tribune reports those numbers include a $52.5 million increase in costs related to employees at Cook County Prison and taking on new workers at the Medical Examiner’s office in order to receive national accreditation. Additionally, running next year’s electoral primary and general elections will cost $21 million, and a new law allowing 17-year-olds to be tried as adult offenders will run a $12 million tab.

To shore up the gap, Preckwinkle told reporters, “We’re trying to put everything on the table.” She did however, say that the County is taking strides to become more fiscally solvent. According to The Daily Herald, last year the preliminary budget deficit was $267.5 million. But, even though this year’s preliminary gap is smaller, Cook County is far from out of the woods. “Over the last three years, every successive budget gap has been smaller,” Preckwinkle told the Tribune. “As the gap continues to get smaller, it becomes increasingly more difficult to reduce expenses.”

Preckwinkle declined to say what specific tax or fee increases might be under consideration to offset the deficit. Cook County will receive $74 million in funds under a Medicaid expansion in the Affordable Care Act, but that just barely offsets a projected $60 million loss in revenue, about a third of which is tied to the rollback of the sales tax increase during John Stroger’s tenure as Board President.

A public hearing on the budget is scheduled for July 11.