March 9, 2004 New Items

NEW ITEMS

Meeting of the Cook County Board of Commissioners

County Board Room, County Building

Tuesday, March 9, 2004, 10:00 A.M.

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PROPOSED RESOLUTIONS

ITEM #1

Submitting a Proposed Resolution sponsored by

LARRY SUFFREDIN, County Commissioner

Co-Sponsored by

ROBERTO MALDONADO, County Commissioner

PROPOSED RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Cook County is committed to respect the human rights of all people, including the right to adequate housing for all; and

WHEREAS, an affordable housing crisis exists in Cook County as evidenced by the fact that there are 191,260 households in Cook County earning less than 30% of area median ($22,500 for a family of four) who are rent burdened, meaning they pay more than 35% of their income for rent; and

WHEREAS, 7,280 households are on Cook County Housing Authority waiting lists for public housing and housing choice vouchers; and

WHEREAS, HUD’s fair market rent for a 2-bedroom apartment in Cook County is $951.00; and a household in Cook County earning 30% of area median income can only afford to pay $515.00 a month for rent; and

WHEREAS, House Bill 4100, the Rental Housing Support Program, which is currently pending in the Illinois General Assembly, would alleviate the affordable housing crisis in Cook County by creating a rental subsidy program for households earning less than 30% of area median income funded by a new $10.00 state surcharge for the recordation of any real estate related document and such surcharge would be evidenced upon collection by a state seal from the Illinois Department of Revenue; and

WHEREAS, the program created by HB 4100 is modeled after a very successful program in Chicago, the Chicago Low-Income Housing Trust Fund and the Trust Fund has been in existence for over ten years and currently subsidizes over 2,000 units of housing in Chicago; and

WHEREAS, the passage of HB 4100 would result in an estimated $14 million to be allocated to Chicago and Cook County housing agencies to provide rental subsidies; and

WHEREAS, the passage of HB 4100 would result in at least 1,600 new units of affordable housing in Cook County; and

WHEREAS, HB 4100, would create a new $10.00 state surcharge on real estate recordings to fund the Rental Housing Support Program, with Cook County to receive $1.00 for every affected filing generating an estimated $1.2 million to go directly to the County's general revenue fund to cover the County's costs for collecting the fee created by the bill; and

WHEREAS, all of the funds generated in Cook County through the collection of the surcharge will go to serve low income households in Cook County; and

WHEREAS, Mayor Richard M. Daley and the City of Chicago are in support of HB 4100 and urge the passage of the measure.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the Cook County Board of Commissioners that the Board does hereby declare its support for House Bill 4100 and urges the members of the Illinois General Assembly to pass House Bill 4100, and in sequence, to urge the Governor to sign the measure into law.

PROPOSED RESOLUTIONS continued

ITEM #1 cont’d

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Commissioner Hansen, seconded by Commissioner Silvestri, moved to suspend the rules so that this matter may be considered. The motion carried unanimously.

Commissioner Maldonado, seconded by Commissioner Silvestri, moved that the Proposed Resolution be referred to the Committee on Legislation and Intergovernmental Relations. (Comm. No. 264410). The motion carried unanimously.

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ITEM #2

Submitting a Proposed Resolution sponsored by

ANTHONY J. PERAICA, County Commissioner

Co-Sponsored by

FORREST CLAYPOOL, ELIZABETH ANN DOODY GORMAN, JERRY BUTLER,

JOHN P. DALEY, ROBERTO MALDONADO, JOSEPH MARIO MORENO,

JOAN PATRICIA MURPHY, DEBORAH SIMS and LARRY SUFFREDIN, County Commissioners

PROPOSED RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, the Suburban Cook County Tuberculosis Sanitarium District (SCCTSD) was created in 1947 to combat the once deadly disease tuberculosis (TB); and

WHEREAS, the SCCTSD purports to provide skin tests, chest x-rays, laboratory work and physician consultation free of charge; and

WHEREAS, at the time the SCCTSD was created, treatment options for TB were limited and Cook County was not in a position to fund the necessary services; and

WHEREAS, both modern medicine and the 1970 Illinois State Constitution have eliminated these impediments to the County’s ability to integrate TB care and prevention into the Department of Public Health; and

WHEREAS, the SCCTSD is a district created for another time and another type of medical treatment and the Cook County Department of Public Health is better equipped to deal with tuberculosis and other diseases; and

WHEREAS, the watchdog group the Civic Federation has conducted a study documenting that the SCCTSD has $9.2 million in its fund, almost 215 percent more than its annual operating cost, yet continues to request property tax money; and

WHEREAS, the Civic Federation notes that Suburban Cook County residents will see an additional property tax levy for the SCCTSD, even though they do not need the money and they do not use the money; and

WHEREAS, each suburban homeowner pays property taxes to support it, and the SCCTSD has not only accumulated unspent funds, but has overspent on the treatment of approximately 130 patients in 2003 at a cost of about $38,000 per patient; and

WHEREAS, in both houses of the Illinois General Assembly, legislation (~~SB 2198,~~ SB 2200~~, and HB 4017~~) has been introduced to dissolve the SCCTSD.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Cook County Board of Commissioners, on behalf of the more than five million residents of Cook County, does hereby strongly encourage the General Assembly to pass ~~SB 2198,~~ SB 2200~~, and HB 4017~~; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the General Assembly pass the aforementioned legislation dissolving the SCCTSD, and transfer both the assets of the SCCTSD and the responsibility for TB treatment and prevention to the Cook County Department of Public Health.

PROPOSED RESOLUTIONS continued

ITEM #2 cont’d

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Commissioner Hansen, seconded by Commissioner Silvestri, moved to suspend the rules so that this matter may be considered. The motion carried unanimously.

Commissioner Peraica, seconded by Commissioner Murphy, moved that the Resolution be approved and adopted.

Following discussion, Commissioner Peraica, seconded by Commissioner Murphy, moved to amend and to delete all references to SB 2198 and HB 4017. The motion carried unanimously.

Commissioner Peraica, seconded by Commissioner Murphy, moved that the Resolution, as amended be approved and adopted. The motion carried unanimously.

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ITEM #3

Submitting a Proposed Resolution sponsored by

JOHN H. STROGER, JR., PRESIDENT, JERRY BUTLER, FORREST CLAYPOOL,

EARLEAN COLLINS, JOHN P. DALEY, ELIZABETH ANN DOODY GORMAN, GREGG GOSLIN,

CARL R. HANSEN, ROBERTO MALDONADO, JOSEPH MARIO MORENO,

JOAN PATRICIA MURPHY, ANTHONY J. PERAICA, MIKE QUIGLEY, PETER N. SILVESTRI,

DEBORAH SIMS, BOBBIE L. STEELE and LARRY SUFFREDIN, County Commissioners

PROPOSED RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, on March 12, 2004, Patricia M. Shymanski, will retire from public service after nearly twenty years; and

WHEREAS, Pat began her career in public service in 1984 as an assistant state’s attorney under Cook County State’s Attorney Richard M. Daley and subsequently served under the administrations of Cecil Partee, Jack O’Malley and Richard Devine; and

WHEREAS, Pat’s talents gave rise to her appointment as Chief of the Civil Bureau of the State’s Attorney's Office under Jack O’Malley and reappointment under Richard Devine; and

WHEREAS, as Chief of the Civil Bureau, Pat was responsible for representing and advising the Cook County Board of Commissioners which she did with the utmost professionalism and integrity; and

WHEREAS, Pat’s thorough knowledge of the operations of Cook County Government led to her appointment as a Special Assistant by Cook County Board President John H. Stroger, Jr. in 2000; and

WHEREAS, in recognition of her vast knowledge of government, professionalism and leadership skills, President Stroger appointed Pat his Chief of Staff in 2002; and

WHEREAS, Pat will begin a new chapter in her life at the University of Chicago where she will serve as the Director of Academic Affairs in the Division of Biological Sciences; and

WHEREAS, Pat is a consummate professional whose myriad contributions to Cook County Government will be sorely missed.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that I, John H. Stroger, Jr., along with all the Members of the Cook County Board of Commissioners, on behalf of all citizens of Cook County, do hereby congratulate and thank Patricia M. Shymanski for her many years of exemplary service and send best wishes for good health and happiness as she enters a new phase of her professional life; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a suitable copy of this Resolution be tendered to Patricia M. Shymanski in recognition of the countless contributions she has made to Cook County Government.

PROPOSED RESOLUTIONS continued

ITEM #3 cont’d

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Commissioner Hansen, seconded by Commissioner Silvestri, moved to suspend the rules so that this matter may be considered. The motion carried unanimously.

Commissioner Hansen, seconded by Commissioner Steele, moved that the Resolution be approved and adopted. The motion carried unanimously.

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ITEM #4

Submitting a Proposed Resolution sponsored by

CARL R. HANSEN, County Commissioner

PROPOSED RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, the United States’ Congress introduced the Alternative Minimum Tax in 1978 to close loopholes in the tax code that had enabled a small number of high income earners to avoid paying federal taxes; and

WHEREAS, since 1978, the Alternative Minimum Tax has steadily extended its reach down the income scale to include taxpayers from income groups that it was never intended to target; and

WHEREAS, the Alternative Minimum Tax is increasingly denying taxpayers’ deductions and personal exemptions under the standard income tax for middle income earners; and

WHEREAS, this situation has been created by the absence of adjustments for increases in inflation in both the amount of taxable income and the exemptions under the Alternative Minimum Tax; and

WHEREAS, the impact of leaving the Alternative Minimum Tax in its present condition would be to increase the tax burden on middle class Americans in Cook County and across the United States; and

WHEREAS, the Board of the National Association of Counties approved a motion by Commissioner Carl R. Hansen to petition US lawmakers to reform the Alternative Minimum Tax; now therefore

BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board of Commissioners of Cook County does hereby encourage the Illinois Congressional delegation to amend the Alternative Minimum Tax to include the indexing of taxable income on which the tax is based to the annual rate of inflation, and the indexation of the exemption granted under the Alternative Minimum Tax to the annual rate of inflation, from 2004 onwards to eliminate the encroachment of this tax on middle income Americans.

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Commissioner Hansen, seconded by Commissioner Silvestri, moved to suspend the rules so that this matter may be considered. The motion carried unanimously.

Commissioner Hansen, seconded by Commissioner Silvestri, moved that the Resolution be approved and adopted. The motion carried unanimously.

PROPOSED ORDINANCE

ITEM #5

Submitting a Proposed Ordinance sponsored by

GREGG GOSLIN, County Commissioner

PROPOSED ORDINANCE

MID-YEAR BUDGET REPORTS AND ANALYSIS

WHEREAS, the traditional budget process which ensues at the end of the fiscal year does not allow sufficient time to carefully analyze department and agency budgets; and

PROPOSED ORDINANCE continued

ITEM #5 cont’d

WHEREAS, by establishing a mid-year budget review, possibly in conjunction with budget transfers, the County Board will have more time to evaluate current and proposed programs; and

WHEREAS, as part of this early budget analysis County offices, departments and agencies will be required to submit annual reports to the Board of Commissioners for review; and

WHEREAS, the concept of these mid-year reports is to detail each office or agency’s mandatory obligations and the programs associated with those established obligations; and

WHEREAS, the annual reports should also detail each office or agency’s discretionary programs, what they cost, where the money comes from, who they serve, etc.; and

WHEREAS, to ensure that these annual reports are uniform and relevant, the County Board will establish specific criteria which reports must conform to.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED, that this Ordinance shall be assigned to the Finance Tax and Revenue Subcommittee for discussion and further development of the parameters of the Annual Budget Reports and Mid-Year Budget reviews; and

BE IT FURTHER ORDAINED, that the criteria for the annual budget reports and mid-year budget reviews be undertaken immediately and put in place for a 2004 mid-year review.

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Commissioner Hansen, seconded by Commissioner Silvestri, moved to suspend the rules so that this matter may be considered. The motion carried unanimously.

Commissioner Goslin, seconded by Commissioner Silvestri, moved that the Proposed Ordinance be referred to the Committee on Finance Tax and Revenue Subcommittee. (Comm. No. 264411). The motion carried unanimously.

PROPOSED RESOLUTION

ITEM #6

Submitting a Proposed Resolution sponsored by

MIKE QUIGLEY, County Commissioner

Co-Sponsored by

LARRY SUFFREDIN, ROBERTO MALDONADO, JOAN PATRICIA MURPHY

and FORREST CLAYPOOL, County Commissioners

PROPOSED RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, both the United States Constitution and the Illinois Constitution are intended to ensure the freedom and equality of all citizens; and

WHEREAS, the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender citizens have yet to secure full legal protection in either the United States or Illinois; and

WHEREAS, the Illinois Constitution and the United States Constitution are the models for protecting individual rights; and

WHEREAS, neither the Illinois Constitution nor the United States Constitution should be used to deny the rights of anyone or to make segments of society second-class citizens; and

WHEREAS, proposed amendments to both the United States Constitution and the Illinois Constitution which would define civil marriage as ‘the union of a man and a woman’ threaten to embed such inequality permanently in our fundamental laws; and

PROPOSED RESOLUTION continued

ITEM #6 cont’d

WHEREAS, marriage law has traditionally been the purview of individual states, but a Federal Constitutional amendment defining marriage as a union between a man and a woman would effectively prohibit the enactment of any State or local legislation that would provide for same-sex civil marriage, and may also prohibit same-sex civil unions; and

WHEREAS, according to a 1996 United States General Accounting Office study, marriage in our society currently confers over 1,049 Federal protections and benefits promoting the health and stability of its citizens; and

WHEREAS, for the United States of America and the State of Illinois to introduce legislation that would categorically deny rights to an entire segment of the population would be a large and unfortunate step backwards in a long history of expanding civil rights, and the County of Cook has a long and proud tradition of upholding and fighting for the rights of all its citizens; now therefore

BE IT RESOLVED, that the County of Cook opposes any amendment to the Federal Constitution or the Illinois Constitution that would define marriage solely as a union between a man and a woman; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a suitable copy of this Resolution be tendered to the President of the United States, Senate Majority Leader Frist, Speaker of the House Hastert and the members of the Illinois Congressional Delegation; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a suitable copy of this Resolution shall be spread upon the official proceedings of this Honorable Body.

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Commissioner Hansen, seconded by Commissioner Silvestri, moved to suspend the rules so that this matter may be considered. The motion carried unanimously.

Commissioner Quigley, seconded by Commissioner Silvestri, moved that the Proposed Resolution be referred to the Committee on Human Relations. (Comm. No. 264412). The motion carried unanimously.