Cook County Clerk David Orr’s office released the 2017 Cook County Tax Rates report on June 20, 2018 and shortly after, Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas mailed the second installment of the 2017 tax bills. The calculation of the tax rates for the 1,400 taxing agencies in Cook County is the final step before property tax bills can be issued. The second installment of the 2017 property tax bills…
Beginning in August 2018, establishments with liquor licenses in unincorporated areas of Cook County will be able to offer video gaming on automated gambling machines based on an ordinance amendment passed by the Cook County Board of Commissioners earlier this month. Video gaming refers to electronic video games that simulate games such as poker, line up and blackjack upon insertion of cash. The…
Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner presented his FY2019 State budget proposal in February for the State fiscal year beginning on July 1, 2018. As discussed in an earlier blog post, the proposal included measures that would have affected local governments including municipalities, counties and transit agencies. The State of Illinois FY2019 enacted budget was passed by the Illinois General Assembly on…
The Illinois Department of Revenue announced last week that the final equalization factor for the Cook County 2017 property assessment year (taxes payable in 2018) is 2.9627. The 2017 final equalization factor of 2.9627 is greater than the final 2016 equalization factor of 2.8032. This does not mean that individual property tax bills will go up or down. It means that, overall, the weighted…
The Civic Federation released its annual estimate of the full value of property in Cook County this week. The 2016 estimated value of all Cook County real estate was $559.7 billion. The 2016 estimates represent the fourth year in a row in which real estate values in Cook County increased after six straight years of decline. The 2016 total value estimate is an increase of $30.8 billion, or 5.8%,…
Following major policy changes and calls for increased public disclosure, detailed quarterly information about Cook County bond court orders and outcomes is now available online. Chief Judge Timothy Evans’ Office began posting the new data on the Cook County Circuit Court’s website in early May. A dashboard with seven performance measures is currently available for the first quarter of 2018 and…
Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner presented his annual budget address on February 14, 2018, outlining his budget proposal for the State fiscal year 2019. The 2019 fiscal year begins on July 1, 2018 and ends June 30, 2019. The Civic Federation will release a full analysis of the Governor’s proposal in the coming months. This blog will focus on two key elements of the Governor’s budget proposal that…
Amid increased attention to the number of detainees at Cook County Jail, more information about the size of the jail population is now available on the Sheriff’s website. In December 2017, Sheriff Tom Dart’s office started posting daily reports showing the number of detainees in each jail building and in the community. Prior days’ reports remain on the website, allowing visitors to track the…
Click here to read the full report. Across the political spectrum in the United States, there is a growing consensus that too many people are locked up in jail because they do not have the money required for release. This report examines recent efforts to reduce the number of detainees in Cook County Jail by reforming practices in and around bond court and includes recommendations for …
Click here to read this issue brief. With a projected $200 million loss in revenue for fiscal year 2018 due to the recent repeal of the sweetened beverage tax, the Cook County Board of Commissioners and County Agency officials now must identify ways to balance the budget without the expected funding. The Civic Federation encourages the County Board of Commissioners to approach the FY2018 budget…
