Issues
Car Sharing | Public Safety | Lobbyist Sunshine Initiative | Video Poker | Budget | Workers' Compensation Transparency | Mortgage Foreclosure Mediation | Cook County Jail | Department of Women's Justice Services | Forest Preserve | Juvenile Temporary Detention Center | Arrestee Medical Cost Fund | STD Testing at Intake
Car Sharing
Cook County owns and leases over 2,000 vehicles with no central fleet management. The cost of operating and maintaining this fleet increases every year with rising gas prices and deferred maintenance.[continue reading]
Public Safety
In an effort to reduce neighborhood violence, I found funding for the first CeaseFire Program in Uptown to be administered through the Organization of the North East.[continue reading]
Lobbyist Sunshine Initiative
The County Ethics Ordinance, as it relates to lobbyists, has been tightened to capture more information about who is influencing county government. The Board of Commissioners reduced the perception of corruption by creating an online lobbyist reporting tool, simultaneously making reporting more convenient for lobbyists while organizing information into a searchable format.[continue reading]
Video Poker
On July 13, 2009, Governor Quinn signed into law the largest capital bill in Illinois history. Although the bill (HB 2424) included funding for many critical projects, it also legalized video poker machines in bars and restaurants.
[continue reading]Budget
Currently, Cook County is operating on a $3 billion budget and 24,000 employees. Budget transparency is critical for taxpayers who want to better understand where their tax dollars are being used. On February 25, 2011, the Cook County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved the 2011 budget. In an effort to pass a balanced budget, all non-essential employees will take 5 furlough days and 5 "shut down" days County-wide. [continue reading]Workers' Compensation Transparency
Workers' Compensation claims at the County account for a significant amount of annual costs. In order to better track each claim, I have worked to have multiple claims from the same claimant attached to each new claim as it appears before the board.
[continue reading]Mortgage Foreclosure Mediation
Working with the Chief Judge and local housing advocacy groups we were able to provide $3.5 million to start a mortgage foreclosure mediation program within the Cook County Court System. This program provides for legal assistance and mediation between lenders and homeowners. All of which helps members of the Cook County community remain in their homes.
[continue reading]Cook County Jail
Recidivism is a top issue when discussing the Cook County Jail. Many times people are housed at the Cook County Jail because they simply cannot afford to post their bond, or have been arrested on non-violent offenses.
[continue reading]Department of Women's Justice Services
The vast majority of women in the Cook County Jail have been arrested for non-violent offenses. The Department of Women's Justice Services identifies women in the general jail population who suffer from mental illness and substance abuse, which is generally the reason they commit non-violent offenses, to provide necessary treatment that addresses both issues.
[continue reading]Forest Preserve
The mission of the Cook County Forest Preserve is to restore, protect and preserve the natural forests that encompass the system. We will continue to work with community groups and the Friends of the Forest Preserve to ensure that the holdings of the Forest Preserve are protected and restored in accordance with best practices.
For more information on events and services, visit the Cook County Forest Preserve website.
Juvenile Temporary Detention Center
The Cook County Juvenile Temporary Detention Center is a residential facility for juveniles who have been arrested and are awaiting trial. There are approximately 400 young people between the ages of 10 and 17, 95% of whom are young men. The average stay is 28 days.
[continue reading]Arrestee Medical Cost Fund
When a person is arrested by the Cook County Sheriff's department or is transferred to the Cook County Department of Corrections, their medical costs become the responsibility of the County, this is a Federal law.
[continue reading]STD Testing at Intake
The people that come through the Cook County Jail are at higher risk for contracting and transmitting STDs. Until 2007, an STD test was a part of the intake process but because of a lack of space and medical concerns, the testing was halted. We wanted to be sure that testing resumed in the right way so that people can be properly screened, informed of their potential condition and assisted in their treatment.
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