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Nov 6, 2007 10:39 am US/Central

Budget Battle Continues At County Board

Public Hearing Scheduled On Budget, Staggering Tax Proposals

CHICAGO (CBS) ― The Cook County Board on Tuesday is returning to work on proposals to fill a huge deficit of hundreds of millions of dollars.

They will appear at 6 p.m. at a public hearing on the budget at Proviso East High School, at 807 S. First Ave., in Maywood.

Board members blocked President Todd Stroger's plan to raise the county sales tax to balance the books earlier this year. But now, Stroger is again proposing a sales tax hike, which would raise the sales tax in the county to 11 percent – the highest of all major U.S. cities.

The plan also calls for doubling the county gasoline tax from 6 to 12 cents a gallon, and doubling the county parking tax. A monthly parker paying $30 in taxes would pay $60.

Stroger's proposed tax hikes would actually bring in more revenue than is needed to balance the budget. The sales tax increase, if enacted, would bring in $142.2 million during 2008, and $460 million a year after that.

As proposed, the budget would not increase the county's share of property taxes.

The budget eliminates 735 jobs, reduces overtime and streamlines hospital administrative services. But it also provides for more than 1,100 new positions. Stroger said the majority, 690, are in health services, and were staffing changes recommended by consultants.

The Public Defender will add 36 positions to meet American Bar Association standards, 110 positions to comply with court-ordered improvements at the Juvenile Detention Center and another 111 to comply with a court-ordered consent decree involving the Cook County Jail.

Also Tuesday, the board was scheduled to hear from CTA Chairwoman Carole Brown and Metra Chairwoman Carole Davis on those organizations' 2008 budget proposals, and take up a proposal banning the county from purchasing bottled water for its offices. Also on the agenda is a contract to former Chicago Police Supt. Phil Cline to help fight gang crimes on the suburbs.

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