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Holiday Pet Supplies Drive 2023
FPDCC PERMITS 2024
VCL LETTER 8.2.23

PALOS TOWNSHIP PROPERTY TAX ASSISTANCE WORKSHOP: AUGUST 3

Palos Workshop 8.2.23

COOK COUNTY ROAD IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS ARE UNDERWAY IN THE SOUTHWEST PORTION OF THE 17TH DISTRICT - PLEASE CHECK THE CONSTRUCTION NOTICES BELOW FOR MORE DETAILS:

Wolf Rd Project
German Church Rd Project
94th Ave Project
135th St

Headlines

COOK COUNTY RECEIVES BOND RATING UPGRADE FROM MOODY’S INVESTORS SERVICE

August 23, 2023

OFFICE OF COOK COUNTY BOARD PRESIDENT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEAugust 22, 2023

CONTACTTed Nelsonedward.nelson@cookcountyil.gov

(COOK COUNTY, IL) - Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle today applauded Moody's Investors Service upgrading Cook County’s bond rating from A2 to A1. This marks the second ratings upgrade in less than two years.

“We are incredibly proud of Moody’s Investors Service’s decision today to upgrade Cook County’s bond rating from A2 to A1. This step shows once again that we are on the right track and our efforts to create long-term fiscal stability are being rightfully recognized,” said President Preckwinkle. “Today’s recognition is proof of concept that local governments can both invest in our communities and remain responsible stewards of our residents’ tax dollars.”

Moody’s noted the upgrade to A1 reflects the County’s accumulation of sound reserves and considers pension reform legislation recently signed by Governor JB Pritzker. Improved financial operations have been driven by a willingness and ability to raise revenue, robust growth in sales tax receipts, operational improvements and an influx of federal aid.

“We appreciate Moody’s acknowledging our sound fiscal management, work to increase reserves and passage of landmark pension funding reforms,” added President Preckwinkle. “Despite the pandemic and numerous economic challenges, we have now received three outlook upgrades and two ratings upgrades in the last two years. I want to thank my finance team for all they have done to make this possible. This is the result of years of hard work and excellent news for the County.”

Fitch Ratings last month revised Cook County’s outlook from stable to positive also noting the County’s work to increase reserves, financial management efforts and the importance of new pension reforms. This followed a ratings upgrade by Fitch in November 2021.

Cook County continues to receive investment grade ratings from all the major rating agencies, which in turns allows the County to get lower borrowing rates on its bonds.

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Moodys Rating

MORE THAN 50,000 SENIOR HOMEOWNERS NEED TO REAPPLY FOR “SENIOR FREEZE” PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTION

August 1, 2023
Senior Freeze PR

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 1, 2023

 

MORE THAN 50,000 SENIOR HOMEOWNERS NEED TO REAPPLY FOR "SENIOR FREEZE" PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTION

Orland Park - Cook County Commissioner Sean M. Morrison is encouraging eligible Senior Citizens to file online for the Low-Income Senior Citizens Assessment Freeze before the fast-approaching August 4th Deadline. Having rolled over automatically due to COVID-19, this is the first year where reapplication is required for those born in 1957 or earlier with a total household income less than $65,000 in 2021. This income qualified exemption is applied to the second installment of an eligible senior citizen’s property tax bill and may result in significant financial savings for them.

The Cook County Assessor has announced that over 50,000 Senior homeowners in Cook County have not yet applied to receive their Low-Income Senior Assessment Freeze. “If you know of an eligible parent, relative, neighbor or friend, I encourage you to help get the word out that qualified home-owning seniors must reapply online by August 4th, so this important exemption will not be missed by those who need it most” said Commissioner Morrison.

Applications can be submitted online through August 4th at: https://www.cookcountyassessor.com/senior-freeze-exemption

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“MOON WALK” AT LITTLE RED SCHOOLHOUSE NATURE CENTER

July 31, 2023
Moon

The next full moon will grace skies on Tuesday, August 1st. Join the Forest Preserves of Cook County on Tuesday night (8:15pm) for a “MOON WALK” at the Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center in Willow Springs.

REGISTRATION REQUIRED, CLICK HERE: https://fpdcc.com/event/moon-walk-7/2023-08-01/

FENTANYL EPIDEMIC CAN NO LONGER BE IGNORED

July 26, 2023
Drug overdose or poisoning is the leading cause of death for Americans aged 18-45. Nearly 70% of those deaths are due to opioids, including fentanyl.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration says that the large majority of the drug is sourced from China and trafficked into the U.S. by the Mexican Sinaloa and Jalisco cartels. We have seen record high illegal border crossings since President Joe Biden came into office, and the DEA says it seized enough deadly fentanyl in 2022 to kill every American.

Here in Cook County, the Medical Examiner’s Office has confirmed 2,000 opioid overdose deaths for 2022, breaking the previous record of 1,935 set in 2021. More than 91% of opioid overdose deaths involved fentanyl. Fentanyl is up to 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine. Approximately 78% of the opioid overdose deaths are male. African Americans make up 56% of the deaths, Latinos account for just under 15% and whites constitute 29% of the deaths. Just over 70% of the overdose deaths were in Chicago.

These numbers and statistics are staggering. It should alarm every person in Cook County and across our country. But, many of our elected leaders don’t seem to be bothered by the fentanyl epidemic as shocking as that might sound.

There is no denying the fentanyl epidemic is being ignored on the front line by President Biden with his open border policy. While in our state of Illinois with a Democrat controlled super-majority which includes Governor Pritzker, the state house and senate, they reduced criminal charges for fentanyl through the passage of the Safe-T Act. Sadly, this comes on the heels of two consecutive years of record high opioid/fentanyl overdose deaths here in Cook County.

What we need is an acknowledgement that current policies are failing, and a new course of action must be charted or the opioid/fentanyl death counts will continue to tragically grow across Cook County and America. Elections matter and, unfortunately, the results from recent elections have brought bad policies which have allowed the fentanyl epidemic to explode - costing tens of thousands of lives.

It’s time to tackle this deadly epidemic head on. The federal government must tighten the entry points at our borders and crack down on the external producers of this deadly drug. Illinois needs to reverse course and strengthen its laws against the illegal distribution and sale of fentanyl. On the local level, we need to expand access to comprehensive drug treatment to end the cycle of abuse. The time to act is now.

Call your elected leaders and demand action.

 

Commissioner Sean M. Morrison

17th District, Cook County

COOK COUNTY ROAD IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS ARE UNDERWAY IN THE SOUTHWEST PORTION OF THE 17TH DISTRICT – PLEASE CHECK THE CONSTRUCTION NOTICES BELOW FOR MORE DETAILS:

July 11, 2023

The Cook County Department of Transportation and Highways (DoTH) was established in 1913 by the State of Illinois upon approval of the first officially recorded County highway system maps. The present day system has evolved to include jurisdictional authority over 568 center line miles of highways. DoTH has maintenance responsibilities for 1,620 lane miles of pavement, 132 bridges, 360 traffic signals and seven pumping stations from four maintenance facilities.

For more info, please visit: https://www.cookcountyil.gov/agency/transportation-and-highways.

Wolf Rd Project
German Church Rd Project
94th Ave Project
135th St

Media

Contact Us

Chicago Office

118 N. Clark Street, Suite 567
Chicago, Illinois 60602
Phone : 312-603-4215
Fax: 312-603-2014

District Office

15040 Ravinia Ave, Suite 44
Orland Park, Illinois 60462
Phone: 708-349-1336
Fax: 708-349-1627

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