The Finance Committee of the Cook County Board met on July 21, 2026, to receive a mid-year budget update from the Office of the President (OUP). Chief of Staff Linetta Haynes Turner presented a report highlighting the county's strong financial position, recent credit rating upgrades, and a range of ongoing initiatives. Commissioners posed questions on hiring, procurement, technology, property tax system implementation, and other operational matters. No votes were taken; the meeting served as a briefing and discussion.
Thank you. We have our Bureau Chiefs who will be coming to sit on the dais. All right. Good morning. Thank you, Chairman Daly, and members of the Finance Committee. I'm Linetta Haynes Turner, Chief of Staff to Cook County Board President Tony Preckwinkle. On behalf of President Preckwinkle and offices under the President, I am proud to present our mid-year budget update. Joining me today are our Bureau Chiefs. You've heard from Angela Manning Hardeman at the last session. Zara Ali, Sochi Flores, Valisha Haddocks, Tom Lynch, and Interim Bureau Chief Jamie Myers. Avic Doss is also joining from the Justice Advisory Council. Together, they are the backbone of the important and impressive work we do on behalf of our millions of residents. After my remarks, we will be happy to take any questions. As you just heard from the Bureau of Finance, or if you just watch the news, we're living in exceptionally challenging times. The difficulties are undeniable, but so is our dedication to our residents. Years of disciplined financial management, responsible budgeting, and long-term planning have positioned Cook County to navigate significant economic and fiscal uncertainty. Despite these many challenges, the county just received two ratings upgrades from Fitch last week, marking six ratings upgrades in five years. Fitch noted the upgrade reflects the county's reputation for judicious debt management, growing reserves, and addressing long-term liabilities. Over the last five years, rating agencies have also recognized the county's work to dramatically improve its financial position, implement budget best practices, address legacy pension liabilities, and put forward balanced budgets while also building solid reserves. This great work enables great work. Just look at our recent preliminary forecast town hall. It highlighted the immense breadth, impact, and heart of our county enterprise. We heard vital testimony and discussion on a remarkable range of priorities that define our mission. From the public safety and justice, we are leading with forward-thinking approaches to pretrial justice, robust funding for survivors of gender-based violence, and critical domestic violence grant support. Health equity and behavioral health. We are strengthening behavioral health systems, supporting HIV education partnerships, and reinforcing Cook County's health lifelong commitment to closing the health care gap. Housing and community infrastructure. We're taking a comprehensive approach to community stability and growth, addressing shelter shortages through our housing partners like Connection for the Homeless. We're also delivering essential infrastructure through the Build Up Cook and Invest in Cook initiatives to support our municipalities. Economic development. We're advancing equitable economic development by partnering with the Southland Development Authority, expanding business growth services for thousands of small businesses, and building institutional capacity in the Southland. And workforce and veteran support. We're expanding veteran peer-to-peer mental health programs, funding resources to get veterans back to work, and investing in young people through programs like the JTDC Introduction to the Electrical Trades. We're deeply committed to supporting the people we serve despite the many challenges behind and ahead of us. We do not shy away from the hard parts of the job. We are meeting chaos with calm. We are undaunted by the unexpected, and we stay true to the same mission and vision of the last 15 years. We are being responsible, we're being responsive, and we are being reliable. Under the stewardship of President Preckwinkle, our strong financial management and responsible budgeting have positioned Cook County to take a leadership role in transformative government despite the many national and regional challenges. But I really am most proud of our people. Every day, thousands of employees clock in and make this county better, provide services to those in need, and do the work. And it isn't always easy, but at the county, we do hard things. Let's recognize the reality. Despite this thoughtful financial management, Cook County is confronting budgetary pressures caused by several outside factors. Harmful reductions in federal funding to the hospital system by the Trump administration, economic pressures from geopolitical instability, pending litigation, and general inflationary pressures are impacting county finances. It's under clouds of uncertainty and adversity that I sit before you today to discuss the urgent work we do under President Preckwinkle's administration. We are unwavering in our commitment to ensure the progress we have made continues forward. Like I said, at the county, we do hard things and we remain steadfast in our commitment to be a more equitable, fairer county where all communities can thrive. The offices under the president represents 10% of the county's budget. That includes approximately 2,000 employees and a total budget of about 285 million dollars.