Speaker numbers apply only to this recording.
On October 15, 2026, the Cook County Board's recess committee reconvened for a public hearing on the fiscal year 2027 budget. No agenda or minutes were available, so this summary is based solely on the raw transcript. The hearing was held in person and virtually, with American Sign Language and Spanish interpretation available. Members and staff heard testimony from nonprofit leaders, service providers, municipal officials, and residents on proposed funding for health, economic development, public safety, legal aid, housing, transportation, and county programs. No formal votes were taken during the hearing.
Economic development and small business: Terrence Johnson, executive director at Greenwood Archer Capital, thanked the Bureau of Economic Development for grants to CDFIs that support small businesses in underserved south and west side and southern suburban communities, and urged commissioners to approve additional appropriations. Sam Toy, president and CEO of the Illinois Restaurant Association, urged maintaining strong, consistent funding for the Cook County Small Business Source, citing the industry's support of more than 585,000 Illinois jobs, roughly 10,000 business engagements since July 2021, and nearly 2,000 businesses served in 2026.
Health care, behavioral health, and Cook County Health: Several speakers supported the FY27 Cook County Health budget and community health investments. Dee Atkins of Thresholds cited a 76% reduction in future emergency department visits among participants in an assertive community linkage program, with 70% of participants experiencing homelessness moved into housing. Nathan Calvacoda of A Safe Haven highlighted Stronger Together results over 18 months: 250 clients served, 100 completed paid vocational training, 85 engaged in substance use or mental health treatment, and 50 placed in full-time jobs. Dr. Randy Sadler of UCAN Chicago spoke in strong support of behavioral health funding. A representative of the Chinese American Service League said CASL served more than 660 behavioral health clients last year and voiced concern that the proposed FY27 budget does not explicitly allocate funding for the Stronger Together initiative, whose current grant ends this fall.
211 and law library: Jackie Rosa of United Way of Metro Chicago asked continued support for 211 Metro Chicago, a free 24/7/365 referral helpline that has fielded more than 700,000 contacts since January 2023. Jessica Wamasi of the Chicago Bar Foundation supported the Cook County Law Library, noting nearly 46,000 annual visitors, nearly half without lawyers, and 5.3% overall visit growth and almost 30% growth in visits from people without lawyers this fiscal year.
Violence prevention and re-entry: Selena Smith of Grow Community thanked the county for a $500,000 Survivor of Gun Violence grant through the South Suburban Justice Advisory Council, reporting 317 individuals served, 174 completions, 124 currently enrolled, and a 90% completion rate. A representative of ZAMPS Hope Community Resource Center supported the Justice Advisory Council's No Place to Stay program, describing it as a 'pre-entry' re-entry program.
Immigration legal defense: Multiple speakers with the Defenders for All Coalition asked the county to expand the Public Defender's immigration division to 25 dedicated attorneys. Reina Toscano (Resurrection Project), Yaire Torduño (PASO West Suburban Action Project), Dahlia Rodeki (Resurrection Project), Jocelyn Crea (PASO), and Esther Martinez (Southwest Organizing Project) shared personal and community stories of detention, deportation, and difficulty finding trustworthy representation. Kelly Fuentes, affiliated with PASO West Suburban Action Project, described lacking economic resources for a private lawyer and long waits for legal assistance. Rodeki described her son-in-law's seven-month detention and eventual self-deportation; Crea said her aunt paid more than $30,000 to an attorney who turned out to be a scammer. Fasika Alam of the United African Organization urged continued and expanded funding, citing recent federal changes affecting refugees and TPS holders.
Veterans Assistance Commission: Michael Tooman, Dutch DeGrout, and Jennifer Glenn urged increased funding for the Veterans Assistance Commission of Cook County. DeGrout said the VACC brought in $16 million in VA compensation—almost five times its budget—and provided 922 emergency financial assistance services in one quarter, among other figures. Glenn described receiving emergency help from the VACC within 24 hours.
Guaranteed income: Taylor Tremil (Workers Center for Racial Justice/Union for Guaranteed Income), Aurora Gonzalez, Jamal Jackson, and Chella Garcia (Union for Guaranteed Income) supported continued and expanded funding for Cook County's permanent guaranteed income program, citing the historic $7.5 million allocation, the need for timely implementation before winter, community transparency, and additional funding. Jackson cited the Cook County Promise pilot: 3,250 households received $500 per month for two years, 75% felt more financially secure, 94% said the money helped with an emergency, 56% reported less stress, and over $8 million went to local businesses. Gonzalez noted the program has not yet reached residents.
Domestic violence services: Kayla Posley of The Network, Katie Brown and Amanda Spannheimer of Crisis Center for South Suburbia, and Elizabeth Grask of Legal Aid Society/Metropolitan Family Services supported the proposed $5 million FY27 commitment to domestic violence services through the Justice Advisory Council. Posley reported nearly 40,000 hotline contacts from Cook County residents, a 30% increase from 2024; Brown noted the Crisis Center's shelter represents 33% of dedicated DV shelter beds in the suburbs and that JAC funding enabled service to more than 1,500 survivors and support to 4,600 through law enforcement outreach. Grask said LAS serves more than 1,100 survivors annually and urged substantial investment.
Workers' rights and Healthy Work Initiative: Tim Bell and Sandra Fernandez (Chicago Workers Collaborative), Marco Seniceros (Warehouse Workers for Justice), Angie (Latino Union of Chicago), Ana Waharda (Centro de Trabajadores Unidos), and Sophia Zaman (Raise the Floor Alliance) urged continued funding for the Healthy Work Initiative. They cited more than 50,000 vulnerable workers assisted over three years; warehouse cases involving wage theft, heat/cold illness, harassment, and discrimination; and Zaman cited COVID-era disparities: Black residents accounted for 36% of COVID-related deaths, Latinx residents' rates rose by nearly 54%, compared with a 10% increase for white residents. Zaman also said the program reached 435,000 individuals, trained 66,000, and tracked over 400 violations.
Transportation and infrastructure: Alex Perez (Active Transportation Alliance) supported continued CCDPH partnership to help 14 suburban communities compete for ITEP funding, noting $157 million in state funding and that pedestrians and cyclists account for 25% of fatal and serious crashes. Melinda Metzger of PACE thanked the county for Invest in Cook grants totaling $180,000 for a Northwest Cook on Demand zone and $176,000 for a transit lane along Surmac Road. Tim Class, Village of Summit engineer, praised Build Up Cook for sewer lining, water audits, and helping secure almost $13 million for lead service replacement. Scott Kinsey of Smart Elevators supported continued elevator, escalator, and ADA lift maintenance. Vicky Pisenko of Evanston Animal Shelter supported Cook County Rabies and Animal Control, mentioning animal intakes and free vaccination and microchipping clinics.
Budget support/residents: Vicky Brown, Dr. Linda Abington, Frank Pabilnik (Mayor of Posen), Christy DeLaurentis (South Suburban Mayors and Managers), Lonnie Swilly (PLCCA), Rabbi Wolf, and Apostle Lawrence Blackfoot spoke in support of the proposed FY27 budget. Brown and Abington praised balancing fiscal responsibility with compassion and no additional taxes; Abington noted no property tax increase and a $550 million gap filled with reserves. Pabilnik thanked the county for infrastructure investments and asked the board to approve the 2027 budget. DeLaurentis, representing 39 south suburban communities, opposed property tax increases and supported the budget. Swilly/PLCCA supported the Cook County Health and County Care budget. Rabbi Wolf praised the Medical Examiner's Office for compassionate service to religious communities. Blackfoot supported affordable housing investments in South Suburban communities.
Concerns/opposition: George Blakemore criticized the hearing, alleging that county funding to nonprofit organizations amounts to vote-buying, questioning how program effectiveness would be measured, and making derogatory comments about immigrants and elected officials.
The recent the recess committee of the Cook County Board by President Tony Park we go to fiscal year budget 2027 is reconvened. Madam Clerk, any correct any corrections? Thank you, Chairman. So, Chairman, at your recess meeting, we did have all members present on your roll call, so we don't need to add anyone. If you will allow me to introduce the public, um, sorry, the interpreters that will help with our public hearing. We have two interpreters connected remotely. Wendy Tone Crawford from American Sign Language, and we also have Laurie Irwin from American Sign Language. In the room, we have a in-person interpreter, David Berkeley. I'm gonna ask David to stand up. So those that require in-person interpretation, make sure you connect with David before you begin your testimony. Chairman, I'd also like thank you, David. Uh, Chairman, I also like to read the rules for public speaking. Persons authorized to provide public testimony shall not use vulgar burger, vulgar, abusive, discriminatory, profane, or otherwise inappropriate language when addressing the body, failure to act appropriately or failure to adhere to the time requirements may result in expulsion from the meeting and or disqualify the person from providing future testimony. And Chairman, when people were registering, they did request translation services. So if it's okay with you, I'm going to ask those who require translation services to come and render their testimony first. Are we ready? Okay. Uh those requiring translation services, if you are in the room, please come to the public speaking mic over by the sheriff, and David will help you. Kelly from PASO. Kelly, are you in the room? Kelly required translation services when he or she registered. Laura Collin, Erie Neighborhood House, are you in the room? Lori? Laura, I'm sorry, Laura Collin. Then Marilyn Uliff from PASO, West Suburban Action Project. Mark Corzo, PASO, West Suburban Action Project. Luz Marino. And then Erica from PASO West Suburban Action Project. Any of those names in the room or connected remote. Have you registered? If you have, if you're in the room and you want to speak and not register, please see the gentleman in the blue jacket at the back. And those that I called first registered with us that they needed translation services. And if they're not in a room, sir, then I'll begin with the regular list. All right. Terrence Johnson, Sam Toya, Dr. Katasha Washington, and Claudette Harrell. If you're in the room, please come to the public speaking mic or stand over by the sheriff. Thank you. And introduce yourself before you start speaking. Please begin. Okay. For the record, my name is Terrence Johnson. I'm the executive director at Greenwood Archer Capital. I am here to speak on behalf of the support provided by the Bureau of Economic Development for CFIs, community financial institutions. As a CDFI, we are a mission-driven lender to small businesses throughout the county, primarily in underserved markets on the south and west sides and the south southern portion of the suburbs of southern Cook County. And as you can imagine, the the folks that we serve in the communities that we serve in terms of both people and place have been underinvested in for quite some time. So the south and the west sides of the of the city, as well as those small businesses that are supported by people of color and women-owned businesses as well.