City, County Collaboration to Save at Least $20 Million Annually

Savings were primarily found in three areas: purchasing, homeland security and revenue/tax collection

By looking at ways to collaborate, Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle on Tuesday said they've found nearly $21 million in annual savings for taxpayers.

Both said, however, the work to find more money continues, adding that will be a more daunting challenge.

"It is easy to go and migrate back to your respective silos and not cooperate, not collaborate, not coordinate," said Emanuel. "The goal is not to spike the ball on the 30-yard line and say, 'We got $20 million.' We have much more work to get done. ... While this is $20 million of savings for the taxpayers, ... the next set of $20 million is going to be harder."

The savings were primarily found in three areas, Preckwinkle said: purchasing, homeland security and revenue/tax collection.

The city and county are also creating a national model by combining forces into a single regional workforce board to better match employers with job seekers across the region.

"It's our shared commitment to reform, and our shared pride in our accomplishments that will move us forward," said Preckwinkle.

The six-member city-county committee tasked with finding the savings was created last May. They have a goal of finding $140 million in savings.

Report: Joint Committee on City-County Collaboration
 

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