Cook County commissioners reached a tentative agreement on this year’s $3 billion budget that requires no new taxes or borrowing, commissioners said.
The savings come mainly from a 4 percent across-the-board cut in non-health-related spending and a 2 percent cut in health-related departments, said commissioners Forrest Claypool and Michael Quigley.
Board President Todd Stroger wanted to borrow money to cover a shortfall his administration most recently projected at $84 million. But opposition commissioners said that between last year’s county sales tax increase and expected money from the federal stimulus package, no borrowing was needed.
On Tuesday, between cuts in spending on contracts and other items and rising estimates of help from stimulus package money, the County Board’s Finance Committee agreed on a new budget in time to meet the Feb. 28 deadline. The full board still must approve the deal.
