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Check out our NEW Facebook Page
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Submit community events for our Events Calendar!
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Now on Twitter!
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Follow Commissioner Goslin on Twitter to find out what he's been reading in the news and for live updates during County and Forest Preserve Board Meetings.
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Please Note: My e-mail address has changed. To ensure delivery to your inbox, please add commissioner.goslin@cookcountyil.gov to your address book.
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Disclosing Pension Liabilities
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At Tuesday's County Board Meeting, Commissioner Goslin co-sponsored an amendment to add pension liability to the debt and revenue data local taxing districts are currently required to disclose to the Cook County Treasurer's Office. This data is then posted online, at the Treasurer's website, and a link to the information is printed on property tax bills.
The purpose of public debt disclosure is to keep taxpayers appraised of the state of their taxing bodies' finances, and reveal irresponsible spending and budgeting problems so they can be addressed. The severely underfunded pension system is one of the most serious budget problems facing local governments today, and its presence on the Treasurer's website will give a fuller picture of the financial state of local taxing bodies.
Last spring, the Illinois Legislature passed pension reform that creates a two-tier system as of January 1st, whereby the retirement age is raised to 67 and the maximum salary on which a pension can be based is capped at $106,800 for new hires. Commissioner Goslin has long supported pension reform, but more action is required to keep the public pension system solvent.
This amendment was sent to the Pension Committee.
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Enforcing Debt Impact Rules
| The Cook County Board has several rules in place which are intended to create a clear picture of the budgetary impact or "Debt Impact" of Board action prior to voting. Although these rules exist, their enforcement is sometimes lax, causing votes to take place before Commissioners can fully realize the obligations they are incurring for future years.
At this week's County Board Meeting, Commissioner Goslin sponsored a resolution to improve the enforcement mechanism of these Debt Impact rules. Commissioner Goslin is committed to repealing the final 1/2% sales tax increase, and Debt Impact rules help prevent the sort of unintentional financial obligations which will become barriers to this goal. Enforcement of these rules will be especially important as the Board begins its work on the FY2011 budget next month.
This resolution was sent to the Finance Committee.
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In the District
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Forest Preserve District Disbursements
Tallgrass Restoration, Schaumburg, Illinois - $1,523.40 for Prescribed Burning - North Region
Tallgrass Restoration, Schaumburg, Illinois - $5,809.44 for Comprehensive Vegetation Management - North Region
Pizzo & Associates, Leland, Illinois - $84,606.74 for District Wide Shoreline Enhancement
Groundskeeper Landscape Care, Orland Park, Illinois - $10,476.00 for Hazardous Tree Removal South Region
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Let's have a conversation! As always, feel free to reply to this newsletter, send me an email or give me a call about any Cook County or Forest Preserve District issue.
Sincerely,
Gregg Goslin, Commissioner
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