Preckwinkle Lays Out Goals For Second Term
(CBS) -- Board President Toni Preckwinkle wants to make Cook County's hospitals and health centers the place people want to go to for care, instead of have to go to, reports WBBM's Nancy Harty.
Toni Preckwinkle says ER visit times are down, health clinics have Saturday hours and patients are able to get more information online.
"We will no longer be primarily a health care system of last resort for those most vulnerable, but a provider of choice for all residents," she said.
In laying out goals for her second term at a downtown luncheon, Preckwinkle said she aims to continue lowering the jail population by having more non-violent offenders bond out and get help from state lawmakers in enacting pension reform.
She says pension debt is a large part of the reason the next county budget will be harder to balance than this year's, which did not have any new taxes, fines or fees.