Preckwinkle's Office Briefs Board On Impact Of State Budget Stalemate
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Members of the Cook County Board spoke to county department heads on Tuesday about how the state's budget impasse is affecting local services.
Cook County Budget Director Tanya Anthony told commissioners one of the biggest impacts the lack of a state budget could have would be on child support services.
"This is $18.6 million in funding that we are expecting from the state, for which we are not receiving any reimbursements," she said.
Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle has said the state owes Cook County about $66 million, and warned if the state budget impasse continues to choke off funding for the county, she'll have to consider cutting programs that enforce child support and help keep non-violent offenders out of prison. Together, those two programs employ about 300 people.
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Chief Financial Officer Ivan Samstein said these services are vital.
"The child support program is meant to help poor people. I want to make sure that everybody understands that," he said.
Adrienne Alexander, a policy specialist with the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees, said it's those poor people and the workers she represents who would be hurt if the county is forced to make layoffs because the state has yet to pass a budget.
"We continue to urge the governor to draw off his non-budgetary demands so there can be a state budget, and we won't continue to put the most vulnerable at risk," she said.
Some commissioners suggested the county should sue the state over the budget impasse.
