Cook County incorporated residents are subsidizing the police services of unincorporated residents – thus pay for 2 police forces – one that serves them, and one that serves only unincorporated residents
Background:
•2% of Cook County (98,000 residents) live in Unincorporated Cook County
•Unincorporated areas have higher median incomes ($60K vs. $53K) than incorporated areas, yet their services are subsidized by incorporated residents
•State Statute requires that the Sheriff be the “conservator of the peace” for the County
•The Sheriff has determined the minimum level of staffing required to abide by this statutory responsibility
•The difference between the cost of the services currently provided to unincorporated areas and the minimum level is ~$11M.
•The County can create Special Service Areas (SSAs) for each area
•It will take approximately 6 months to institute an SSA – this includes 90 days of analysis, a public hearing and an ordinance being passed
Rationale:
•Unlike health care and court services, the police services the County is trying to collect on can only be used by unincorporated areas
•Policing is typically a municipal service – all incorporated residents pay additional, municipal taxes for police services; unincorporated residents do not
•Issue of fairness and equity that incorporated residents pay for 2 police forces – one that serves them (their municipal services), and one that does not serve them
•Institution of Special Service Areas will make it more equitable – without placing an undue burden
Budget impact:
•Revenues from Special Service Areas are projected to bring in $11M
Supporters:
•Watchdog groups such as the Civic Federation strongly support creating SSAs – they projected an even larger opportunity of $55M
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