An excerpt from a story appearing in the Chicago Tribune.com, Tuesday, November 15th:
More than a dozen fee and tax hikes sought by Cook County Board PresidentToni Preckwinkle sailed through a first test Monday, setting up final approval of her proposed budget at week’s end.
Even Preckwinkle’s request to increase wholesale alcohol prices, which had fueled intense lobbying and opposition from restaurant and bar owners, easily passed out of the Finance Committee. Just five of the 17 commissioners voted against it.
Preckwinkle’s support fell across both party lines. Although there are fourRepublicans on the County Board, it was two Democrats who regularly voted against Preckwinkle’s requests: William Beavers, and Earlean Collins. The pair of Chicago commissioners, who were allies of former Board President Todd Stroger, staunchly opposed Preckwinkle’s push earlier this year to roll back the rest of a 1-percentage-point sales tax increase. Republican Timothy Schneider, from Streamwood, joined them Monday in mostly opposing the increases.
Most commissioners, however, found areas they could support.
