She's only serving a four-month term, but Cook County President Bobbie Steele is trying to establish transparency and effectiveness in county government - and hopes her successor will continue her efforts.
Thursday, Steele (D-2nd) announced the recommendations of her 60-member transition team, led by state Senator Rickey Hendon (D-5th) and Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-9th).
"We found some things were going in the right direction and there are some things we are going to have to adjust," Hendon said.
When Steele took office last month, the county was already facing a $60 million budget deficit at the Bureau of Health Service, which makes up about 40 percent of the county's budget, but said she expects the total deficit for the past two fiscal years to be "staggering."
"Cook County's financial picture is a less than rosy situation. It's clear we will incur another huge deficit," Steele said. "This did not happen overnight and we're not going to turn it around in a matter of months. But it is fbcable."
To mend a $400,000 budget deficit, Steele said county departments will have to cut their budgets by about 10 percent and suggested department heads eliminate funding some of "warm, fuzzy" programs to help close the gap.
Steele said she plans to present the 2007 budget before she leaves the president's office in December.
"I'm going to do what I can, but I can't come up with $400 million overnight," Steele said.
Commissioner Tony Peraica (R-16th), who is running for county board president against former President John Stroger's son, Aid. Todd Stroger (8th), said the board should be working to reestablish the public's trust.
"I think we know where the problem is. We need to live within our means," Peraica said.
The transition team outlined some short-term corrective action to eliminate waste in county government. Steele said she plans to establish a "transition advisory council" to facilitate the changes.
While budget cuts are expected throughout county government, in the health department the transition team found a number of operational deficiencies, "untapped" opportunities to increase revenue, including the establishment of a regional health care system to share the financial burden with surrounding counties that often send patients here, Steele said.
In other departments, Steele said the hiring freeze she ordered last month will save $20 million from the 2006 budget, the reorganization of the Public Safety department, as well as the human resources and public relations departments will shave $4 million from the 2007 budget. Eliminating unnecessary supervisory positions will save another $2 million, she said.
"I'm looking at the elimination of non-performing employees in all departments which will also result in significant savings to the taxpayers," Steele said.
The full report to include the results of an employee survey will be released in about a month, Steele said.
The county board was pleased with Steele's progress just weeks after taking office. Commissioner Peter Silvestri (R9th) said he liked the new level of "inclusion" in the president's office.
"You've already shown that a lot can be done in a short period of time," Silvestri said.
Commissioner Joan Patricia Murphy (D-6th) said she had never seen county business move so quickly.
"And I'm happy to see it took a woman to do it," Murphy said.
[Author Affiliation]
by Mema Ayi
Defender Staff Writer
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