Community nonprofits see county funding requests reduced

After much deliberation, the Cook County Board of Commissioners set the 2017 levy at $7.8 million, an increase for taxpayers over 2016 of 11.21 percent.

There were a number of meetings to discuss whether or not the county should fund the various non-mandated programs that requested county support. The original request from entities such as the Cook County Senior Center, Cook County Higher Education, the Grand Marais Art Colony, the Schroeder and Cook County Historical societies and others totaled $252,600.

In September the county board reviewed the requests and tentatively approved funding of $170,500 for local organizations. That amount was reduced further on December 20, when responding to the public, commissioners reduced nonprofit funding requests by an additional 10 percent.

See the chart below for a historical look at the nonprofits that have been funded and at what amount.

Rhonda Silence finds out more in this interview.