County holds budget hearing

The Cook County Board will hold a public hearing on the proposed 2010 county budget at 6 p.m. on Dec. 15 in the Commissioners Room. The board will likely adopt the budget at their Dec. 22 meeting.

Departmental requests would set the levy at over $6,400,000. The maximum allowable levy is slightly over $6 million. To achieve that figure, the county will need to use nearly $320,000 of its fund balance or make further cuts to departments. The allowable levy number includes special levies that may be reduced by the state upon review. In that case, the board would again have to go to its fund balance or further cut departmental budgets.