by Kristina Rasmussen I don’t smoke. Never have. But I still oppose tobacco tax hikes. Why? The related revenue is used to run up government spending. Yet smoking is decreasing, and so are revenues. Non-smokers could be on the hook for general tax increases to fill the gap. Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle turned this...

The problem Cook County is facing a budget shortfall. Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle has rightfully earned political goodwill for proposing serious changes to how county officials spend taxpayers’ money. She has challenged public employee union bosses to come to the negotiating table, and is utilizing private sector contractors to keep costs low. However,...

Newly elected Board President Toni Preckwinkle is saying and doing the right things when it comes to solving a budget crisis.

by Ashley Muchow Cook County Board President-elect, Toni Preckwinkle, recently warned county officials they would be responsible for making major spending cuts in their budgets to close the county’s $487 million gap. Preckwinkle met with elected county officials, including Cook County Clerk David Orr, Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart, and Treasurer Maria Pappas, asking each to cut...