Platform of Carl Segvich, Candidate for Cook County Commissioner for the 11th District
IMMEDIATE PRIORITIES TO RESTORE EMPLOYMENT IN COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS
Forensic Audit of all Cook County Finances
A forensic audit will provide a comprehensive study of where taxpayer funds are being spent vs. the actual budget. This will identify opportunities for reducing unnecessary expenditures.
Cut Waste, Fraud & Abuse
There are 10 Cook County government officials, independently elected, with large budgets and little accountability: Assessor, 3 Commissioners for Board of Review, County Clerk, Clerk of the Circuit Court, Recorder of Deeds, Sheriff, State’s Attorney, and Treasurer. In this time when bloated government budgets are draining our wallets, what is needed is efficient government. This means eliminating unnecessary programs and related expenses.
County government must live within its means. Public debt must only be incurred when absolutely necessary. I will implore the other 16 commissioners to join me in purposeful scrutiny before considering any further bond issues, and to call into account all contracts and large expenditures. We must stop growing government at the expense of the taxpayers. The citizens of Cook County demand accountability and more efficient government.
CUT TAXES TO HELP FAMILIES
Property taxes
Our property values are decreasing while our government is assessing them at a higher value and taxing us at a higher rate. Property taxes must be properly synchronized to property values, so as not to overtax property owners.
We also have to make sure that property is fairly assessed in the first place. Fair taxes begin with a fair assessment.
All 102 counties in Illinois, except Cook, are assessed at a uniform rate of 33.3%. In Cook County, vacant lots, commercial property and industrial property are assessed at different rates. That is a glaring example of the complexity which adds to our tax bills. This is only one example which complicates the process of calculating property tax bills. Other examples are equalizer and multiplier calculations. Taken together, all of these complexities make for tax bills which are difficult to understand. We must rectify this problem by simplifying the calculation methodology.
Sales Tax
Sales taxes in Cook County are the highest in the nation. These high taxes drive businesses out of the county. Fewer businesses within Cook County automatically translates into decreased jobs. Accordingly sales taxes in general must be significantly lowered in order to attract both businesses and customers. This will restore a job-friendly business climate. Let’s put Cook County back to work.
STOP WASTEFUL SPENDING
Red Light Cameras – STOP the Harassment of Motorists
Throughout Cook County, residents and visitors alike are continuously harassed by a red camera system which intimidates drivers. Cook County reportedly has reduced the duration of the yellow light in order to collect more revenue. This also results in more rear-end collisions and subsequent injuries. The red light camera system in Cook County must be dismantled. Cook County needs to curb its wasteful spending so motorists aren’t harassed by government contrived techniques for extracting money just so the county’s bills can be paid.
STOP the Tax-payer funded abortions at Cook County Hospital
Taxpayers are already over-burdened with higher taxes and this is an excellent example of an opportunity to save millions every year in the Cook County Hospital budget. Polls show that regardless of opinions on abortion, most Americans do not want to spend tax dollars to fund abortion.
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