June 28 Primary Election

Cook County Voters Plan Your Vote

  LWVIL Illinois Voter Guide for non-partisan information.

   WTTW Video Voter’s Guide  Recorded video messages from the candidates produced with support from the LWVCC​

   Judicial Candidate Information from 13 bar associations and local media outlets

   See the LWVCC website Voter Information Page for detailed information about the upcoming primary election. 

SAVE MON., AUG. 8 from 12 to 1

for this year's annual

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

featuring guest speaker

ISRAEL ROCHA, JR., CEO of Cook County Health

Mr. Rocha heads up Cook County Health (CCH) with its $3.9 Billion budget. In addition to Stroger and Provident Hospitals, CCH also includes the County's Public Health Department (at the center of so much activity to deal with COVID), and an ambulatory and community health network that reaches out to all parts of Cook County. 

Mr. Rocha came to CCH after serving as the CEO of NYC Health and Hospitals Elmhurst and Queens hospitals. NYC Health an Hospitals is the largest public health system in the U.S. with a combined annual budget of more than $8 billion

Watch for more information soon about registering for this virtual program, but mark your calendars now.  

                 Recent LWVCC Action

   Update of Action Alert On County Officials Salary Increase

Many thanks to all of you who responded to the Cook County League’s recent Call to Action by contacting your Cook County Commissioner to urge that they vote to eliminate the perpetual “cost of living” increase that was part of a proposed ordinance that would increase the salaries of all Cook County Elected Officials. The Commissioners did approved the increase for County officials. For more detail, see the May 24, 2022 Observer Report.

                                 County’s Use of ARPA Funds

 The League continues to monitor the use of the American Rescue Plan Act Funds and Equity Funds with a focus on how effective the grants are in achieving their stated goals.  The Commissioners approved several grants from the funds at their June 16th meeting. There were description of the programs but no information on how the programs will be monitored and evaluated.  Commissioner Sean Morrison commented that each grant should also have a plan to measure the outcomes of the programs and to report on them.

Forest Preserve Interest Group

Chief Justice Anne Burke and Judge Cara Smith discussed their efforts in rolling out the new Pretrial Fairness Act to all of Illinois.

   On June 9th, Laura Davis and Jan Goldberg met with Chief Justice Anne Burke and Judge Cara Smith to discuss the new Pretrial Fairness Act. Judge Smith is head of the new Office of Statewide Pretrial Services. She is coordinating the roll out of the new law with the court systems downstate. The main goal of the act is to ensure equitable treatment of people who have been accused of a crime but have not yet had a hearing. One tenet of the law is the elimination of cash bail.   Much misinformation about this law exists. Local leagues can have programs this fall with speakers that know the details of this law and can counter any misinformation.

Pretrial Fairness Act- Local League Programming 

As Local leagues plan their programs for fall and winter consider hosting an excellent speaker, Sarah Staudt of the the Appleseed Center for Fair Courts.  She will explain the new Pretrial Fairness Act that will be effective Jan. 1, 2023

 Her email is sarahstaudt@chicagoappleseed.org

During the April 29, 2022 Cook County Health Board meeting, the draft presentation of the new mission statement and strategic plan evoked a great deal of input from the Board concerning its lofty goals given the ongoing shortage of staff as well as having heard the same goals in years past. This was addressed by CEO Rocha who indicated that although it was currently necessary to continue using agency nurses while they continued their ongoing efforts on retention and recruitment outlined in the Strategic Plan. Further, he referenced an announcement made on April 26 by himself, President Preckwinkle, Commissioners Deer and Lowry, and the County Health Foundation of a $1M Provident Scholarship Fund to support students who are from, and committed to caring for, underserved communities.  The Fund will administer 60 scholarships this summer as follows:

·         30 to Health Professionals including medical and dental students;

·         20 to High School senior students entering a health care program; and

·         10 to students in the Allied Health/Undergraduate Program.

At the May 27, 2022 monthly meeting, the Cook County Health Board approved its 2023-25 Strategic Plan. In brief, the new Strategic Plan is summarized by its shortened but direct Mission Statement: Establish universal access to the world’s best care and health services for all Cook County residents, regardless of the ability to pay, so all may live their healthiest life 

Vision Statement:   To ensure healthcare as a human right  

Values Statement:  ICARE - Innovation, Compassion, Accountability, Respect, Excellence & Education

Read the Observer Reports of the Cook County Health Board meetings.

July 12, 2022   7:00 to 8:30 pm

LWV Glenview-Glencoe presents a discussion of  Amanda Little’s book ’The Fate of Food…what we’ll eat in a bigger, hotter, smarter world."

Glenview Public Library Community Room

Registration

2022-2023 Cook County League Board Members 

OFFICERS: President: Cynthia Schilsky, LaGrange Area; Vice-Presidents: Pris Mims, Chicago, Kathi Graffam, LaGrange Area; Secretary: Carolyn Cosentino, Homewood/Flossmoor; Treasurer: Nancy Clark, Oak Park/River Forest.

Board members: Laura Davis, Palatine; Diane Edmundson, Chicago; Jan Goldberg, LaGrange Area ; Georgia Gebhardt, Wilmette; Betty Hayford, Evanston; Karin Hribar, Arlington Heights

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The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan, political organization whose mission is to encourage informed and active participation in government; to increase understanding of major policy issues, and to influence public policy through education and advocacy. Membership in the League is open to anyone regardless of gender, race, or ethnic group.

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League of Women Voters of Cook County

332 S. Michigan Ave. Suite 634, Chicago, IL 60604

312-939-5935 x127

lwvcookcounty.org