CHICAGO, IL — Cook County Commissioner Tony Peraica (R-16) today announced he will introduce an ordinance that would require a two-thirds supermajority by the Cook County Board for any county tax increases.

“This ordinance is meant to protect the Cook County taxpayers, plain and simple,” said Peraica. “Over the past several months, we have seen President Stroger take advantage of arcane county board rules to block tax relief ordinances that are supported by the majority of the commissioners. My ordinance would make it more difficult for the politicians to pay for their mismanagement of government on the backs of the county taxpayers.”

Peraica will introduce his ordinance at tomorrow’s Cook County Board meeting. The full ordinance, as introduced, is below:

Following is Commissioner Peraica’s proposed ordinance:

Submitting a Proposed Ordinance Amendment sponsored by

TONY PERAICA, County Commissioner

PROPOSED ORDINANCE AMENDMENT

AN ORDINANCE REQUIRING A TWO-THIRDS (2/3) SUPERMAJORITY FOR NEW TAXES AND TAX INCREASES

WHEREAS, The County of Cook is a Home Rule unit and may, under the power granted by Section 6(a) of Article VII of the 1970 Constitution of the State of Illinois, exercise any power and perform any function pertaining to its government and affairs, including, but not limited to, the power to tax and to incur debt; and

WHEREAS, the decision to impose new or raise existing taxes should be subject to the utmost scrutiny, and be approved by more than a simple majority of Cook County Commissioners.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED, by the Cook County Board of Commissioners that Chapter 2 Administration, Section 2-108 of the Cook County Code is hereby amended as follows:

Sec. 2-108. Parliamentary rules.

(e) Majority v Votes.

Except as otherwise provided in these rules, and except for questions for which a higher majority is required by law, all questions shall be determined by a majority vote of those Commissioners entitled to vote. A vote of “present” shall not be counted in determining the number of Commissioners voting on a question. Any question involving the imposition of any new taxes or increases in existing taxes shall require a supermajority vote of two-thirds (2/3), or 12 Commissioners, of the Cook County Board in order to gain passage.