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Originally published on wgntv.com 03/26/20
Financial relief is on the way for businesses in Cook County amid the COVID-19 outbreak.
Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle announced Thursday that she will be waiving county fines and fees, and deferring taxes. She said this should save local businesses as much as $35 million.
Additionally, the Department of Administrative Hearings is postponing cases until April 15, and commercial business inspections are being suspended until April 15. Building and zoning violations are being waived unless something is deemed to be dangerous.
All of these measures, and more, will affect the county's cash flow but leaders said they have already been preparing for a downturn and they do have some reserves.
According to the Chicago Chamber of Commerce, Cook County officials met with them and asked them specifically what would help businesses weather this storm — and the county listened.
Businesses are calling this is the right thing to do at the right time.
"They need cash flow. They need access to cash. This is exactly what this measure will do for them to be able to pay employees and do what they need to do when this stay at home order is lifted,” said Tanya Triche Dawood, Illinois Retail Merchants Association.
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Regardless of the current public health pandemic, many of the people currently detained will all be released from jail due to their pretrial status or short sentences. The only question is when: before or after they are infected with COVID-19? There are still 150 children at the JTDC awaiting trial and they all need to have access to consideration for release. Doing so is in the best interest of the whole of Cook County—every person we can spare from infection and hospitalization at this time helps our collective health system and thus the entire community.
I applaud Public Defender Amy Campanelli for her leadership in motioning the court to expedite the release of categories of pre-trial defendants who do not present a public safety risk and who themselves are at higher risk of being infected by COVID-19. The jails are not equipped to adhere to CDC recommendations that mitigate the spread of the virus. In many cases, detainees are having meals in close proximity, using the same facilities to shower without deep cleaning between use, and not provided with soap or the ability to wash their hands as frequently as needed to contain the virus.
All of the criminal justice stakeholders agree that those who pose a serious risk to public safety must remain detained and denied bond. But we must release those people who will be released soon anyway and avoid the threat this poses to detainees, correctional officers, attorneys, healthcare workers and other staff in the jail, and ultimately to every family in Cook County.
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Amid the nationwide supply shortage, Cook County was able to provide much-needed materials and key protections to Cook County emergency workers last night.
Roughly 86 jurisdictions received:
38,000 gloves and gowns
33,600 N95 Masks
In total -- we are #OneCookCounty
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