WBEZ 91.5 Chicago

Some Cook County Board commissioners are refusing to take furlough days, even though the unpaid days off were in the budget passed in February. Commissioners had agreed then to take five unpaid days off, plus five government shutdown days, to help cut this year's budget.

The headline on the Cook County budget website reads: "The Cook County 2012 budget: How did we get here?"And "here" includes an estimated $315 million dollar shortfall, which roughly equates to 10% of the county's total annual operating budget."

The Cook County Clerk's Office is trying a new way to raise revenue by selling commemorative marriage certificates.If the county board votes to pass the new fees this week, Chicago residents will be able to buy a large-scale, 10"x12" version of their marriage certificate meant for framing or scrapbo

An ordinance that expands ticketing for low-level marijuana possession passed the Cook County Board Wednesday.All but three commissioners voted for an amendment that allows the sheriff's office to give $200 tickets for posession of 10 grams or less of marijuana in towns or villages where there is no

Activists who lost their fight to preserve Oak Forest Hospital now say they’re going to focus on holding Cook County to its commitments.A state board Tuesday approved the county’s plan to close the hospital and replace it with a regional outpatient center.

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle says she's open to privatizing some county services to help solve a major budget shortfall.Preckwinkle said the county is facing a $116 million budget shortfall this fiscal year and a $300 million deficit next year."

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle is asking Chicago's police superintendent to stop making arrests for low-level marijuana possession. Preckwinkle says judges generally dismiss those charges involving very modest amounts of illicit drugs.