Cook County Commissioners Grill Sheriff About Cutting Budget

Cook County Commissioners Grill Sheriff About Cutting Budget

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Cook County commissioners grilled Sheriff Tom Dart for more than four hours Wednesday about ways he can cut his budget by 10 percent. The cuts have to be made because of the repeal of the sweetened-beverage tax that was projected to bring in $200 million for next year. Dart suggested closing branch courts, allowing inmates to attend court hearings by video from the jail, eliminating the forest preserve police force, and having employees take unpaid days off and forgo pay raises — all in effort to cut up to $92 million from his budget. Commissioners will also be hearing from the state’s attorney, public defender, court, and hospital systems in the coming days.