Commissioners adopt FY26 budget changes and set tax rate after public hearings

After public hearings on the proposed budget and tax rate, the Cook County Commissioners Court approved final adjustments to the FY26 budget and adopted a property tax rate on the record.

The court conducted a public hearing on the proposed FY26 budget and later voted on amendments identified during the meeting (items 17, 19, 20 and radio/maintenance adjustments). Commissioners then took a roll-call vote on adopting the budget; the record shows a recorded roll-call with at least one commissioner voting no on the tax-levy procedural statement and the final outcome for the budget adoption was recorded as a majority vote. The meeting transcript records a roll-call sequence, with Commissioner Snuggs recording a “no” on one roll-call sequence, and other commissioners voting “aye.” The judge left the meeting before several later votes, and the transcript records a 4-0 carry on the tax-rate motion with one member absent.

On the tax rate, the court stated the proposed rate of 0.3355 and described it in the required truth-in-taxation language on the record. The court said the rate “is effectively a 6% increase in the tax rate” in the public-read statement required for transparency; staff and commissioners clarified that the final revenue change will be governed by valuation changes and the statutory revenue cap calculations. The court then took a recorded vote on the tax rate and carried the motion with four votes in favor and one absence.

Budget amendments approved during the meeting included transfers to cover courthouse security and county attorney investigator costs, minor increases for CareFlight and radio subscriber contracts, and a capital machinery item in Precinct 2 for a vehicle. Commissioners scheduled a final adoption after the public hearings and recorded the necessary motions on the record.