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91_SR0117
SRS91SR0013XXbm
1 SENATE RESOLUTION
2 WHEREAS, The County of Cook, with a current population of
3 5,096,540, according to the 1996 special census estimates,
4 comprises a land area of 946 square miles; and
5 WHEREAS, If the County of Cook were to be ranked as a
6 state with regard to gross national metropolitan product, it
7 would place twelfth following Michigan (eleventh) but leading
8 Massachusetts (thirteenth), according to 1997 data; and
9 WHEREAS, According to the most recent available figures,
10 the County of Cook collects over $12 billion annually and
11 employs over 36,000 individuals; and
12 WHEREAS, The unique geography coupled with layers of
13 political subdivisions, including 30 townships and a
14 municipality having a population over 2.5 million, complicate
15 the difficult task of providing programs and services to the
16 public; and
17 WHEREAS, The goal of this State and its units of local
18 government is to provide the most cost effective and
19 efficient means for the administration of programs and the
20 delivery of services to the public; therefore be it
21 RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-FIRST GENERAL
22 ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, That a feasibility study
23 be conducted to investigate the effect of dividing the County
24 of Cook into separate and distinct, freestanding,
25 independent, new counties; and be it further
26 RESOLVED, That this study be conducted by a Task Force to
27 be comprised of seven persons, four members of the Illinois
28 Senate appointed by the President of the Senate and three
29 members of the Illinois Senate appointed by the Minority
30 Leader; and be it further
-2- SRS91SR0013XXbm
1 RESOLVED, That the President of the Senate shall
2 designate one of the members appointed by him or her to serve
3 as the chairperson of the Task Force; and be it further
4 RESOLVED, That the meetings of the Task Force shall be
5 convened at the call of the chair; and be it further
6 RESOLVED, That the Task Force is directed to examine the
7 effect the division would have upon all aspects of law
8 enforcement; judicial services, including back-logged dockets
9 and jury duty; social welfare programs and the delivery of
10 these services; property tax collection; and any and all
11 other issues that may lead to a more efficient administration
12 of county government; and be it further
13 RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall report its findings
14 to the General Assembly on or before December 1, 1999; and be
15 it further
16 RESOLVED, That the members of the Task Force shall be
17 reimbursed for their expenses.