After years of a free ride courtesy of a clout-laden deal, Lollapalooza might have to start paying Cook County taxes.
Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle says there's no question: If the county morgue had better management there wouldn't be a pileup of bodies there. So Preckwinkle has assigned senior members of her staff to spend the day there.
The Cook County Board would have the final say before granting tax exemptions for big-ticket events such as Lollapalooza under a plan introduced this week. Currently, County Board President Toni Preckwinkle’s revenue director decides whether a group such as a non-profit or event qualifies for an amusement-tax exemption.
Cook County's medical examiner on Thursday fended off criticism about conditions at the morgue, saying that recent overcrowding was "an anomaly" caused by the state's short-lived decision to cut funding used to cover burial costs for the poor.
Three Cook County commissioners are pushing for big changes to an ordinance that frees some inmates wanted by immigration authorities. The commissioners say they’ll argue for amendments at Wednesday’s County Board meeting and press for a public hearing on them.
