Fiscal issue
Regarding Michael J. Zink’s May 6 letter [“Lake View community will pay steep price for courtroom closures”] on the proposed closure of the branch court at Belmont and Western: With all due respect, this is a fiscal issue.
Last year, we cautioned that removing almost $ 200 million in revenue would have an impact on the programs and services Cook County could offer. Due to the hard work of our Budget Office, we created a balanced FY 18 budget without this revenue. We could only do so by spreading shared fiscal sacrifice through all county offices and operations. We were very clear that the loss of revenue would have such impacts.
The branch courts that currently are in several police stations across the city, including the one at 2452West Belmont, were identified as a potential source of savings. Not only do they handle small caseloads, but they need of tens of millions of dollars in capital renovation and repairs. Meanwhile, we are embarking on a study that will assess the utilization of courtrooms throughout the county. We are committed to operating efficiently and responsibly and, in the current fiscal climate, we have no choice but to do so.
We recognize that any cut in programs or services will inconvenience someone. We are committed to working with all stakeholders to ensure the transition is as smooth as possible and that the administration of justice will not be impacted. But we must live within our financial means. Toni Preckwinkle, president, Cook County Board of Commissioners