NO MORE POWER TO YOU
Preckwinkle to seek extension of disaster proclamation until end of September, but one commissioner suggests it’s illegal
Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, citing what she called “this historic crisis,” is seeking to extend through September the disaster proclamation that allows her to make unilateral decisions.
But one commissioner questioned why Preckwinkle needs that power for four more months, dubbing the move “a massive overreach.”
Preckwinkle’s original March 10 order is set to expire at the end of May. The extension is scheduled for a vote at the County Board meeting May 21.
“This remains a challenging moment in our county’s history and we continue planning for Cook County’s recovery from this pandemic,” a county spokesman said in a statement. “This extension falls in alignment with our recently released Cook County COVID-19 Response Plan.”
A co-sponsor of the proposed resolution, Commissioner Larry Suffredin, D-Evanston, said there’s “more stability in giving a longer timeframe now that we understand what’s happening” with the coronavirus and its impact on the county.
“If we’re meeting as we are now, we can always repeal this,” Suffredin said. “For purposes of planning ... if all you’re doing is doing things in 30-day increments, some of those things are harder to do. I think this is more prudent.”
The March order allows Preckwinkle
to “issue any necessary executive orders to provide for the continuity of government to the extent possible, including addressing authorizations that may usually require the advance approval of the County Board; institute any such closures that may be necessary and implement any rules or regulation that may benefit the Cook County workforce and residents of Cook County during this Proclamation of Disaster” if the board or its Finance Committee are unable to meet in March or April.
The September extension, if passed, would “assist Cook County, by and through its Department of Emergency Management and Regional Security, to continue to coordinate county and municipal resources and response activities, in an effort to prevent and reduce further damage and hazards, protect the health and safety of persons, protect property and provide emergency assistance pursuant to Illinois law,” the resolution reads in part. There’s no mention in the updated language of Preckwinkle having the same power to issue any executive orders she deems necessary, though Suffredin said those powers would continue if the extension is approved.
The county will need to buy and distribute more personal protective equipment and address some workforce issues, such as how to make sure courts have what they need to open safely, Suffredin said.
Commissioner Sean Morrison, RPalos
Park, doesn’t think the extension is necessary and said neither Preckwinkle nor her team — nor his fellow commissioners — reached out to explain why it is needed.
“The governor is extending things in 30-day increments; why are we extending 120 days? We conducted a meeting just last month. There’s no reason to [have this order] anymore,” Morrison said. “This is a massive overreach.”
Morrison questioned the extension and wondered if the county could face lawsuits.
Suffredin said he didn’t agree with his GOP colleague, arguing it makes sense to extend the order now that the summer — and the beginning of the county’s budget season — are looming.
And Suffredin rejected any suggestion it was a power grab.
“Power grabs are fun when having the power makes you really important, but a power grab in a pandemic just gives you more responsibility and stress,” Suffredin said.
“This is a reasonable amount of time. It gets us through the summer, and then we’re going to be in budget mode come Oct. 1, and we’re going to have to make a lot of decisions on the budget. September seemed more reasonable [than the end of the year].”