Cook County Circuit Court Judge Daniel Kubasiak granted Cook County’s motion to dismiss the Illinois Retail Merchants Association’s (IRMA) case against the county’s sweetened beverage tax Friday afternoon. The decision surprised both sides, who expected for the motion to be denied and for the case–similar to the county’s proposed tax on ammunition–to drag on for some time. President Preckwinkle’s administration, in the midst of layoffs and position eliminations, applauded the decision.