CTA President Dorval Carter Jr., right, speaks before the City Council Committee on Transportation and Public Way Thursday [Michael McDevitt/The Daily Line]

Aldermen on Thursday conveyed their concerns about Chicago Transit Authority public safety, cleanliness and timeliness to CTA President Dorval Carter Jr. during a hearing before the Committee on Transportation and Public Way.

From left, Comm. Sean Morrison (R-17), Matt Podgorski and Josina Morita. [Courtesy photos]

While almost all Democratic incumbents on the Cook County Board of Commissioners won reelection Tuesday, the board’s two Republican-held seats had close races to retain the small sliver of conservative representation on the board.

Voters approved a tax increase for the Cook County Forest Preserve District this election to shore up the district’s finances. [Facebook/Cook County Forest Preserve District]

Voters have elected to raise their own taxes to shore up funds for the Forest Preserve District of Cook County and ease the district’s reliance on its reserves and reduce the likelihood of future budget holes.

The Clean Air, Clean Water, and Wildlife Habitat Protection Referendum, which raises the property tax rate for the forest preserves by one quarter of one tenth of a percent, or 0.025 percent, was approved Nov. 8 with about 67.6 percent of the voters voting “yes” as of 10:34 p.m. Tuesday.

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle is seen on Election Day during the 2022 primaries. [Don Vincent/The Daily Line]

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle declared victory Tuesday night in her campaign for a fourth term as the top executive in county government. By securing a fourth term, Preckwinkle is on track to become the longest serving board president since George Dunne, who served from 1969 to 1990.

In a statement issued Tuesday night, Preckwinkle said “I extend my deepest gratitude to the voters of Cook County and I’m grateful they have entrusted me to run the nation’s second-largest county in the country for the past twelve years, and look forward to all the good work that lies ahead.”

The official Cook County seal [file]

Will Cook County voters choose to raise their own taxes to help shore up funds for the county Forest Preserve District or decide instead to let it risk disrepair and budget tightness? Will county voters elect a predictably Democratic slate of candidates, or will any county races see shake-ups or surprises? Here’s a primer on what’s on the ballot in Cook County this Tuesday.

The Board of Commissioners for the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago convenes for a meeting Nov. 3. [MWRD Livestream]

Four seats on the nine-member Board of Commissioners for the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) are up for election Nov. 8. The board members serve staggered six-year terms and are elected at-large, meaning they represent the area as a whole and not specific districts within the MWRD.

Interim Inspector General Steven E. Cyranoski speaks to Comm. Sean Morrison (R-17) during a hearing Oct. 25. [Cook County Finance Committee Livestream]

During an Oct. 25 budget hearing before the Cook County Board of Commissioners Finance Committee, Interim Inspector General Steven E. Cyranoski told commissioners the number of complaints received by the Office of the Independent Inspector General continues to increase each year as the number of staff in the office is proposed to stay flat in 2023.

Voters could approve a tax increase for the Cook County Forest Preserve District this election to shore up the district’s finances. [Facebook/Cook County Forest Preserve District]

Advocates spent more than $1.5 million in the final months leading up to the midterm elections to promote a ballot question which aims to raise taxes and bring in more revenue for the Cook County Forest Preserve District.

Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi speaks to the County Finance Committee during a budget hearing Oct. 25 [Cook County Board of Commissioners Livestream]

U.S. District Judge Edmond E. Chang granted a motion Tuesday to dismiss a federal monitor over the Cook County Assessor’s Office which oversaw hiring practices for a decade, affirming the office had achieved “substantial compliance” with court-ordered reforms.

Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas speaks to the Cook County Finance Committee on Oct. 25. [Cook County Board of Commissioners Livestream]

Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas was lauded by county commissioners during a Board of Commissioners Finance Committee meeting on her office’s budget Oct. 25, nearly one week after her office released a study which showed hedge funds, private equity firms and similar entities had taken advantage of a state property tax law loophole they helped craft to profit off administrative mistakes, with the effects largely felt by communities of color.

The treasurer said more studies were on the way.

Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi speaks to the County Finance Committee during a budget hearing Oct. 25 [Cook County Board of Commissioners Livestream]

Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi revealed the conclusion to a decade-long federal monitor was near, talked about ways to incentivize business development and discussed the timetable for sending out tax bills during a budget hearing before the Cook County Finance Committee Oct. 25.

Chicago Board of Ethics Executive Director Steve Berlin listens to comments from Ald. Ariel Reboyras (30), top right, during a City Council budget committee hearing Friday. [City Council Livestream]

Aldermen breezed through a Friday morning budget hearing on the Chicago Board of Ethics ahead of a lengthy hearing on the Chicago Police Department budget.

During the City Council Committee on Budget and Government Operations meeting, aldermen praised the board for its work and asked only questions about improving and ensuring completion of online ethics training courses by city officials, aldermen and lobbyists and ensuring compliance with ethical practices and requirements.

Cook County Comm. Donna Miller (D-6) speaks about a proposal to reduce property taxes for supermarkets which open in underserved areas during a board meeting Sept. 22, 2022. [Cook County Board of Commissioners Livestream]

The Cook County Board of Commissioners approved the creation of a new property tax incentive class during their regular meeting Thursday. The new classification provides for reduced tax rates for supermarkets that open or are located in food deserts.

Cook County Human Resources Bureau Chief Velisha Haddox, left, speaks about Deloitte’s work recruiting new county employees during a board of commissioners meeting Thursday. [Cook County Board of Commissioners Livestream]

Cook County commissioners on Thursday approved a nearly $1 million contract extension with a firm that’s assisting the county in recruiting employees to address numerous vacancies across departments. But the approval didn’t come without some county lawmakers questioning the effectiveness of the firm’s work so far, resulting in several detractors during the vote.

Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas speaks at a press conference in this file photo.

Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas’ office unveiled the results of a study Wednesday that revealed hedge funds, private equity firms and similar entities have taken advantage of a state property tax law loophole to profit off administrative mistakes largely at the expense of communities of color.

Cook County Comm. Donna Miller, top right, speaks during a county Business and Economic Development Committee meeting Wednesday. [Cook County Government Livestream]

The Cook County Business and Economic Development Committee approved an ordinance amendment during its Wednesday meeting creating a new property tax incentive for supermarkets located in food deserts.

Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events Comm. Erin Harkey went before the City Council Committee on Budget on Government Operations Tuesday. [City Council Livestream]

Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) Comm. Erin Harkey discussed ongoing recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic for the city’s arts and events scene and answered aldermen’s questions about improving operations at the neighborhood level during a hearing before the City Council Committee on Budget and Government Operations Tuesday.

Public Health Comm. Allison Arwady speaks before the City Council budget committee Monday. [City Council Livestream]

The City Council questioned the city’s health department about its mental health crisis response pilot program during a Committee on Budget and Government Operations hearing Monday.

One year into the launch of the Crisis Assistance Response and Engagement (CARE) program, aldermen pressed Public Health Comm. Allison Arwady to expand the services citywide and said the department is too slow in its work to scale up the program. At the same time, Arwady expressed concern over securing more permanent funding sources for when grant funds run out in the future.

Chicago Department of Streets and Sanitation Comm. Cole Stallard speaks to the City Council budget committee on Friday. [City Council Livestream]

Aldermen pressed Department of Streets and Sanitation Comm. Cole Stallard and staff on continuing to improve tree maintenance efforts during a late Friday hearing before the City Council Committee on Budget and Government Operations.

Under Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s proposed 2023 budget, the Streets and Sanitation budget is set to rise to more than $310.6 million next year from more than $308 million in 2022. The department is responsible for tree maintenance, street cleaning, garbage collection, graffiti removal, towing and rodent control.

In 2023, the department’s number of full-time equivalent positions is proposed to rise to 2,258 from 2,234, according to budget documents.

Nolan Downey speaks before the Cook County Finance Committee’s public hearing on the 2023 budget Thursday. [Cook County Government Livestream]

The Cook County Board of Commissioners Finance Committee convened for two public hearings Thursday on Board President Toni Preckwinkle’s proposed 2023 spending plan.

During the first hearing Thursday morning, funding to support health care access and equity and the county’s guaranteed basic income pilot program were two dominant topics among public speakers.