Monday, April 30, 2012
Chicago Sun-Times

The remaining pockets of unincorporated Cook County should be absorbed into existing municipalities to save taxpayer money, a task force put together by Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle is recommending.

The task force didn’t set timeline for doing this. But its recommendation. released Monday, is sure to face opposition and delays.

People familiar with the recommendation said that the county would probably need to make infrastructure improvements — from sidewalks to sewer systems — just to bring many unincorporated areas up to the standards required by neighboring municipalities.

Preckwinkle organized the team, which includes elected officials and outside groups, last November on the same day she backed away from her controversial proposal to charge residents of unincorporated areas for sheriff’s police patrols.

Preckwinkle argued that the nearly 100,000 taxpayers living outside incorporated areas in Cook County don’t pay taxes to a municipal police force, so they should pay for sheriff’s police protection.

But some suburban county commissioners objected.