Suburban superintendents and library directors press Cook County for audit after tax-bill delays

Representatives of suburban school districts and public libraries told the Cook County Board that delayed tax bills and distributions disrupted district finances and endangered services. Erin Murphy, superintendent of West Northfield School District 31, and Mary Gore of Mount Prospect District 57 said delayed receipts caused lost investment income, interest costs from tax-anticipation notes and uncertainty about reconciliations across taxing bodies.

Vicky Rakowski, director of the Forest Park Public Library, said delayed tax distributions left her library short on reserves and facing emergency capital needs including an estimated $1.3 million for roof and HVAC repair that amounts to roughly 55% of her annual budget. She said many suburban libraries were "weeks, not months, away from disaster" and urged the board to distribute remaining second-installment payments.

President Preckwinkle's office and the board acknowledged the concerns; the chair of legislation and intergovernmental relations said he would call a hearing with the treasurer and Tyler Technologies and pursue an audit of the 2024 property-tax collections and the county's tax-collection technology. Commissioners called for transparent reconciliation and timelines, and several asked for the treasurer to appear in committee.

The board recorded formal commitments to hold a public hearing and an audit; specifics of the audit scope and schedule were to be determined in follow-up meetings.