The first meeting of the Cook County Board of Commissioners each year is an organizational meeting and commissioners go though a comprehensive list of the various boards and committees on which they serve. On Tuesday, January 6, commissioners reviewed an 11-page document listing all of those entities and discussed who should represent the county at what meeting— and whether or not some committees should continue to meet.
A few boards and committees that are no longer meeting on a regular basis were eliminated, such as the Caribou Lake Alternative Urban Area Citizens Advisory Committee; the Association of Minnesota Counties Future Task Force; the Law Library Board and the Biomass Feasibility Study Group.
The 1 Percent Local Option Sales Tax Coordination Committee was also removed from the list, at the recommendation of Auditor Braidy Powers, who said, “Essentially the need for this committee is over. We spent all of the money.”
The 1 percent sales tax was first requested in 2006 as an extension of the 1 percent tax that had paid for capital improvements to Cook County North Shore Hospital. After the county gained legislative approval to seek a countywide referendum, the 1 percent sales tax was approved by citizens in November 2009.
The 1 percent Local Option Sales Tax Coordination Committee members— Commissioners Sue Hakes and Bruce Martinson, Auditor Braidy Powers and County Attorney Molly Hicken—met to oversee use of the proceeds of the tax and the process of bonding for 1 percent projects such as the community center/ Cook County Community YMCA, Grand Marais Library, recreation facilities in Tofte, etc.
The Cook County News-Herald contacted Auditor Powers after the county board meeting and asked if the 1 percent local sales option tax is keeping pace with expectations. Powers said yes. “We needed about $1 million the first year and were hoping to increase to $1.28 million at the end of the bonds. We were very conservative compared to what is actually being received for sales tax,” said Powers. “At this rate we will retire the bond issues early – barring another financial collapse.”
The chart on page A1 shows the performance of the 1 percent local sales option tax since it was enacted through October 31, 2014.
Leave a Reply