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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
AUTHORIZATION OF DEBT SERVICE PAYMENT FROM MASTER OPERATING ACCOUNT
WHEREAS, Cook County (the “County”) General Obligation debt service payments of $213,790,584.00 due on November 13th of 2026; and
WHEREAS, the County’s General Obligation Debt is secured by and paid for by the County’s Property Tax receipts; and
WHEREAS, Amalgamated Bank of Chicago is the trustee for the County’s Series 2004C, 2004D, 2009B, 2011C, 2012A, 2012B, and 2026A General Obligation Debt; and
WHEREAS, Bank of New York Mellon is the trustee for the County’s Series 2010D and 2021A General Obligation Debt; and
WHEREAS, Zions Bancorporation is the trustee for the County’s Series 2016A,2018, 2021B, 2021C, 2022A and 2022B General Obligation Debt; and
WHEREAS, The 2025 second installment property tax bills were delayed by the Cook County Treasurer, and there may be insufficient debt service reserves accumulated to pay for the full value of the November 13, 2026 debt service due on that date; and
WHEREAS, failing to make the proposed payments would constitute a default that could materially impact the County’s Bond rating and investors perception of the County’s credit worthiness, in turn increasing the County’s cost of borrowing; and
WHEREAS, due to judicious debt management and responsible fiscal stewardship there is sufficient unrestricted cash available within the Master Operating Account (C-Fund) to pay the debt service owed without the need for costly borrowing or impacting County operations.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the Cook County Board of Commissioners, that the Cook County Chief Financial Officer or their designee, is authorized to transfer funds in an amount up to $95 Million, equal to the value required, as determined by the County’s Trustees to provide the full amount of debt service on the date of November 13, 2026; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the source of such funding will be the unrestricted cash available in the County’s Master Operating Account; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the transfer will be recognized as a transfer out of the County’s General Fund Operating Budget and a transfer into the Debt Service Funds that will be reversed upon receipt of the property taxes.
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