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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
FOURTH INSTALLMENT SPENDING PLAN FOR THE BUDGETED FY2026 EQUITY AND INCLUSION SPECIAL PURPOSE FUND
WHEREAS, in November 2021, the Cook County Board of Commissioners passed Resolution No. 21-5542 creating a special purpose fund?for Equity?and Inclusion ("Equity Fund") dedicated to addressing historical disparities and disinvestment communities that are marginalized or have experienced other social and economic disparities; and?
WHEREAS,?through the?Equity Fund, intentional investments from government resources are allocated to address historical and continued disparities and disinvestment, (as defined in the?Equity Report) and to bring advocates, service providers, and other partners to the table as thought partners and decision-makers; and
WHEREAS, since the establishment of the Equity Fund, the administration and the Equity Fund Taskforce have worked diligently to design and implement the broad range of Equity Fund systemic recommendations and initiatives across the six Policy Roadmap pillars; and
WHEREAS, since its inception, the County has invested nearly $200M in the Equity Fund, allocating revenue from the general fund and a diversified stream of revenue including the Casino Tax, Cannabis and Firearm taxes, the latter being designated specifically to the Justice Advisory Council's legacy grant portfolio.
WHEREAS, for the development of the FY26 Fourth Installment Spending plan, members of the Equity Fund Taskforce participated in the County's first participatory budgeting pilot to help determine the recommendations and initiatives that would be prioritized for funding through the Equity Fund which is set forth below.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED?that the Cook County Board of Commissioners supports the Fourth Installment Spending Plan totaling $85.6M which does not contemplate a new allocation of funding to the Equity Fund, but instead leverages the accumulated unspent, unallocated Equity fund reserves of approximately $63.7M. Said ...
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