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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
CALLING UPON THE CITY OF CHICAGO TO RESCIND THE $0.05 BOTTLED WATER TAX
WHEREAS, in the aftermath of the water supply crisis in Flint, Michigan, an increasing level of public concern is being expressed in communities throughout Chicago and Cook County about the age of the water-related infrastructure and the content of the water supply in Chicago and Cook County, including whether or not there are quantities of lead present in that water supply; and,
WHEREAS, much like the water delivery infrastructure in Flint, Michigan, the water delivery infrastructure in many parts of the City of Chicago and Cook County is rapidly aging and composed primarily of lead pipe; and,
WHEREAS, there exist clear and numerous pieces of scientific evidence demonstrating that exposure to lead causes significant neurological and developmental damage to babies, toddlers and children, and that the effects of that damage include higher rates of developmental delay, learning disabilities, and hearing loss; and,
WHEREAS, there exist clear and numerous pieces of scientific evidence demonstrating that lead exposure in adults can lead to mood disorders, decline in mental functioning, miscarriage and infertility, as well as an increased risk of cancer; and,
WHEREAS, recent analysis indicates that while the lead pipes that supply water to most of the City of Chicago and Cook County generally pose only a slight health risk, recent construction projects which disturb the water lines around the County have caused the risk to increase; and,
WHEREAS, many informed residents of the City of Chicago and Cook County, in the light of the aforementioned risks, choose to drink bottled water rather than tap water; and,
WHEREAS, many Chicago and Cook County residents with low and moderate household incomes rely upon bottled water as their cleanest source of drinking water, as an installation of a water filtration system in their homes is cost-prohibitive; and,
WHEREAS, the City of Chicago should recognize the reality that large numbers of its citizens rely on bottled water, and must purchase that bottled water commercially; and,
WHEREAS, the existing five-cent per bottle tax on bottled water imposed by the City of Chicago is regressive, in that it disproportionately impacts citizens of Cook County and Chicago with the least disposable income; and,
WHEREAS, rescinding the five-cent per bottle tax will make bottled water more affordable to lower income residents who rely on bottled water for purposes of ensuring a clean drinking water source for their families; and,
WHEREAS, it is right and proper for the Cook County Board of Commissioners to opine and advocate on matters that affect the health and welfare of the citizens of Cook County;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the President and Cook County Board of Commissioners do hereby call upon the City of Chicago to rescind the five-cent bottled water tax, to ensure that the citizens of the City of Chicago and Cook County have a more affordable source of clean, healthy drinking water.
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