1. News from Commissioner Bridget Gainer
Cook County Board – 10th District
Cook County Land Bank Update │Pension Reform & Upcoming Town Halls│ Establishing an Advisory Group for
Juvenile Temporary Detention Center│ Property Tax Exemptions due February 9 th 2013│Toy Donation to County Health
& Hospital System│10th District Donation Drive│Stay Connected
Dear Friends and Neighbors,
As we begin a New Year, I want to take a moment to share some updates from the Tenth
District. As many of you know, since I have been on the Board (almost four years now) I have
focused my efforts in three areas: leading the County's efforts on foreclosures and
vacant/abandoned property; solvency of the pension fund and retirement security for County
workers and the growing number of women and young people in jail for non-violent offenses. As
you will read below, we made great strides in 2012 and I am looking forward to keeping up the
same momentum up in 2013.
Establishing a Cook County Land Bank
What started as our effort to help individuals navigate the
Court system developed into the 2011 Vacant Building
Ordinance to increase accountability for banks and
improve security and maintenance of vacant buildings,
quickly became a County-wide effort to change the focus
to economic development using the strategic tools of a
land bank. I am happy to announce that after a year of
work, outreach and research, President Preckwinkle and
I introduced an ordinance creating a Cook County
land bank on December 18, 2012. The ordinance was
crafted based on the recommendations from the Urban
Land Institute, a diverse Land Bank Advisory Group
chaired by MarySue Barrett of the Metropolitan Planning
Council and guidance from national experts who run land
banks in Cleveland, the Twin Cities, and Detroit. In
addition, we received feedback from the entire real estate
and development spectrum - housing advocates, City of Chicago, suburbs, realtors, banks,
servicers and developers - more than 100 stakeholders in all. You can read the ordinance and
recommendations from ULI and the Advisory Board here. The Cook County Finance Committee
will discuss the Ordinance on January 15, 2013 at 11:30 am. To learn more and to monitor
progress of the ordinance, visit the "Land Bank & Foreclosure" by clicking here.
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2. News from Commissioner Bridget Gainer
Cook County Board – 10th District
Cook County Land Bank Update │Pension Reform & Upcoming Town Halls│ Establishing an Advisory Group for
Juvenile Temporary Detention Center│ Property Tax Exemptions due February 9 th 2013│Toy Donation to County Health
& Hospital System│10th District Donation Drive│Stay Connected
OpenPensions.org: Using Transparency to Find Pension Reform Solutions &
Upcoming Neighborhood Pension Town Halls
As Chairman of the County's first Pension
Committee I’ve launched OpenPensions.Org, the
only open data website on Pensions in the State.
The information about the state of our Fund, how we
got here and how we move to a solution is available to
all: retirees, current employees and taxpayers. Since
its launch, OpenPensions.Org has been visited by over
1,000 people allowing a real virtual conversation as
we track the State's Veto session and possible pension
reform. Visit OpenPensions.Org today and follow
OpenPensions.Org on Facebook and Twitter. In
addition, and with the help of my colleagues
throughout the district, we will be bringing the
conversation to you with two upcoming City, County,
& State Neighborhood Pension Town Halls:
 Join me, Alderman Ameya Pawar and
Representative Ann Williams this Thursday, January
10, 2013, 6:30pm at St. Benedict High School (1st
Floor Library, 3911 N Bell Ave).
 Join me, Alderman Harry Osterman,
Representative Kelly Cassidy and Senator Heather
Steans on Wednesday, January 16th 2012, 6:30pm at
St. Andrew Greek Orthodox Church 5649 N Sheridan
Rd, Chicago IL.
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3. News from Commissioner Bridget Gainer
Cook County Board – 10th District
Cook County Land Bank Update │Pension Reform & Upcoming Town Halls│ Establishing an Advisory Group for
Juvenile Temporary Detention Center│ Property Tax Exemptions due February 9 th 2013│Toy Donation to County Health
& Hospital System│10th District Donation Drive│Stay Connected
Eyes & Ears at the Juvenile Temporary Detention Center
On October 2, 2012 I successfully passed an
ordinance to establish an advisory board that will
provide oversight and recommendations on the
polices and operations of the Juvenile Temporary
Detention Center. There are between 300 and 400
young people resident at the JTDC on any given day,
some as young as 10 years old. Since 2007, when the
County was sued by the ACLU and others for
deplorable conditions at the detention center, the JTDC
has been under the auspices of the Federal Court. It will
remain under the stewardship of the Court until the
facility is in substantial compliance with the Court order. Once the JTDC is deemed to be in
substantial compliance, the administration will transfer to the Office of the Chief Judge of the
Circuit Court of Cook County. The purpose of the advisory baord is to ensure oversight exists so
that we will never again forget the purpose and mission of the JTDC: to act "in loco parentis" in
place of the parents, for young people awaiting trail, who may also need mental, physical and
educational services. There is safety in numbers when it comes to protecting young people in the
County's care. Creating an Advisory Board at the Juvenile Detention Center will not only prevent
bad behavior from again taking root, but it can bring the efforts of the best and brightest in our
community to the Detention Center. If you are interested in serving on this board please contact
our office for additional information. For more information or to read the ordinance, click here.
Property Tax Exemptions due by Feb 6th 2013 – Reminder these must be filled
Last year, my office assisted hundreds of constituents across the 10 th
District with their property tax bills, by ensuring all homeowners were
receiving exemptions they were eligible for. As we begin the new
year, the Cook County Assessor’s Office will be releasing property
tax exemption applications – the most popular of them being the
Senior Citizen, Senior Freeze, Homeowner, and Long-Time
Occupant. Remember, you must apply for every exemption you
are eligible for every year. If your exemption application is successfully processed, the savings
in the form of a deduction on your second-installment property tax bill will be issued in the
summer. All completed exemption applications must be submitted to the Assessor’s Office
by Wednesday, February 6th 2013. You may access all exemption applications on the Cook
County Assessor’s website by clicking here. Need assistance or have questions? Please don’t
hesitate to contact my office at 312-603-4210 or email Info@BridgetGainer.com. Also, visit the
“Property Taxes” page of my website where additional resources like the my “Citizens’ Guide to
Property Tax Bills” and “Citizens’ Guide to Appealing Property Tax Assessments” are available.
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4. News from Commissioner Bridget Gainer
Cook County Board – 10th District
Cook County Land Bank Update │Pension Reform & Upcoming Town Halls│ Establishing an Advisory Group for
Juvenile Temporary Detention Center│ Property Tax Exemptions due February 9 th 2013│Toy Donation to County Health
& Hospital System│10th District Donation Drive│Stay Connected
Chicago Toy & Game Group Donation to County Health & Hospital System
On Tuesday, November 13th 2012 -
Board President Toni Preckwinkle, Cook
County Health & Hospital CEO Dr. Ram
Raju, representatives of the Chicago Toy
& Game Group and the Cook County
Pediatrics Department and I joined
together to announce the donation of
hundreds of toys to the young children
and infants who were being treated at
Stroger Hospital. As we celebrated the
holidays with our family and friends, it
was also the time to think of children
more than ever and I am proud to be part
of a group who wants to make a
difference for these young children at
County. I would like to thank President Preckwinkle for her leadership, Dr. Raju for leading the
health system which is critical to so many Cook County residents and families and the Toy and
Game Group for supplying the toys for these children. On the same day as the announcement, I
joined President Precwinkle and Dr. Raju as we visited some of pediatrics departments' patients -
giving away toys to each child we visited.
10th District Donation Drive for the Women’s Justice Services Program
As I continue to work on larger policy changes at the
County level, it's important not to lose sight of the fact
that there are many ways to help right now. One of the
needs for Women’s Justice Service Program at the jail
are travel size toiletries like shampoo, soap, lotion and
toothpaste. So if you are like me and find these bottles in
drawers, suitcases and around the house, please consider
donating them. You may drop off your donations at any
of the seven participating Aldermanic Offices and five
Chambers of Commerce during normal business hours
until January 31, 2013. For more information, click here.
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5. News from Commissioner Bridget Gainer
Cook County Board – 10th District
Cook County Land Bank Update │Pension Reform & Upcoming Town Halls│ Establishing an Advisory Group for
Juvenile Temporary Detention Center│ Property Tax Exemptions due February 9 th 2013│Toy Donation to County Health
& Hospital System│10th District Donation Drive│Stay Connected
Stay Connected on Facebook, Twitter, and Everyblock
One of the best ways to keep in touch and to learn more about what I'm working on
at the County Board is to follow updates posted on Facebook, Twitter, and
Everyblock. Be sure to follow me today!
Sincerely,
Bridget Gainer
Cook County Commissioner - 10th District
(312) 603-4210
Commissioner@BridgetGainer.com
www.BridgetGainer.com
Facebook.com/CommissionerGainer
Twitter: @BridgetGainer
118 N Clark St #567, Chicago IL 60602
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