President's
2020 Budget Recommendation

The Cook County FY2020 budget of $6.18 billion is appropriated in various funds to include the General Fund, Health Fund, Special Purpose Funds, Grants, Capital, Self-Insurance, Annuities and Benefits, Election and Debt Service Funds. The General Fund and Health Enterprise Fund are the two main operating funds accounting for 77% of the total appropriation.

More information about the county's operating funds can be found at the bottom of this page.

Cook County receives revenues from several sources: Property Taxes, Home-rule taxes including Sales, Fees and revenues generated through the Health System. Additional revenues are provided through Grants, dedicated Special Purpose Fund Fees and miscellaneous and intergovernmental revenues.  Countywide revenues for FY2020 are budgeted at $6.18 billion.  Health Enterprise revenue makes up 44% and is $2.7 billion; 13% or $777.4 million from property tax revenue, 31% from other tax and fee revenues, and $843.5 million from miscellaneous and intergovernmental revenues.

Countywide expenditures of $6.18 billion are allocated to Cook County’s five service areas of Health Care; Public Safety; Property and Taxation; Economic Development and Finance and Administration. Additionally, operating expenses, such as building utility payments and technology maintenance costs, are categorized as Administrative Overhead. Debt service payments on Cook County’s outstanding bonds and the County’s employer contribution for pension are also major expenditures, with capital expenditure accounting for only 8% of the total budget.

Two major service areas are Healthcare and Public Safety representing 87% of the operating budget when capital, debt service, and pension related payments are excluded. The remaining areas are comprised of Finance and Administration, Economic Development, Property and Taxation and Administrative Overhead. They account for $594.7 million of total expenditures. In FY2020, Annuity and Benefit allocations to the Pension Fund of $527.9 million consist of $200.9 million in statutory payment and $306.2 million in supplemental pension payments. In addition, the County is also allocating $20.8 million to the pension reserve account for future pension payment increases. Beyond that, Capital project related expenditures are proposed at $491.6 million and Bond and Interest payment are allocated to be $297.6 million.

Listed below are the major funds which through which county spending and revenue intake occurs. 

The General Fund is comprised of the Corporate Fund, which performs administrative and property tax-related functions, and the Public Safety Fund, encompassing the criminal justice system.

The Health Enterprise Fund makes up the County's public health care system. 

Special Purpose Funds are established for a specific and dedicated purpose and are intended to be self-balancing.

The County receives Grant Funds from federal, state and private agencies for a variety of direct and indirect services provided under various program areas.

The Capital Funds expenditures are used to fund capital projects like infrastructure and technology improvements.

Some Other Funds incorporated in the county budget include the Self-Insurance Fund, Annuities & Benefits Fund, Election Fund, and Debt Service Fund.