As my service as your Cook County Commissioner concludes at the end of 2026, I want to share a final account of the work I have undertaken on behalf of the families, businesses, and communities of the 17th District.
I entered office in July 2015 with the perspective of a business owner: balance the budget, make responsible decisions, and be accountable for results. Those principles guided my work on the County Board.
I am particularly proud of sponsoring the successful repeal of Cook County’s Sweetened Beverage Tax in 2017. Working across party lines, we repealed the tax and adopted a subsequent budget that addressed a roughly $200 million shortfall. I also supported stronger pension funding, prudent debt management, and the consolidation of the Recorder of Deeds Office into the County Clerk’s Office. When serious billing and financial-control problems emerged at Cook County Health, I pressed for Inspector General scrutiny and greater accountability.
I consistently supported law enforcement and the resources officers need to protect our communities. In 2020, I cast the lone vote against a resolution calling for the redirection of funding from policing and incarceration to other services. I also established an opioid overdose prevention grant program that provided participating police departments with life-saving medication and training.
Working with municipal leaders and county transportation officials, I advocated for nearly $200 million in roadway and infrastructure investments across the 17th District. I supported the skilled trades and organized labor whose members build and maintain those projects and keep our regional economy moving.
I advocated for senior property tax relief, sought closer scrutiny of property classifications, and helped residents navigate appeals, exemptions, and other county services. Some of those reforms remain proposals, but the need to address the burden on homeowners remains urgent.
None of this work happened alone. I thank our mayors, village presidents, municipal managers, township officials, first responders, county employees, and colleagues who worked with me on behalf of our communities. Most of all, I thank you for your trust, your candid conversations, and the honor of representing you.
As I return my full attention to the private sector, my commitment to our community will continue. It has been a privilege to serve as your commissioner.
Sean M. Morrison, Cook County Commissioner,17th District
