Cook County Board of Commissioners Approves Commissioner Donna Miller’s County-wide Property Tax Incentive Program to Address Food Deserts
Cook County Board of Commissioners Approves Commissioner Donna Miller’s County-wide Property Tax Incentive Program to Address Food Deserts (Cook County, IL) — Yesterday, the Cook County Board of Commissioners approved 6th District Cook County Commissioner Donna Miller’s ordinance to attract new grocery stores into food deserts in Cook County. The ordinance, which Commissioner Miller introduced and is the main sponsor of, had previously unanimously passed the Business and Economic Development Committee on Wednesday. The ordinance will amend Cook County’s Property Tax Incentive Program to include real estate used for the expansion or renovation of an existing grocery store or the use of a vacant commercial space for a grocery store located in a food desert. Food deserts are identified by the Illinois Department of Public Health, and include locations lacking fresh fruit, vegetables, and other healthful whole foods, in part due to a lack of grocery stores, farmers’ markets, or healthy food providers. The ordinance is part of Commissioner Miller’s broader work to address disparities in health in the South Suburbs and Cook County as a whole.
“I am thrilled that the Cook County Board of Commissioners voted to approve my ordinance today, paving the way for more grocery stories in the neighborhoods that need them most. Not only will this help create greater access in food deserts to healthy foods, it will also serve as an economic development catalyst,” said Commissioner Donna Miller. “The lack of access to fresh produce and healthy foods is a key factor in the health disparities we see in the Southland and across Cook County, and I believe that by incentivizing grocery stores to open in food deserts, we can make progress towards improving health outcomes for all residents. Thank you to the Board for recognizing this important issue, and I look forward to seeing how this ordinance can create healthier communities and improve quality of life in our county.”
One of the main pillars of Cook County’s Policy Roadmap and American Rescue Plan Act initiatives is to promote healthy communities by addressing food insecurity and food access. Illinois has 870 low-income and low access census tracts where urban residents must travel more than 1/2 mile, and rural residents must travel more than 10 miles to the nearest supermarket; the county with the greatest number of tracts is Cook County with 302. Access to healthy food directly contributes to disparities in health outcomes and life expectancy, a correlation that increases the need for Commissioner Miller’s ordinance. The measures incorporated in the amendment have been determined by many academic and non-profit studies to be an effective strategy for advocating for sustainable development in urban areas while also restricting the potential for abuse.
Since she first took office in 2019, Commissioner Miller has made it a priority to use her background in the healthcare industry to shine a spotlight on the disparities in access to healthcare in Cook County. Last month, she released a new report, “Cardiovascular Health in the Southland,” which examines the impacts of location and race on cardiovascular disease survival and outcomes in suburban Cook County to help guide how decision makers can improve health outcomes. Commissioner Miller has helped implement in-person CPR and AED training and virtual CPR and AED training for Cook County employees, an initiative that won a 2022 National Association of Counties Achievement Award. Hundreds of employees along with elected officials and department heads have taken part in the “Hands-Only” CPR/AED training.
Cook County Board of Commissioners Approves Commissioner Donna Miller’s County-wide Property Tax Incentive Program to Address Food Deserts
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