CHICAGO (WLS) -- Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle is suing the Illinois Retail Merchants Association, claiming the one-month delay in implementing the soda tax has caused $17 million in damages.
The penny-per-ounce tax on sugary drinks started Wednesday, adding a penny per ounce to the price of most bottled and fountain drinks in Cook County.
The tax was on hold for a month after a judge granted a temporary restraining order. It was expected to bring in $68 million through the end of 2017. To fill the hole created by the 30-day delay, Preckwinkle ordered 10 percent cuts across the board.
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Those cuts led to the Cook County Sheriff's Office laying off 300 people, mostly corrections officers, who they hope they will be able to call back.
WLS