State’s Attorney Burke Unveils 2027 Budget Proposal, Including $5 Million in Projected Annual Savings

CHICAGO — Cook County State’s Attorney Eileen Burke today announced her office’s FY2027 budget priorities, outlining a strategic plan that will help prosecutors handle cases more efficiently, expand capacity to process forensic evidence, strengthen services for victims of crime, and generate an estimated $5 million in annual savings by reducing reliance on outside legal counsel and overtime.

During a presentation before the Cook County Board of Commissioners’ Finance Committee, SA Burke shared her proposal, which was developed to address the most critical staffing needs in each of the CCSAO’s bureaus. 

“Every investment into our Office is an investment in our ability to seek and deliver justice for the people of Cook County,” said SA Burke. “We recognize that the County faces difficult budget decisions, and our proposal reflects that reality. The resources we are requesting will allow us to operate more efficiently, deliver better results and generate long-term savings for taxpayers. This is a responsible, budget-neutral plan that builds on our continued progress.”

In total, SA Burke has requested 70 additional positions for FY2027, including prosecutors, digital evidence analysts, victim specialists and paralegals. 

A central component of the proposal is the addition of 10 attorneys to the office’s Civil Actions Bureau, which would allow the County to handle more civil litigation in-house rather than relying on costly outside counsel. The CCSAO projects that this shift would save approximately $5 million annually and support the hiring of 30 additional full-time attorney positions. Over the past two years, Cook County has spent more than $8 million on outside legal counsel due to its limited capacity. 

SA Burke’s proposal is budget neutral. Approximately 50 of the 70 positions are paid for through anticipated savings from the Civil Bureau and a new unit that eliminates weekend overtime pay at First Appearance Court. The remaining 20 positions would be funded through adjustments to the office’s turnover rate.  

Key priorities include: 

• Digital Forensics: Expanding the CCSAO's ability to analyze critical cell phone and video evidence as demand continues to increase, including the upcoming opening of the office’s first dedicated digital forensics laboratory.
• Entry-level attorneys: Investing in early-career prosecutors to maintain courtroom coverage, improve efficiency and support the timely resolution of cases. In November, the office is welcoming 77 law school graduates as its largest incoming class of bar takers. 
• Victim Services: Adding mental health specialists and victim specialists to strengthen support for victims and their families, particularly children exposed to violence.
• Paralegal Support: Increasing paralegal staffing to streamline case preparation, allowing prosecutors to focus on courtroom advocacy and legal strategy.