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A Personal Update from Commissioner Morrison
17th District Newsletter - A Final Message from Commissioner Sean Morrison October 5, 2026
CLICK ON THE YOUTUBE VIDEO TO WATCH COMMISSIONER SEAN MORRISON'S INTERVIEW WITH FOX 32 NEWS ON THE BREAKDOWN OF LAW ENFORCEMENT COOPERATION AND THE FAILURE OF SANCTUARY POLICIES
Cook County Commissioner Sean Morrison Sponsors Resolution Urging the State of Illinois to Opt-in to the Federal Scholarship Tax Credit Program
On April 29, Commissioner Sean Morrison joined nationally syndicated Talk Show Host Vince Coglianese on his podcast to discuss Governor JB Pritzker's inflammatory political remarks from the previous weekend. Click on the video image below and go to the 22 minute mark to watch Vince's interview with Sean.
Unsustainable Migrant Crisis Wreaking Havoc on Illinois and Local Communities - Time for Border Closure
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CHICAGO – Cook County (Illinois Review) – like the city of Chicago and the state of Illinois – has a budget problem. The governments are spending more than they’re taking in. Instead of focusing on where to cut, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle is focused on finding places where she can pull in more revenue.
She’s placed a recommendation for a new tax of one penny per round of rimfire, and five cents per round for centerfire cartridges. Commissioner Richard Boykin (1st District) is sponsoring the tax hike.
The proposed ammo tax is in addition to tax hikes on hotels, e-cigarettes and event ticket brokers, reportedly to close the a $22.5 million shortage in Illinois’ largest county’s 2016 $4.5 billion budget.
At least one Cook County Commissioner is adamantly opposed to the proposed tax.
Sean Morrison, who represents the 17th Cook County District, told Illinois Review over the weekend, “No, I am not for this tax, nor any tax!”
“And to be clear, I will not be voting in support of this,” Morrison said. “In fact, I have and will be actively attempting to convince my commissioner colleagues that this is a bad idea on so many levels.”
Morrison, who recently was appointed to succeed retiring commissioner Liz Gorman, said he intends to submit an amendment of his own for consideration.
It will be an amendment that will allow the county to close the $22,500,000.00 budget shortfall and balance the 2016 budget, Morrison said.
Morrison says his proposal would allow the county to move forward and make an extremely significant ‘additional payment’ of $438 million to pay down the pension fund shortage over the next four to five years by using the revenue generated by the Cook County sales tax increase.
“If the board will commit to making similar payments over the next four to five years, we can have the massive pension shortfall corrected. Combined with additional operating efficiencies we are currently putting in place will eventually allow us to use those revenue funds for other areas, but only and after we bring the pension arrears back into the black,” Morrison said.
“That, in my opinion, is a responsible fiscal budget plan.”
The Republican from southwestern Palos Park will face a stiff uphill battle to convince the Democrat-controlled board to consider his plan. He said it will take pressure from organizations and taxpayers on their county board commissioners to stay the tax hikes and consider his budget ideas.
Palos Township Republican Committeeman Sean Morrison was elected and sworn in Wednesday to Cook County Commissioner Elizabeth “Liz” Doody Gorman’s 17th District seat on the County Board.
Gorman last week announced her resignation from the County Board to take a job in the private sector.
The selection of longtime Gorman ally Morrison to succeed her was made Wednesday at an election meeting of 17th District Republican township committeemen that Gorman scheduled at Hackney’s restaurant in Palos Park.
The GOP committeeman of Orland Township, Gorman and Morrison had nearly 50 percent of the weighted vote of GOP committeemen of townships located wholly or partly within the 17th District, including Lyons, Bremen, Worth, Lemont, Proviso and Maine townships. Each committeeman’s weighted vote is a percentage of the total number of GOP ballots cast in each township in the 17th District in the last election.
Gorman served nearly 13 years representing the 17th District of suburban Cook County.She was first elected in 2002 after defeating fellow Republican incumbent Herb Schumann in the primary election. She went on to win four terms, winning easily against Democratic challengers in the solid Republican 17th District. She leaves office early in her fourth term.
Gorman will retain her elective partisan post as Orland Township Republican committeeman.
Gorman and Morrison are long political allies whose organizations have worked together to organize elaborate, well-attended Palos-Orland-Worth GOP summer picnics, especially in even-numbered election years, and try to elect GOP hopefuls to office, seeing their share of wins and defeats.
Gov. Rauner racked up large margins of in both Orland and Palos townships in last November’s election with Gorman and Morrison’s avid support. In Palos Township, Rauner received 60 percent of the vote against the Democratic loser, Gov. Quinn. The two are now backing Palos Township Trustee Sharon Brannigan, of Palos Heights, recently announced candidate for the GOP nomination to run for the Cook County Board of Review 1st District seat held by Wheeling Township Republican Dan Patlak in the 2016 primary election, Gorman said. With their support, Brannigan fought a losing battle to unseat incumbent U.S. Rep Dan Lipinski last November.
Morrison was named Palos Township Republican committeeman in 2012, succeeding Lee Roupas. He ran unsuccessfully for the GOP nomination to run for the Cook County Board of Review seat won that November by Republican nominee Dan Patlak. In another election, his Palos Township slate of trustee candidates fared better, winning a clean sweep of trustee seats on the Palos town board, the first time Brannigan was elected to public office.
A businessman, Morrison is the founder and CEO of Morrison Security, Inc. headquartered in Alsip. He and his wife, Lora, live in Palos Park. They have two children.
It was from the floor of the Cook County boardroom during a special county board meeting Wednesday last week that Gorman announced her departure from public office, she said in a release. Her letter of resignation was formally submitted that day to County Board President Toni Preckwinkle. “It has been an honor and privilege to serve the citizens of the 17th District for nearly 13 years on this distinguished body,” Gorman wrote. “It has also been a pleasure to serve with you, our board colleagues and staff. My years of service on the Cook County Board of Commissioners have been some of the most rewarding of my life.”
Gorman is leaving public service to take a job at a Fortune 100 company that she declined to name last week. She said she will serve in the Chicago office as the director of local and state operations.
Gorman’s office said she has been a strong advocate for tax reform, fiscal responsibility, budget and operational efficiencies especially in the area of new technology. “Commissioner Gorman has also worked hard for greater transparency throughout Cook County government and for making the Forest Preserve District a national leader in the areas of recreation, restoration and conservation,” the release added.
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