Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle is pitching a good news budget for next year: no layoffs, new taxes or tax hikes.Her proposed $9.89 billion spending plan includes investments in generative artificial intelligence to help county workers do their jobs more efficiently — not to replace them — along with replenishing a fund to help communities helping migrants or hit hard by flooding, and putting solar panels on county facilities to ultimately lower energy costs and save the county money.And there’s a big goal: essentially having contracts in place by Dec. 31 to spend all of the $1 billion in federal pandemic relief dollars the county has received. So far, the county has committed 84% of the money. Preckwinkle and her finance team vow to hit the deadline.Tanya Anthony, the county’s chief financial officer, said county leaders are proud of the government’s fiscal might: strong credit ratings, healthy reserves, stable pensions.“We’re doing all of this without the need to raise taxes,” Anthony said during a briefing with reporters on Wednesday. “We’re in good shape for good reason.”Preckwinkle unveiled her proposed 2025 budget on Thursday to the Cook County Board of Commissioners. That kicks off a series of public hearings and negotiations with elected and appointed county leaders who run the government’s jail, courts and vast public health system called Cook County Health.In her budget speech in the county’s downtown boardroom, Preckwinkle looked back at the beginning of her tenure in 2010 when the county faced a dire $500 million deficit, and what it took to get to where the county is today. Lots of planning, tough choices (including layoffs), thoughtful spending, and a clear long-term vision, she said.“We avoid using one-time revenues for recurring expenses,” Preckwinkle said. “We don’t borrow more than we need. We don’t spend more than we have, and we don’t do quick fixes.”Her comments were in stark contrast to what’s happening at City Hall, where former Cook County Commissioner Brandon Johnson is now Chicago’s mayor. They sounded like a road map for how to dig a government out of a financial hole. Johnson needs to close a $982 million budget gap for next year.In her speech, Preckwinkle outlined how the county’s financial heft has helped the government invest in communities, from making sure people in south suburban Dixmoor have access to water, to replacing lead service lines connected to daycares throughout the suburbs. There are investments to reduce gun violence and provide more access to mental and behavioral health, including covering the cost of counseling sessions for county workers.And Preckwinkle touted her strong relationship with the White House and how that’s helped bring money to Cook County, especially as climate change produces more intense storms, flooding people's homes. The federal government’s disaster declarations open the door to money flowing to the county, Preckwinkle said.“From [pandemic relief] funds to disaster declarations, the White House’s unwavering commitment, constant communication and collaboration with us have been critical to our success,” Preckwinkle said. “And for that, I’m very grateful.”Preckwinkle has consistently used her budgets to try to make the region a more equitable place to live and work. That includes using pandemic relief dollars to fund programs such as guaranteed income for low-income residents and erasing up to $1 billion in medical debt, both of which have attracted national attention.While Preckwinkle said guaranteed income will live on when the federal money runs out — all of the $1 billion must be spent by 2026 — the county has been asking residents for input on which programs to keep.Preckwinkle’s proposed 2025 budget is nearly 7% more compared to this year’s $9 billion budget. In June, she predicted a $218 million budget gap for next year. But now the county expects a boost in sales tax, and plans to use reserves to invest back into the county.At the same time, the county plans to spend less on payroll and employee health benefits. Despite struggling to fill vacancies, Preckwinkle said she plans to cut 56 empty positions related to pandemic relief programs that either didn’t launch or didn’t need more staff.But she said she still wants to fill some 3,600 other vacancies. Many are at Cook County Health, which treats people no matter whether they can pay. Preckwinkle said she knows firsthand how hard it can be for hospitals to hire nurses: Her daughter is one and has worked at health systems struggling to fill empty jobs.“The vacancies that we have are vacancies that we believe need to be filled in the system,” Preckwinkle told reporters Wednesday.The county expects to have just over 23,000 full-time employees next year.Residents can weigh in on the proposed 2025 budget during a public hearing Oct. 17.Commissioners are set to vote on the proposed budget in November. It takes effect on Dec. 1.Kristen Schorsch covers public health and Cook County government for WBEZ.