DuPage County’s proceeds from a series of opioid settlements with drug manufacturers, pharmacies, and other entities remain flush with cash. Officials are considering possible uses for the proceeds in the short- and long-term future.
A look at the current, and future, opioid settlements
At a DuPage County Board meeting Tuesday, Feb. 10, Robert Berlin, DuPage County’s state’s attorney, gave a high-level overview of the state of the local opioid settlement fund proceeds, which are subject to future replenishment as additional settlements are reached.
At the end of the county’s last fiscal year, which closed Nov. 30, the unspent settlement fund had a balance of $6.12 million, Berlin reported during the presentation. The amount included $5.7 million in gross proceeds and nearly $420,000 in interest income from investing the funds.
Looking ahead, Berlin said he anticipates an additional $5.09 million in current settlement receipts going into the fund within the next five years. The figure is expected to rise as additional settlements are reached…