Think You Can Balance Cook County's Budget?

A new interactive website gives Cook County residents the chance to see if they can balance the county's budget.

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle launched the site this week to show residents how tax money is being managed. The county is facing a $315 million shortfall for the 2012 budget, and the site explains the situation in terms of past finances and trends.

“Cook County residents deserve to know how their tax dollars are being spent and they should be given a chance to weigh in on the important budget decisions being made in the coming weeks,” Preckwinkle said in a press release.

The site features an interactive feature offering users to take a shot at balancing the budget on their own. The page, called "Tough Choices," allows users to reduce or increase revenues and expenses through a sliding scale they control.

Viewers can also give feedback through a feature called “Tell Toni.” That information will be used at the upcoming preliminary budget hearing on Aug. 25, which is open to the public.