Cook County’s bid to collect nearly $17 million in damages from the retailers who challenged its sweet beverage tax presents a question of whether the municipality is trying to punish the plaintiffs for taking it to court.Assistant Cook County State’s Attorney Kent S. Ray reportedly denied that premise during a Tuesday hearing on the petition, but Circuit Judge Daniel J. Kubasiak and some other lawyers in the field are skeptical.The filing requests that Kubasiak award the county $16.89 million in damages so it …