Ahead of our time? Chicago Tribune (finally) hits on ‘corruption tax’
A few years ago, we started an online campaign called “Axe the Corruption Tax” to highlight the real cost of Cook County corruption to the taxpayers.
Apparently, we were ahead of our time…..this morning’s Chicago Tribune contains a story, “Corruption imposes hidden “tax” on Illinoisans”:
People pay the tax when politicians give government jobs to unqualified cronies and contracts to expense-padding donors. They pay when public employees take bribes to overlook violations, when law enforcement spends millions prosecuting crooked politicians and when people are injured because of government misconduct.
We are all paying for corruption. And every time we head to the polls and vote for the status quo - we ensure that this tax will continue to rise and hit our pocketbooks.
Cook County Clergy Campaign Against Themselves
Filed under: Budget, Mayor Daley, Reform, Spending, Taxes, Todd Stroger
Despite the extra burden that the massive Cook County sales tax is placing on employers and working families in the county - a group of clergy today gathered to protest attempts to repeal the onerous tax.
It is a shame that these well-meaning community leaders have bought into and are furthering the hoax that only choice is between high taxes and necessary county services.
They ignore the real choice: between cutting the waste, fraud and abuse in the county budget … or funding necessary county services.
(For those, such as Stroger, Daley & Co., who still assert there is no waste in the budget, we implore you to view this hilarious video.)
Further, by campaigning for higher taxes, they hurt their own cause due to the simple economic reality that employers and workers produce the tax revenue that fund the services provided by the county - and the donations that allow churches and vital non-profits to function.
Higher taxes mean less jobs. Less jobs means less tax revenue. Less tax revenue threatens county services and community organizations.
So, the answer is simple: trim the fat and fraud from the budget; lower taxes; balance the budget.
Now that’s something for which the clergy should campaign.
Why I Support SB 600
Below is the text of an email I sent to Illinois Republican State Senators earlier today - urging them to support SB 600.
Dear Republican Legislator:
I write you today to urge you to support SB 600 – a bill that would allow direct elections of Republican Party leadership by the voters.
I realize that there has been much heated debate over this issue – some of which has deteriorated to petty name-calling and political attacks (by both sides).
My intention is not to engage in that fight – but simply to urge action on this important issue.
While some in the Republican Party leadership oppose this legislation on the grounds that it would allow Democrats to infiltrate intra-party elections – I assert that this has already happened.
When certain members of the Republican State Central Committee openly contribute tens of thousands of dollars to Democrat candidates and even have Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley chair their fundraisers – it is clear that infiltration of our party has already occurred.
The debate over this legislation should not be about the personalities who are supporting – or opposing – it.
The debate should be about the future of our Republican Party. It is clear the current system is not working.
If the choice is between the status quo of electoral failure and giving the rank-and-file members of our party a voice – I strongly choose the latter.
It is unfortunate that the debate over this bill has sparked such an angry, messy, public fight between members of our party.
While I urge support for SB 600 – I also call on the various organizations and issue-based factions of our party to come together in unity to form the winning center-right coalition that will take Illinois back from the special interests and political insiders who have bankrupted our state and continually seek to raise our taxes.
Sincerely,
Commissioner Tony Peraica
Da’ Mayor Says He’s “Sorry” … Boy, He Sure Is
The week after Commissioner John Daley tried to attack Commissioner Peraica for fighting for lower taxes and a streamlined budget in Cook County … his brother, Mayor Richard Daley, turned an otherwise boring press conference (below) on home foreclosures into an absolutely surreal event (even by Chicago standards).
He read a prepared statement expressing that he was “sorry” about the hiring fraud scandal in city government - and then preceded to angrily reject the media’s pleas to ask questions about the statement and/or scandal.
A “sincere” apology and the city is magically reformed, right?
It kind of reminds us of the scene in “The Naked Gun” when Lt. Drebin (Leslie Nielsen) assures the gathering crowds that there is “Nothing to see here!” as the fireworks factory continues to explode behind him.
It strikes us as funny that, while everyone accuses Blagojevich of being detached from reality - this mayor has somehow avoided this same accusation.
Fitzgerald: Don’t ‘Trivialize’ the Harm from Hiring Fraud
In the wake of the conviction of former Daley political operative Al Sanchez over city hiring fraud - Chicago Public Radio reports on U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald’s statements that we should not “trivialize” the harm of such fraud.
In this case, he’s talking about hiring fraud at the city level - but let’s not forget that the federal patronage monitor in place at Cook County says the county still has a long way to go in fixing their hiring practices.
And, as of January, the Cook County Forest Preserve District has its very own federal patronage monitor.
Click here to listen to the full Chicago Public Radio segment.
Help Todd Stroger Find the Pork
Filed under: Budget, Corruption, Reform, Spending, Taxes, Todd Stroger
In a recent interview on CLTV’s “Garrard McClendon Live”, Cook County Board President Todd Stroger couldn’t name even one item of pork in the Cook County budget. In the clip below, we help him find some of the pork:
Commissioner Daley’s Response…
Filed under: Budget, Reform, Spending, Taxes, Todd Stroger
Thanks to you, we generated dozens of emails to Commissioner Daley regarding our previous post about his fabrications of Commissioner Peraica’s record. Several of you have forwarded us the response that John Daley forwarded you. As such, below are our comments on Commissioner Daley’s response:
Facts are stubborn things, no matter how much Commissioner Daley blusters.
He attempts to shift blame for tax hikes and bloated budgets to Stroger - but everyone knows he has fought tooth and nail for these tax and budget increases.
Beware - when Daley and Stroger talk about “cuts” - they are referring to “cuts” of a 2009 proposed budget that had not yet been enacted. You can’t cut something that doesn’t exist. And their “cuts” of the 2009 budget are actually increases from last year’s budget.
When Tony says he proposed cuts - he proposed real dollar cuts from the 2008 budget.
John Daley favored the tax hikes. Tony opposed them.
John Daley favored the massive bond proposal. Tony opposed them.
Commissioner Daley has openly issued political threats to two commissioners (Tony and Bill Beavers) during the past year - during official county board meetings. Both were caught by news cameras.
Oh, and by the way….Commissioner Daley is not being forthcoming on his office budget. While his commissioner’s office does have a budget of around $250,000 - he also gets an additional office budget because he is finance chair. That makes his total budget more than $500,000.
Facts are stubborn things - and the records are clear.
Hey, Big Spender: Tell John Daley You Disapprove of his Tax-and-Spend Ways
Cook County Commissioner (and Chicago Ward Boss/brother of the mayor) John Daley wrote a letter in today’s Daily Herald criticizing Commissioner Tony Peraica for his actions during the recent county budget negotiations.
He’s just mad because Tony opposed his (and Todd Stroger’s efforts) to grow the payroll, increase the size of the budget and heap $740 million in new bonds on the county taxpayers.
He’s also upset that Tony opposed - and will continue to attempt to repeal - the massive sales tax increase he and Todd Stroger forced through last year.
Tony’s Record is Clear: Protecting the Taxpayers
Back in September, Tony was one of only four commissioners to vote against the bond issue, because it would have heaped massive debt on the county taxpayers during a recession.
During budget negotiations, Tony proposed a modest 6% budget cut and additional compromise cuts - and helped lead the charge against the massive bonds.
In a victory for the county taxpayers, we’re proud to say that the county board passed a budget that included no new tax increases and none of the massive borrowing sought by John Daley and Todd Stroger.
Recently, the county board also passed Tony’s proposed “transparency resolution” to put the county check register online for public viewing – and he has introduced a resolution to form a bi-partisan, private sector “Waste Commission” to identify waste, abuse and opportunities for cost savings in the county budget.
Later this year, Tony also plans to introduce a repeal of the massive sales tax increase enacted last year.
It is also important to note that Tony’s commissioner’s office returned more than $50,000 to the taxpayers last year – and his office has the smallest budget of any commissioner this year.
Some commissioners talk the talk - but Tony is walking the walk to reform cook county government and protect the county taxpayers.
It’s “Sunshine Week” … How Transparent is Your Government?
The American Society of Newspaper Editors (for the 5th year in a row) have declared this week to be “Sunshine Week.” Media organizations throughout the country will be promoting openness and transparency in government.
To mark “Sunshine Week,” Cook County Commissioner Tony Peraica signed the Illinois Policy Institute’s “Transparency Pledge.”
IPI is leading the charge for transparency in government - and we urge you all to visit their OpenIllinois.org blog, as well as their packet, “How to Achieve Transparency in Government.”
Congrats to Commissioner Peraica for signing the pledge - and to IPI for fighting for open government in Illinois.
UPDATE: Thanks to the Illinois Policy Institute for highlighting Tony’s signing of the Transparency Pledge.
‘Fast Eddie’ Off the Illinois Attorney Rolls
The Chicago Tribune reports:
The Illinois Supreme Court on Monday struck former Chicago Ald. Edward Vrdolyak’s name from the roll of attorneys licensed to practice law in Illinois at his request. The action comes after he pleaded guilty in federal court in November to a felony charge of conspiring to commit mail fraud.
If you recall, “Fast Eddie” somehow avoided jail time - despite his guilty plea. For those of us who are used to Cook County politics - we weren’t surprised.
But perhaps the more important question is how active Eddie will be in the upcoming elections. We know he is a vehement opponent of Tony Peraica’s reform efforts - even supporting Peraica’s opponent (Mike LaPidus) for Lyons Township GOP Committeeman in the 2006 elections.
And we’ve already seen how the Vrdolyak-supported LaPidus has already begun to stir up trouble.
We expect Mr. Vrdolyak (as well as various corrupt and troubled special interests in the Western Suburbs) to oppose our reform efforts - but they should know that we are ready to expose each and every one of them, and their links to the corrupt Cook County political system that continues to embarrass us and cost us millions in tax dollars.
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