Part 4 of My Interview with Chicago News Bench
Filed under: Mayor Daley, Reform, Spending, Taxes, Todd Stroger
Following is Part Four of the series of interviews I completed with Chicago News Bench. In this video, we discuss Cook County corruption, Tony Rezko, Mayor Daley, and the county’s oppressive sales tax. Please watch this interview here:
News of Note from the Past Week
It’s been a busy news week here in Cook County. Here is a collection of stories from the past week — many of which will make your blood boil:
- Workers give to Stroger’s campaign, get big raises (Sun-Times)
- Stroger Announces New County CFO (Polish News)
- Cook County Forest Preserve Budget Vs. Executive Raises (Examiner)
- Stroger Isn’t Qualified for His Position (Steve Rhodes blogging at NBCChicago.com)
- Report: County Staffers Got Raises for Campaigning (CBS 2 Chicago)
And, if you missed it, we invite you to view the most recent edition of “Cook County Perspectives” in which Commissioner Peraica interviews Rep. John Fritchey (Part 1 is below)…
Cook County Perspectives: My Discussion with Yesse Yehudah (Part I)
Here is Part I of my discussion with Yesse Yehudah, CEO of F.O.R.U.M:
Olympic Town Hall Meeting Turns into a Race to Alderwoman’s Car
Thanks to Chicago News Bench for posting this classic video of a Chicago Alderwoman being chased to her car after a town hall meeting on the 2016 Chicago Olympics:
Join Us August 25 at Pescatore Palace
You are cordially invited to join numerous local elected officials at an August 25 reception honoring Commissioner Peraica.
Tuesday, August 25th, 2009
$75 Donation
6-10pm
Click here to purchase your tickets online and/or RSVP for this event.
PESCATORE PALACE
3400 N. River Road, Franklin Park, IL
OPEN BAR, FOOD & ENTERTAINMENT
Hosted By:
Bradley Stephens
Mayor of Rosement
Leyden Township GOP Committeeman
Peter Silvestri
President, Village of Elmwood Park
Cook County Commissioner-9th District
Jeff Sherwin
Mayor of Northlake
Anna Montana
President, Village of Schiller Park
Dan Pritchett
Past President, Village of Franklin Park (1996-2009)
Sponsorships:
Gold: $5,000
Silver: $2,500
Bronze: $1,000
Individual: $75
Click here to purchase your tickets and/or RSVP for this event online.
The Successful Reign of Todd Stroger
Filed under: Blagojevich, Budget, Corruption, Crime, Elections, Reform, Spending, Taxes, Todd Stroger
At first, we though this story was a satire — ripped out of the pages of The Onion newspaper.
But we then remembered that this is Cook County, where suspension of disbelief is the norm and failure is rewarded on a regular basis.
We’re not sure exactly how Micah Maidenberg defines success, but apparently Todd Stroger fits into that definition, as evidenced by this quote attributed to Stroger himself:
“There’s plenty of people who feel I’m doing a good job, and then there’s plenty of people who read the newspapers and don’t know what’s going on in the county, because they don’t report what the county does,” Stroger said during a recent interview at his downtown office with Austin Weekly News staff. “When we have a story about what is happening with the county dollar today, we can’t get that in the paper so people don’t know what’s going on.”
If success is defined as a bloated budget, a worsening jobs climate, and rampant corruption — then this story is right on track.
Maidenberg throws in this little jab at those who have dared hold Todd accountable:
His critics on the board have decried Stroger’s successful push for a 1-percent increase in the county share of local sales taxes. They’ve also condemned his hiring decisions and questioned his leadership.
Actually, it’s not just the critics on the board who have raised those issues. It’s the major newspapers. It’s the taxpayers. It’s the voters in border towns who have supported (successfully) ballot measures to secede from the county. It’s the employers, who continue to flee Cook County.
And, in terms of hiring decisions, perhaps it’s not fair to criticize his hiring of a busboy with a troubled record to a highly-paid position in the highway department. Even when that busboy-turned-county employee ended up in jail and the circumstances led to the firing of Stroger’s cousin from the position of county Chief Financial Officer.
Just as Todd did when he tried to tie me to George Bush in 2006 — he attempts to avoid accountability and criticism by personally attacking those on the board who oppose him (a bipartisan contingent, we might add, that now even includes John Daley.)
By any reasonable measure of effective government, Todd Stroger has failed.
And, if newspapers like the Austin Weekly News can sell more papers by celebrating this failure — then more power to them.
But shame on them.
Please Help Pass our Petitions
Believe it or not — it’s already time for 2010 candidates to start passing petitions.
I am running for re-election as 16th District Commissioner — and we could use your help.
Please click here to download our petitions.
Please also click here to download the instructions for passing petitions.
As always, you can email us at info@reformcookcounty.com with any questions.
Ethics Probe into WYCC “Political Videos”
Chi-Town Daily News carries this story of a probe being opened into WYCC (the taxpayer-funded PBS station at the City Colleges of Chicago) over the production of blatantly political video content for the station:
Under orders from then-Chancellor Wayne Watson, the PBS television station at City Colleges of Chicago used its budget to produce free videos of powerful politicians and friends of the chancellor, an internal college e-mail shows.
The political programs, dating between 2002 and 2006, spawned a state ethics investigation and figure into a new federal lawsuit that alleges the publicly funded WYCC television station violated the terms of its government grant funding and broke federal tax rules for charities.
When the station’s former manager complained about the political projects, she was fired, according to the lawsuit.
The political programs showcased golf events, a fundraiser and a “State Senate California Trip” in connection with then-State Senate President Emil Jones. Then-Ald. Todd Stroger and civil rights leader Jesse Jackson, among others, also were featured in programs.
Kudos to the state Office of the Inspector General for opening an investigation into this matter — and we look forward to seeing the results, especially since the TV station gets considerable funding from already-strapped federal and state taxpayers:
Last year, WYCC got $865,000 in federal grants from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and $116,000 from the Illinois Arts Council, according to budget documents.
Privatization or Cronyization?
Mayor Daley has become a public fan of “privatization” over the years.
He privatized the Skyway. Talked about privatizing Midway Airport. Privatized the parking meters.
And now he’s privatizing city trucking (gee, there’s never been a city trucking scandal before, has there?)
Anyway, true privatization is supposed to save taxpayers money by putting out certain government functions to bid to private companies. That is — putting it out in a competitive bid. Basic free market economics teaches us that this competition breeds better service and lower cost.
Unless, of course, the privatization is rigged and the bidding is anything but competitive.
Which brings us to this story in this morning’s Chicago Tribune:
About 60 recently laid-off Chicago truck drivers picketed Friday at a city facility on the South Side, protesting that politically connected private companies are now doing work public employees performed for Mayor Richard Daley’s administration.
Under a deal that went into effect July 1, the city hired private contractors to haul construction debris from city work sites for the Water Management Department. Among the companies chosen was Reliable Asphalt Corp., which received a $158 million, three-year contract.
Reliable owner Michael Vondra has donated tens of thousands of dollars to local politicians, including Daley, the Democratic organization in the mayor’s 11th Ward power base and the pro-Daley Hispanic Democratic Organization. City records show Reliable’s lobbyists on the deal are Victor Reyes, a former Hispanic Democratic Organization chairman and top mayoral aide, and David Bonoma, son of Daley’s longtime secretary.
Privatization is a convenient buzzword behind which the Daley Administration can hide behind to dole out lucrative contracts to political cronies while pretending to save the taxpayers money.
-
Get Mobile Updates
