Red Lights, Cicero and Melrose Park
Interesting story in this morning’s Chicago Tribune about how the company behind the controversial “red light cameras” is seeking business to Berwyn — when they have strong ties to an attorney who is politically connected to the Berwyn mayor.
Please click here to read our earlier post about the major issues with the red light camera program.
But perhaps the most interesting part of this story is this:
Del Galdo also serves as municipal attorney for neighboring Cicero, where his father-in-law is part owner of a controversial towing company contracted to do work for the town.
What a small world, huh?
According to this Forest Park Review story, Del Galdo’s law firm also is involved with politics in Proviso, including in Melrose Park:
During its regular monthly meeting on May 21, the board voted to dump the law firm Odelson and Sterk, and instead, retain the services of Giglio and Del Galdo. Both firms have donated bundles of cash to campaign efforts by board President Chris Welch and Melrose Park Mayor Ron Serpico, a major backer of Welch and Welch’s political ally, Cook County Recorder of Deeds Eugene Moore.
As we’ve posted before, Cicero Village President Larry Dominick and Melrose Park Village President Ron Serpico will no doubt team up to oppose Tony Peraica.
I think we’re getting a picture of why they want Tony off the County Board: he stands with the taxpayers instead of standing with the political insiders.
Dominick Wants to ‘Smash’ Peraica
All you need to know about this video is this: if Cicero Village President Larry Dominick wants to “smash” Tony Peraica — it’s because Peraica is on the side of the taxpayers. Read more about Mr. Dominick here, here and here.
Yes, Tony supported Dominick’s first campaign back in 2005 because Dominick ran as a reformer, but has turned out to be just another Cook County political insider. Tony chose to stand with the taxpayers instead of the Cicero Mayor. Simple as that.
My Discussion with Rep. Fritchey about Todd Stroger
by Tony Peraica
This this latest episode of Cook County Perspectives, Rep. John Fritchey and I discuss the performance of Cook County President Todd Stroger:
Stroger, Subpoenas and Cook County Politics
Tony is featured in this ABC 7 News story, commenting on the political ramifications of the recently-revealed grand jury investigation into the Stroger Administration:
“There are political machinations at play here to further undermine Todd Stroger, if that’s possible,” said Tony Peraica, Cook County commissioner.
“He’s toast. He’s done. And everybody knows it except Todd Stroger,” Peraica said.
Click here to watch the full video.
Grand Jury Investigation into Stroger Administration
Commissioner Peraica is quoted in this story about the subpoena of county financial audit documents as part of an apparent grand jury investigation.
Uh-oh….stay tuned for more on this developing story.
Guess Whose Teaming Up to Oppose Tony Peraica?
Commissioner Peraica has been an outspoken fighter for honest reform and tax relief in Cook County.
So it’s not secret why opponents of reform want Tony gone.
We’ve already written about the “Two Eddies” who have teamed up to oppose Tony in the past — and will no doubt do it again in 2010 (we already have indications that “Fast Eddie” Vrdolyak is actively recruiting politicians to work against Tony in next year’s elections.”
And McCook Mayor Jeff Tobolski — who is challenging Peraica as a Democrat — has actually bragged about raising big bucks from Melrose Park Village President Ron Serpico and Cicero Mayor Larry Dominick.
Yes, that’s the same Larry Dominick who infamously stationed armed gunmen outside the Cicero polls during his re-election.
And, please, please, please read our prior post on Ron Serpico.
Speaking of Ron Serpico, the bad news just keeps coming for his town of Melrose Park. We previously posted about his former consultant, Anthony Bruno, being charged with federal tax fraud. And we’ve also posted about the conviction of Serpico’s former chief of police, Vito Scavo, on federal corruption charges.
Now, both Scavo and Bruno are in the news again — this time for an alleged scheme to shakedown a local Melrose Park movie theater. The Sun-Times reports:
A high-profile municipal consultant worked with a crooked Melrose Park police chief in the late 1990s to strong-arm a movie theater chain into hiring private guards, federal prosecutors allege.
In a sentencing memo to the court, prosecutors have accused Bruno of a separate crime: working with former Melrose Park Police Chief Vito Scavo in 1999 to extort Cinemark Theatres into hiring security at levels the company did not want. When Cinemark balked, Bruno threatened to hold up a certificate of occupancy the company needed to open the theater, prosecutors say.
Bruno denies any extortion, saying he simply persuaded Cinemark to honor a promise to hire the guards. He also said there’s no proof he knew Scavo intended to supply the guards with Scavo’s own firm. Bruno isn’t charged in connection with the Cinemark allegations. The statute of limitations has expired, officials say.
In June, Scavo was found guilty of strong-arming Kiddieland, Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church and other places into hiring security firms he owned. The firms operated out of the Melrose Park police station using squad cars and on-duty cops. Scavo is awaiting sentencing.
Just remember that these are the same folks who want to see Tony Peraica defeated next year.
Do you stand with these insiders — or with the side of reform?
Horrible, Horrible Poll Numbers for Stroger
Todd Stroger might want to start thinking about a new line of work, as new poll numbers put his approval rating in the sub-basement:
Battered for championing Cook County’s sales tax increase and for hiring friends and relatives, Board President Todd Stroger heads into the election season with a strikingly low job-approval rating and thin support from voters, a Tribune/WGN poll has found.
Only 1 in 10 Cook County voters approve of the job he is doing, and just as few want to see him re-elected following a first term marked by tax and hiring controversies, the poll found. The numbers are lower than the 13 percent Gov. Rod Blagojevich had just months before his December arrest on federal corruption charges.
No doubt his staunch support of higher taxes for Cook County citizens hasn’t helped his poll numbers.
Amazing what happens when you stick your finger in the eyes of those you’re supposed to represent, eh?
I Voted to Support Tax Rollback — Sims Enables Stroger
Filed under: Reform, Spending, Taxes, Todd Stroger
by Tony Peraica
I — along with 12 other commissioners — voted today to override Todd Stroger’s veto of the sales tax rollback we passed this summer.
Unfortunately, Commissioner Sims flipped (she supported the rollback in July) and voted today to provide the enabling vote in support of Todd’s override.
She betrayed her fellow commissioners — and the Cook County taxpayers.
Click here to read the official statement we released today.
Chicagoist has a great story here (which highlights my criticism of the vote).
Click here to watch ABC 7 Chicago news story that aired regarding the vote.
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