Let’s Keep That Spotlight Shining
by Tony Peraica
It shouldn’t take a media spotlight to force the county’s patronage czars to stop breaking the law.
A week ago, Cook County Board President Todd Stroger’s administration was poised to hire three politically connected job candidates, including the finance chair of Stroger’s election campaign and the wife of a Chicago alderman.
But when county hiring watchdog Mary Robinson started asking questions about the job candidates, the Stroger administration nixed hiring all three, including Ebonie Taylor-Brookins, wife of Ald. Howard Brookins (21st). The alderman backed Stroger in his losing bid for re-election this year, even as many other African-American politicians stood with the eventual winner of the Democratic primary, Ald. Toni Preckwinkle (4th).
Some people criticize me for my vigilance in publicly calling out instances of corruption and pushing for the media to cover the breaches of trust and tax dollars within county government.
This particular instance shows why — spotlight is the best disinfectant.
That’s why I’m running for re-election to the county board … to continue our efforts to bring about reform by keeping that light on the corrupt and the inept who abuse your tax dollars.
Time to make reform a reality
by Tony Peraica
Thank you to UIC Professor Dick Simpson, who highlights our recent reform proposals in this commentary piece in Chicago Journal.
Professor Simpson writes:
In May, Cook County Commissioner Tony Peraica introduced a series of amendments to help curb unethical and corrupt practices.
The amendments would prohibit Cook County government employees from serving as a lobbyist for any entity other than Cook County. The best known conflict here is Cook County Board of Appeals member Joe Berrios, who has lobbied for the video gaming industry in Springfield while hearing — and granting — tax appeals for the clients of House Speaker Mike Madigan.
Peraica’s legislation would also prohibit former Cook County elected officials or firms in which they have a financial interest from receiving business from the county for a period of two years after they leave county employment, and tighten limits on campaign contributions.
Getting these reform amendments passed will be an uphill battle due to the large number of elected and appointed officials who are lobbying Cook County government … including some of my fellow commissioners.
But uphill reform battles are nothing new to us. I urge you to click here to find and contact your county commissioner to urge him or her to support this resolution.
Corruption and waste in Cook County has reached a fever pitch. It is no longer a Republican or a Democrat issue. Let’s all join together and make reform a reality.
Will you join me on the Chicago’s lakefront this Wednesday?
The Stroger Six, Our Newly-Proposed Ethics Reforms, and Another Stroger Investigation
Filed under: Blagojevich, Corruption, Elections, Mayor Daley, Reform, Spending, Todd Stroger
by Tony Peraica
It was quite a day here in Cook County.
First, the Cook County Board failed to protect the taxpayers by coming up short in a vote to override Todd Stroger’s veto of our hiring freeze.
More to the point — six county commissioners failed the taxpayers by voting against the veto override. The Chicago Tribune editorial board calls out these “Stroger Six”:
The tally, 9-6 to override, fell short of the necessary 11 “yes” votes. The Stroger Six: William Beavers, Jerry Butler, Earlean Collins, Joan Patricia Murphy, Deborah Sims and Robert Steele. Steele and a seventh commissioner who gutlessly voted present, Edwin Reyes, had been co-sponsors of the original measure to tighten controls on Stroger.
Also during today’s county board meeting, I introduced new amendments to the county ethics ordinance to help curb ethical abuses by some county politicians.
Please watch my brief video explaining this ordinance.
ABC 7 Chicago, The Prairie Stater, Illinois Review and Publius Forum have also reported on our new ethics measures.
Finally — yet another investigation into questionable spending by the Stroger Administration. This one involves dubious spending on U.S. Census contracts. The Chicago Tribune’s Hal Dardick reports:
Two top aides to Cook County Board President Todd Stroger sidestepped the need for commissioners’ approval in doling out nearly $150,000 in census outreach work to people they knew. The eight contracts are among those being investigated by the county inspector general’s office…
Another day, another investigation.
As the politicians continue to abuse your tax dollars — we will continue our battle to rein them in and protect the taxpayers.
We’ve limited Todd Stroger’s spending powers
Filed under: Corruption, Reform, Spending, Taxes, Todd Stroger
by Tony Peraica
Yesterday, the County Board took action to limit Todd Stroger’s power to fire, hire and authorize contracts.
This was in response to the numerous reports of questionable spending by his office (that we’ve detailed on this blog in recent days.)
Please click here to read today’s Chicago Tribune story about the ordinance we passed in the County Board meeting yesterday.
Thank you for your continued support.
Text REFORM to 77007: Tell the Board of Review Not to Play Politics With Your Property Taxes
This week the focus is on federal Tax Day — the deadline for us all to file our federal income taxes.
And, yes, while federal taxes are burdensome and growing, we must not forget about the tax shenanigans going on right here in Cook County.
The insiders fought my efforts to roll back Todd Stroger’s record sales tax increase — but we won.
Now, they are trying to play politics with your property tax bills by delaying their distribution until after Election Day.
Text REFORM to 77007 on your mobile phone to tell these insiders not to play politics with your property taxes.
In short — they are terrified of a Cook County tax revolt on Election Day.
We’re making it easy for you to send a message: text REFORM to 77007 on your mobile phone.
By sending that text, we’ll reply right away with a text to patch you through to the Cook County Board of Review to demand that they stop playing politics with your property tax bills.
When you call:
- Be respectful and stick to the facts.
- Tell them you are a concerned taxpayer who wants to ensure that property tax bills are sent out on time — before November Election Day.
- Thank them for listening to your concerns.
Your grassroots action helped us roll back Todd Stroger’s tax increase.
Let’s use that same enthusiasm to ensure that the insiders don’t abuse the property tax system here in Cook County.
Thank you for continued support in the fight for honest reform. I am proud to continue working for you as Cook County Commissioner.
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:
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.
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:
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:
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