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.
The Last Line of Defense Against the Tax Hikers
Filed under: Campaign News, Reform, Taxes, Todd Stroger
It’s no secret that some of the other Republican commissioners on the county board get annoyed by Tony Peraica.
He calls it like it is — whether you are a Republican or a Democrat — and they don’t like that.
He puts the good of the Cook County taxpayers above the good of the party, and they don’t like that.
He is the only county commissioner who has been consistent in his support for tax relief, fighting hundreds of millions in new borrowing and utilizing county board meetings to shine sunlight on no-bid contracts and waste.
They don’t like any of that.
So they passed an ordinance aimed directly aimed at preventing Tony from running for both his commissioner’s seat and county board president. Not only would it slap down Tony — they thought — it would also help their liberal Democrat-turned-”Republican” Paul Vallas coast through a primary election.
So, the Republicans in Cook County tried to silence their biggest champion of reform and tax relief in favor of a liberal Democrat?
You bet.
Now, as Kristen McQueary writes this morning, Tony’s fellow commissioners are realizing that their plan backfired.
Paul Vallas decided not to run. And none of the commissioners are now allowed, by law, to run for both their commissioner’s seat and the county board president post.
It should be noted that Peraica himself supported the above ordinance. Because, what they don’t realize is that Tony’s actions on the county board aren’t driven by his desire for hire office. His actions are driven by his desire to be a good commissioner who serves his constituents and actually reforms the county.
Yes, he has run for higher office — but his campaigns have been based on the same message of honest reform that he has carried as a commissioner. The goal has always been to reform Cook County.
Tony is now focused on running for re-election to his commissioner’s seat — and the Republicans’ actions have unknowlingly made his re-election campaign as important as any countywide race in Cook County.
How?
Simple: Forrest Claypool is retiring. Mike Quigley moved on to Congress. Both of those individuals were two of Tony’s most consistent tax relief teammates on the board.
Larry Suffredin — who also votes for tax relief at least some of the time (although he did vote for the massive Stroger sales tax hike) is probably running for county board president, which means he’ll have to resign from the board.
That leaves Tony as the last line of defense against the tax hike coalition on the board.
And that means his 16th District race is as important for taxpayers in Orland Park and Park Ridge as it is for those in Brookfield and Westchester.
They tried to silence Tony Peraica, but have instead made his campaign more important than ever.
Thanks to Peraica, Cook County May Get a Tax Cut
The Cook County Board of Commissioners finally passed what appears to be a veto-proof rollback of the county sales tax.
It’s not quite the full $1 rollback that Tony Peraica proposed more than a year ago (and again this year, which the board then passed), but it is tax relief and it does appear to have the support of 14 commissioners needed to override Todd Stroger’s promised veto.
You can read Peraica’s statement here.
He also appeared on Fox News Chicago yesterday morning to discuss the tax relief ordinance (video below):
Present and Unaccounted For
Steve Rhodes brings us this classic post on NBC 5 Chicago’s Blog:
When it came time to be counted in the Great Sales Tax Repeal Wars of 2009, history will record that Cook County commissioners Earlean Collins and Robert Steele took their oaths of office and responsibilities to the taxpayers so seriously that they voted “present” while the rest of the board loafed with typical “yes” and “no” votes.
Because voting present on perhaps the defining battle of era takes a lot of guts - or at least chutzpah.
In the scheme of things, voting present was akin to voting to uphold board president Todd Stroger’s veto of the sales tax repeal because 14 votes were needed to overturn Stroger.
An Affront to the Taxpayers
Todd Stroger’s allies on the Cook County Board today voted to uphold his veto of the tax repeal ordinance passed by the County Board.
This is a direct slap in the face to the County taxpayers — especially low income families — who are suffering in this down economy.
The tax increase is threatening employers and jobs.
Please click here to read Commissioner Peraica’s statement on today’s vote.
You can see his “live tweets” from today’s county board meeting by clicking here.
Dial For Your Dollars, Cook County
Tomorrow morning’s Chicago Tribune editorial addresses the importance — even the historic nature — of the County Board’s vote on whether or not to override Todd Stroger’s veto of our vote to repeal his sales tax increase.
I think we all know the importance, so we will simply share the most important excerpt of this editorial:
Taxpayers, start dialing if you want to offer last-minute advice to the two board members who missed the 12-3 vote to kill the tax. If they join the 12, the override vote will succeed. Maybe you have thoughts on the tax, maybe you have thoughts on their political futures. Earlean Collins’telephone numbers are 312-603-4566 and 773-626-2184. And Deborah Sims’ numbers are312-603-6381 and 708-371-4251.
If you truly want tax relief, please start dialing for your dollars, Cook County.
Todd Vetoes Tax Relief Ordinance … Peraica Responds
Filed under: Corruption, Reform, Spending, Taxes, Todd Stroger
Todd Stroger announced today his veto of Tony Peraica’s sales tax hike repeal that was passed by the county board last week.
Please click here to read Tony’s statement on Todd’s veto.
VICTORY: County Board Passes Peraica Sales Tax Hike Repeal
The Cook County Board today passed Commissioner Tony Peraica’s ordinance to repeal the massive sales tax hike enacted last year.
As CBS 2 Chicago reported earlier today:
On his Twitter page, Commissioner Tony Peraica (R-16th) wrote in large typeface, “THE SALES TAX REPEAL PASSED on a vote of 12-yes 2-no.”
So much for those naysayers who pooh-poohed Peraica’s proposal as a gimmick when he first introduced it.
Peraica’s tenacity paid off.
But Todd Stroger is promising to veto the ordinance - yet another thumb in the eye of the Cook County taxpayers by this administration.
Make sure to call your county commissioner today to urge them to stay strong for tax relief - and say “No” to Stroger’s veto.
Peraica tax repeal proposal picking up steam
Momentum is picking up for Commissioner Peraica’s proposed ordinance to fully repeal the massive sales tax increase enacted last year.
Since last week, the Chicago Tribune, Sun-Times and Crain’s Chicago Business have all endorsed his tax relief proposal.
And this morning, we learn that County Board Finance Chair John Daley may, in fact, be considering supporting Tony’s proposal.
When Tony proposed a sales tax hike repeal last year - his fellow commissioners “pooh-poohed” it as a media stung. Now that they all see how it’s hurting the taxpayers - they may just be realizing how right Tony was (and is).
Sun-Times Rips Stroger ‘Tax Plan’ … Lauds Peraica Plan
Filed under: Budget, Reform, Spending, Taxes, Todd Stroger
The Sun-Times Editorial Board writes this morning:
Did you hear about Cook County Board President Todd Stroger’s tax rollback?
For every $100 you spend, you’ll pay 25 cents less in county sales taxes.
Starting Jan. 1 next year.
Whoopee.
We’re all for tax breaks, but we like them to be meaningful.
As for Peraica’s plan?
As for Peraica’s plan, we support scaling back the entire sales tax increase because the county has not made a convincing case why it needs that money every year.
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