The beginning of the end
Wednesday, Dec 2, 2009 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Cook County Board President Todd Stroger was not a happy man yesterday when the board overwhelmingly overrode his veto of the partial sales tax rollback. He lashed out at Gov. Quinn, who has been patting himself on the back for signing the reduced override threshold bill into law…
“Governor Quinn says he supports the rollback and this would probably stimulate Cook County. Well the state takes six and a quarter. I suggest they take a quarter off. Let’s make a resolution and send it to the governor. Maybe he’d like to stimulate all 102 counties instead of just Cook County.”
He also repeated his threat to challenge the new state law in court.
* Stroger compared himself to a lynched man…
“This is just a piling-on, what happens when the mob mentality happens,” Stroger said, comparing himself to the three men lynched for a crime they did not commit in “The Ox-Bow Incident,” a 1943 movie starring Henry Fonda. “It’s the same thing. Just get enough people riled up and they’ll hang the first person they see.”
But at least one African-American commissioner pointed out that the overwhelming majority of people in her district support the roll-back…
“My district, strangely enough, is four to one for the rollback.” [said West Side Commissioner Earlean Collins]
Commissioner Butler also chimed in…
Commissioner Jerry “Iceman” Butler, said Stroger’s damaged credibility with commissioners likely hurt his push to keep the sales tax in place.
“No matter how much truth you tell them or how many facts you put on the board, they do not want to hear it because your credibility has been damaged. Even though you’ve fired all your cousins, you’ve still been damaged,” he said, an apparent reference to former county CFO Donna Dunnings, a cousin whom Stroger fired last spring.
The name “Stroger” has come to mean “toxic.” He has no credibility left.
* Stroger also warned that people would die as a result of the override vote…
Reducing the sales tax would force the independent board that oversees health care to shut two of three county hospitals and “many if not all of our neighborhood clinics. … Some people will die needlessly for lack of the health care our system provides today.”
But…
Stroger said the lion’s share of new revenue from the sales tax increase is going to the health care system. That contention is disputed by the Civic Federation, a non-partisan government budget watchdog group, which determined only $46 million of the new tax revenue went to the health care system in the previous year.
* This, however, is a decent point…
“We are the government of last resort,” “Never in government before has a penny, the value of a penny, been worth so much, and we are talking about half a penny.” [said Commissioner Joseph Moreno, D-Chicago.]
A lot of this is psychological. The tax hike meant the sales tax burden hit ten percent and people simply freaked out. Suffredin is right…
They cut the county’s share of the sales tax from 1.75 to 1.25 percent and dropped the overall sales tax below 10 percent in the city of Chicago and other municipalities - the highest in the nation for major metropolitan areas - thus removing what Evanston Democratic Commissioner Larry Suffredin, the prime sponsor, labeled a “psychological barrier” for local consumers.
Kadner’s perspective…
Everyone in Cook County is now going to save 50 cents on every $100 they spend. If you spend $10,000 on stuff during the next year, you’ll save $50.
He also points out…
Still, people are calling this “Crook County,” and the feeling is that every half-cent they can save is a half-cent less that the crooks can steal.
Yep.
* Meanwhile, the Sun-Times uses the override to look at the upcoming Democratic primary…
If pre-Barack Obama racial voting patterns hold, O’Brien might be expected to sweep the Northwest and Southwest Sides and the suburbs, leaving Preckwinkle, Stroger and Circuit Court Clerk Dorothy Brown, who’s still fighting a petition challenge, to divide the South and West sides.
Maybe, but I think Preckwinkle will do a lot better on the lakefront than pundits are currently realizing. O’Brien’s history of old-style politics won’t play well there at all. Preckwinkle’s message is aimed right at that demographic, and her campaign manager is smarter than the rest of the campaign managers put together. Her biggest question mark is money.
And then there’s hizzoner…
One Northwest Side committeeman predicts Daley will ultimately back the most electable African-American candidate — he thinks that’s Preckwinkle — so as not to anger African-American voters in advance of his next race for mayor. Could Daley, Madigan and the others officially stay neutral while quietly backing one candidate? Some committeemen let their workers circulate petitions for both Brown and O’Brien.
- WOW - Wednesday, Dec 2, 09 @ 10:50 am:
Rich you are dead on about Preckwinkles CM. He is a freaking machine and in the slang term dictionary there should be a photo of him by the term “24/7″. Worked with him many times and no one will ever outwork him. She hired the very best.
- Will County Woman - Wednesday, Dec 2, 09 @ 10:51 am:
Todd, we hardly knew ye.
roland and now todd. why on earth would anyone want to be a party hack in the first place? you may think you’re safe by doing as you are told and making no waves, but going along to get along isn’t always in one’s best interest. the party will sacrifice you in a chicago minute and forget all about your going along to get along.
the perils of a party hack. live by the sword, die by the sword.
- Will County Woman - Wednesday, Dec 2, 09 @ 10:55 am:
eugene sawyer, roland burris, todd stroger…
just curious have any white party hacks suffered the same/similiar fates as sawyer, burris and stroger? on the surface, at least, there seems to be racial implications/dynamics at play.
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Dec 2, 09 @ 10:59 am:
WCW, let’s see, does the name Rod Blagojevich mean anything to you? Since you mentioned Gene Sawyer, what about Michael Bilandic? Alan Dixon?
- Third Generation Chicago Native - Wednesday, Dec 2, 09 @ 11:01 am:
Earlean Collins, has probably the most common sense of any of the current Commissioners. She does listen to her constituents.
Murphy and Sims need to be voted out for so many reasons, I will not go into here.
- Conservative Veteran - Wednesday, Dec 2, 09 @ 11:07 am:
Within the past 17 months, I heard many people, throughout the Chicago area, complain about the budget that the Cook Co. Board passed, because the budget increased the county sales tax rate from 0.75% to 1.75%. The state sales tax rate is 6.25%, so everyone who is angry at the Cook Co. Board should be more mad at all of the state legislators who have voted for increasing the state sales tax rate, in 2005.
I hope that, before the primary election, each Illinois voter will research his or her state legislators and find whether the legislator ever voted for tax increases. Every legislator who voted for the increases should lose.
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Dec 2, 09 @ 11:09 am:
The state sales tax rate did not increase in 2005.
- The Doc - Wednesday, Dec 2, 09 @ 11:09 am:
Agree with your assessment of Preckwinkle. I’m wary of her actively seeking an endorsement from Daley, which may weaken her independence in her current position. I’m interested to hear her rationale for approving the FY2010 city budget, which is expected.
- Will County Woman - Wednesday, Dec 2, 09 @ 11:10 am:
Thanks, Rich. I’m not familiar with Alan Dixon, but I will definitely find out about his story.
All I knew of Bilandic was that the blizzard did him in. He went on to be a judge,right? so, he didn’t totally flame out, and kinda sorta went out in style, unlike Roland and Todd.
I thought about Blago, but then again he kinda dealt himself the hand that he was played in many ways, in that he didn’t exactly go along to get along. Then again, same is true of todd in many ways. from the party’s perspective—if only todd had been like his father, todd would be smooth sailing all the way to re-election.
(btw, Bill I’m not relishing in any of this with respect to Todd and Roland)
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Dec 2, 09 @ 11:13 am:
===I’m not familiar with Alan Dixon, but I will definitely find out about his story.==
Sigh.
Incumbent US Senator who lost to Carol Moseley-Braun in the Democratic primary.
Point being, when you parrot arguments made by that columnist who shall not be named, you run the risk of making a fool of yourself.
- Will County Woman - Wednesday, Dec 2, 09 @ 11:18 am:
Rich, you’re right. I’m now recalling the stories of mayors Kennelly and Kelly and a party insider/ powerbroker during the kelly/kennelly era whose name escapes me, in addition to those that you cited.
- South of I-80 - Wednesday, Dec 2, 09 @ 11:22 am:
President Stroger finally impressed me, he knew that there are 102 counties with-in the state!!
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Dec 2, 09 @ 11:25 am:
Breaking the 10% barrier in the city was the tipping point. All reason went out the window then. Talk to some people, and they think this rollback vote will eliminate ALL sales tax in Cook County. They’re in for a surprise.
- Been There - Wednesday, Dec 2, 09 @ 11:39 am:
===WCW, let’s see, does the name Rod Blagojevich mean anything to you? Since you mentioned Gene Sawyer, what about Michael Bilandic? Alan Dixon?===
You need to lookk no further than todays CapFax for an example of turning on old friends
ie) Bruce Farley
- The 'Dale to HPark - Wednesday, Dec 2, 09 @ 11:43 am:
“why on earth would anyone want to be a party hack in the first place?”
Because Mike Madigan hooks you up? I don’t know.
Speaking of Madigan, he wants O’Brien as President. And what Madigan wants, he gets. Though a Daley/Madigan show down would be epic.
- Ghost - Wednesday, Dec 2, 09 @ 11:48 am:
I feel some sympathy for Stroger. Across the State many counties are now in crisis mode trying to deal with 10-15% budget shortfalls which exceeded predictions. Stroger idenified a buget problem and passed a tax in time to help cook avoid problems that are going to be plaguing many other counties as we head into the new year. Look to see more layoffs, unemployement etc, more buisness closing donw due to lack ofbusiness from the local governemnts etc.
I wonder if cook county can really aford the roll back it just approved. Ultimatly stroger has made a lot of bone headed moves, but so far he has been one of the few to actually put in place meaningful revenue generation for his budget that has come in during a time when the county most needed it.
- OdysseusVL - Wednesday, Dec 2, 09 @ 11:53 am:
Ghost, he doubled the tax. I suspect that if a lot of other places would double their taxes, they also would balance a budget.
I admit that the .5% is not that big of a deal. However, it becomes a big deal when Todd keeps putting more hacks on the payroll. At some point, the voters need to dedide that business as usual is over. You don’t get to double the tax and still put cousins and basketball friends on the payroll.
Of course, Todd’s other problem is that many view his very election as hack-dom. If he had any other name, he would never gotten the office. Nothing on his resume seems to make him qualified. His story is sort of a perfect storm of everything wrong with Illinois politics.
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Dec 2, 09 @ 12:02 pm:
===Nothing on his resume seems to make him qualified. ===
Now, that’s just goofy. He was a legislator and an alderman. That’s more experience than some people I can think of who moved up.
Yes, he’s in over his head. But try not to exaggerate the reality of the situation.
- Ghost - Wednesday, Dec 2, 09 @ 12:07 pm:
We had a discussion here the other day about how cook county keeps getting medical cases from other counties dumped on them. I do not doubt that Stroger has hired political allies and other friends as spoiles of his office. I am skeptical that the tax increase can be reduce by 50% through the elimination of these positions. And to me it appears the fiscla health of cook county flows from the tax. Stroger has many problems, but I am not convinced this tax which has helped cook county avoid pain fallinto other counties in the State should be lauded instead of praised.
Time will tell if the increase was really bloated. The county now has to operate on its reduced revenue when the change goes into play.
- Will County Woman - Wednesday, Dec 2, 09 @ 12:11 pm:
@ OdysseusVL ,
I think Todd was only doing what he saw others do in similar positions. I think whatever liberties he took he did so thinking that he was entitled because of the position/rank he held, which he may have thought made him an equal of others, e.g., madigan and daley.
I don’t think he fully realized or appreciated that he was still a subordinate, president of the cook county board title notwithstanding. But, his father understood it perfectly, being a product of a certain era himself.
- OdysseusVL - Wednesday, Dec 2, 09 @ 12:23 pm:
Maybe my standards are too high. I happen to think that being a do-nothing State Rep. and a do-nothing Alderman who held those positions simply because of being lucky enough to have a father in a powerful position is not much of a resume. Admittedly, others may disagree.
- Ghost - Wednesday, Dec 2, 09 @ 12:31 pm:
=== happen to think that being a do-nothing State Rep. and a do-nothing Alderman…. ====
and yet people want term limits which means you would only be voting for people with no resume.
- OdysseusVL - Wednesday, Dec 2, 09 @ 12:35 pm:
Ghost,
I think term limits are a horrible idea.
- Bill - Wednesday, Dec 2, 09 @ 12:40 pm:
Todd will be missed if he loses. Who do you would be better, Oddy? Terry? Toni? Oh wait! There’s Dorothy Brown. Talk about do nothing!
- Will County Woman - Wednesday, Dec 2, 09 @ 12:41 pm:
@ The ‘Dale to HPark
yes, but…
According to the conventional wisdom, namely in the city of chicago, the county board presidency is a black office to help keep prying ambitious political eyes away from the mayor’s office. Chicago is a majority-minority city.
but…
according to the conventional wisdom, throughout most of the state, mike madigan is more powerful than daley. but, daley comes in a very close second and is pretty much the only power in the chicago area region.
the county board race is tricky this time around. my tea leaves aren’t helping me out much either. maybe things will be a little clearer come january.
- Nancy M - Wednesday, Dec 2, 09 @ 1:31 pm:
Sadly, I’m not on fire for any of the candidates this election cycle. Regarding Preckwinkle, wasn’t Tony Rezko a huge contributor? Has she returned the donations Rezko gave her? O’brien’s a nice guy, but he’s also the ultimate inside with a third tier campaign staff. Stroger - enough said and Brown’s campaign is a hot mess.
- The 'Dale to HPark - Wednesday, Dec 2, 09 @ 2:03 pm:
I’m still disappointed we didn’t get our Toni Preckwinkle vs. Forest Claypool show down. Whites voting for black… blacks voting for whites… it would have been hilarious.
- LisleMike - Wednesday, Dec 2, 09 @ 2:58 pm:
My Dad was press secretary for Alan Dixon while he was treasurer and Secretary of State. He passed while Dixon was running for US Senate. I knew “Al the pal” as a teenager and liked him. He was a decent guy who got into trouble with the Clarence Thomas Supreme Court nomination hearings regarding Thomas’s alleged sexisim. I would not lump him into the “hack” category with the others. He was certainly better than his successor.
As for politicians in general, remember that the longer you serve, the better the chances that things can come back on you. Hindisght is always 20/20. NOTE: I am not standing up for the sleazebags we have seen, but things are seldom as cut and dry as the media makes them out to be.
- Carl Nyberg - Wednesday, Dec 2, 09 @ 3:15 pm:
Has Todd Stroger ever had a job where he’d catch criticism from a boss for not arriving at a set time on a regular basis?
Stroger’s “private sector” experience was collecting commissions when taxing bodies sought money through bonds.
I raise the point of showing-up to work because Stroger RSVP’d to a recent candidate forum, then didn’t show and then lied about it.
Stroger lacks some life experience most people take for granted. Who doesn’t have a job in their early adulthood that requires attending on-time or calling ahead if you’re going to be late?
Stroger had a career path that could have qualified him for higher office, if he didn’t have his personal deficits.
Stroger lacks the maturity to see the difference between the acceptable ways politicians cut corners and stuff that will get him in trouble. Stroger hasn’t made the connection between getting caught doing bad stuff and getting increased scrutiny.
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Dec 2, 09 @ 3:17 pm:
===Has Todd Stroger ever had a job where he’d catch criticism from a boss for not arriving at a set time on a regular basis?===
Yes.
Mike Madigan.
lol
- Conservative Republican - Wednesday, Dec 2, 09 @ 3:26 pm:
“Strangely enough” Commissioner Collins? Are you that surprised that even staunch Democrats have a breaking point when it comes to high taxes?
- vibes - Wednesday, Dec 2, 09 @ 6:04 pm:
spoke w northshore hard repub today. He’s pulling dem ballot for preckwinkle bc 13 is for O’Brien. If she gets that message out she can do very well in the burbs too.
- blackdem - Wednesday, Dec 2, 09 @ 9:52 pm:
Everyone on this site knows that Stroger was set up from the start. Its funny to still see posts about friends and cousins and family on payroll. Can someone name them please??Dunnings who worked for the county for 20 years..Triche-Colvin the same.Who are the family members??
To us though its bigger stroger has only made mis step that others wouldnt even get headlines for..Cole? Dunnings? Sales Tax? and we allow northside commissioners, Daley, Madigan and Quinn to try to continue the knock on Stroger. I think its because he didnt allow them to rape the system and they are mad because THEY couldnt balance a budget or cut as Stroger has. This election will be about race as we all know..Preckwinkle IS NOT viewed well by most blacks and we know Brown who is managed and funded by Madigan is put in to defeat Stroger.
Who wants an all Irish State. Say no to Quinn, Cullerton, Madigan, Daley and O’Brien. I am not racist but damn this is scary
- blackdem - Wednesday, Dec 2, 09 @ 9:57 pm:
oh yeah, The tax repeal doesn’t hurt Stroger, it hurts the poor and undeserved…Who can cut 230,000,000.00 and keep services the same. Quinn and Daley cant do it and the media and bloggers act likes its ok. Who in their right minds will vote to send the 2nd largest county in the county into a deficit with NO ONE knowing how to make up that money..and it was helped by Quinn who has a 12,000,000,000 deficit???WTF???…Its easy to say ” i have a plan” but when it comes down to it. We all know who will suffer… minorities but its funny Quinn and other will be in our neighborhoods smiling with the sellout preachers and politicians but this time we have a counter action for them..Empowerment 2010
- pjw1 - Thursday, Dec 3, 09 @ 9:53 am:
There wouldn’t have been a need for the sales tax hike if the political patronage army he and his father had dumped into the hospital knew how to properly bill Medicare, Medicaid and private insurance companies, which they clearly did not know how to do, and didn’t. And why does this county’s hospital need more janitorial staff than any other hospital in the nation? (like 3 TIMES as many as any other hospital!)
Claiming that “people will die” is just so incredibly irresponsible, and akin to Sarah Palin’s “death panel” claims. Shame on him.
And as to the override, I just don’t get why Toddster suddenly thinks the 3/5 override legislation is somehow unconstitutional for “changing the game mid-term” when on October 11, 2006, Candidate Todd Stroger said:
“I support lowering the majority needed to override a presidential veto from four-fifths to three-fifths, and will do all that I can to help [proponents of the change] accomplish this. I know full well this means it would be easier for the Cook County commissioners to override any presidential veto that I may make as the next Cook County Board President, and even knowing that, I support this measure. This is not about politics or power, this about what is best for Cook County.”
Todd really needs to stop listening to Burt O.