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* Greg Hinz…
The fight over Cook County’s new soda pop tax may have earned County Board President Toni Preckwinkle a re-election opponent.
In a phone interview today, West Side County Commissioner Richard Boykin, who has been increasingly critical of the president and particularly of the penny-an-ounce levy on sweetened beverages, said the county faces “a real crisis in leadership” that has prompted him to ponder his options.
Running for board president “is something we’re considering, something we’re going to take a strong look at,” Boykin said. “We’re beginning to put together a team to look at it. We’ll get there.” […]
“I think the tax has been handled in a very incompetent manner,” said Boykin, who voted against the levy when it cleared the board earlier this year; Preckwinkle cast the tie-breaking vote. “I’ve met with thousands of my constituents in the last week or so, and they’re mad as hell. . . .They’re going to go to DuPage County to buy not only their soda but their groceries.” […]
Boykin had only $81,000 in his campaign war chest as of June 30, and owed himself $140,000. But that figure could grow quickly if the uproar over the new tax continues.
Boykin recently compared President Preckwinkle to “a drunken sailor with the taxpayers’ credit card, who is being dishonest, and everything she sees she wants to tax and spend.”
But this is what he told Greg today…
If such cuts were not sufficient, Boykin said he would turn to a tax on ride-hailing services such as Uber and Lyft.
posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Aug 8, 17 @ 2:36 pm
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I don’t think so…Richards ego and ambition are getting ahead of his ability to lead Cook County…
Comment by Loop Lady Tuesday, Aug 8, 17 @ 2:42 pm
I now buy all of my household items in Will County. Prior to this tax I shopped there to dodge the ridiculous Cook County sales tax, and now have moved all of my grocery shopping there. I do not even drink pop. The “Machine” needs to end, this fiscal maddness is unsustainable. I do not mind paying taxes, but we get nothing in return, but government bloat cronyism.
Comment by Over Taxed Tuesday, Aug 8, 17 @ 2:49 pm
This is why Preckwinkle is trying to get that $17 Million from IRMA - if they don’t pay that to the County, a large chunk of that will go to funding Boykin’s primary campaign against her (and some of the more vulnerable commissioners who voted with her).
Comment by Grand Avenue Tuesday, Aug 8, 17 @ 2:51 pm
Boykin will need IRMA/Beverage Industry to commit to at least $5 Million for him to be competitive.
I also think that Boykin’s chances depend a good deal on whether Sam McCann primaries Bruce Rauner. If he doesn’t, then there will likely be no competitive races at all in the Republican primary in Cook County, and a lot of Republicans will take Democratic ballots to vote in the Governor’s race and the Cook County Board President race. And darn near 100% of those “cross-over” votes will be against Preckwinkle.
Comment by Grand Avenue Tuesday, Aug 8, 17 @ 2:55 pm
How sweet it is?
Comment by Ghost Tuesday, Aug 8, 17 @ 2:59 pm
Come December 2018, Preckwinkle will be sworn in for another term as President of the Cook County Board.
Comment by Precinct Captain Tuesday, Aug 8, 17 @ 3:02 pm
Boykin has met with “thousands of constituents” in the past week? Oh my, he must get around.
Comment by Professor Tuesday, Aug 8, 17 @ 3:09 pm
==Boykin recently compared President Preckwinkle to “a drunken sailor…==
I hope she’s buying her liquor in DuPage, otherwise she’s paying Chicago and Cook County alcohol taxes.
Comment by City Zen Tuesday, Aug 8, 17 @ 3:09 pm
Is Commissioner Boykin’s campaign slogan to be “I wouldn’t have taxed this, I would’ve taxed that instead”?
Another clueless Cook County pol, who doesn’t grasp the fact that the cost of governance in Illinois, Cook County, Chicago and much of the rest of the state exceeds the private sector’s ability to pay for it.
Comment by Cook County Commoner Tuesday, Aug 8, 17 @ 3:09 pm
He’s waiting to see if some alienated unions are willing to snub her and back him. This would be an “anybody but Toni” referendum.
Comment by Trapped in the 'burbs Tuesday, Aug 8, 17 @ 3:13 pm
By the story getting out, Boykin guarantees that he’ll have a well-funded opponent if he runs for re-election, so he might figure if he’s going to have a competitive race, he might as well go for the big time.
So I think he’ll run UNLESS Danny Davis decides not to run again in which case he’ll run for Congress
Comment by Grand Avenue Tuesday, Aug 8, 17 @ 3:23 pm
need a better opponent. but Preckwinkle is such a phony. Enabling Berrios, this tax which is wildly confusing and inappropriate in multiple ways. Wish this were not so tied to the Mayoral election which many have no stake in because she needs to go.
Comment by Amalia Tuesday, Aug 8, 17 @ 3:25 pm
Longer quotes by Boykin & team Preckwinkle from the Oak Park Wednesday Journal
http://www.oakpark.com/News/Articles/8-8-2017/Boykin-considering-run-for-county-board-president/
Comment by Grand Avenue Tuesday, Aug 8, 17 @ 3:27 pm
You would hope a Cook County Commissioner would read
section 2-41 of the County ordinances before he tries this.
Comment by Mike Tuesday, Aug 8, 17 @ 4:11 pm
He learned at the knee of his mentor.
“Threaten to run for everything, Every time….Then don’t”
Comment by A guy Tuesday, Aug 8, 17 @ 4:29 pm
Preckwinkle said “people need to understand that in order to have a good government, you need to pay for it.”
Good government?! I had to chuckle when I saw that comment. Preckwinkle always thinks more money is the answer.
Comment by Chicagonk Tuesday, Aug 8, 17 @ 4:29 pm
If Boykin runs (he won’t), neither of them would win.
Comment by Seriously? Tuesday, Aug 8, 17 @ 4:35 pm
No need to insult sailors.
Comment by jimk849 Tuesday, Aug 8, 17 @ 5:47 pm
Boykin v. Preckwinlke and down the stretch they come - and the winner at the wire is BRIDGET GAINER.
Comment by Roscoe Tom Tuesday, Aug 8, 17 @ 7:15 pm
Toni has been a major disappointment. Time for her to go.
Comment by Ron Wednesday, Aug 9, 17 @ 5:04 am