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The Cook County budget showdown is gearing up as county President Todd Stroger is expected to unveil his 2009 budget proposal today. Stroger has already put pressure on Cook County commissioners to approve a plan to borrow $720 million. The Stroger administration argues that the money is needed in order to keep the county afloat. Donna Dunnings, the county’s chief financial officer and Stroger’s cousin, told the Trib yesterday that massive layoffs are in store if the plan is rejected.
Commissioner Forrest Claypool, however, isn’t buying it. He argues that the county should be swimming in money after the board passed a controversial tax hike that gives Chicago the highest sales tax in the nation.
“The big question in all this remains, however, where did all the money go?” Claypool told the Trib. “Where did Stroger’s massive sales-tax increase go and all those hundreds of millions of dollars?”
Claypool also accused Stroger of using scare tactics in order to force commissioners to vote for the plan. Last week, the Cook County Pension Board sent a letter to all retirees that implied their pensions where in jeopardy unless commissioners approved $104 million in bonds. The letter went on to say that pensions were fine, but that didn’t stop retirees from calling commissioners, whose names and phone numbers were included in the letter. Stroger critics also claim that administrators are not paying their bills in an effort to garner support for the borrowing plan. Those administrators say they can’t pay court settlements, attorney’s fees, and self-insurance claims because there isn’t enough money to hand out.
Stroger critics say that’s all baloney. To them, Stroger is trying to beef up his political army by using the borrowed money to create more jobs. More jobs equal more loyal voters, who won’t hesitate to help Stroger when he faces re-election in 2010. But more employees mean more future retirees (unless they’re all fired). And more retirees mean more pensions. So perhaps the pension board isn’t completely off the mark by implying impending doom for the county’s pension system.
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Can you hear it?
It's Stroger and his pals laughing, pretty confident they can play the same game his old man played: Cry poor every year in order to win funding for their relatives and pals.
What, you say: We can just vote them out?
Hasn't happened yet.
Remember the draconian sales tax increase Todd Stroger passed in 2008? It increased the already high sales tax rate 25%. Stroger was convinced that Cook County residents were going to maintain their spending levels year to year. He also convinced himself that the sales tax increase did not hurt minorities and the poor - it did.
Here is some news, Todd: if sales maintain themselves through the end of this year at the current pace in Cook County, receipts for the county - even at the 25% increase rate - will come in 20% less for 2008 compared to 2007.
Yet he is asking us to bond further debt in an economy where credit is frozen? The level of incompetence Stroger shows in his economic philosophy. We plan on shopping for durable goods, alcohol, and foodstuffs around our trips to Indiana and Wisconsin. I know a lot of people from Chicago and Cook County doing this. Stroger acts like you can put zonal tax increases on all of us that only makes sense at hotels, Michigan Ave., and other places tourists roam.
Cut the sales tax to 8.5% and cut 30% from the county government budget. Retailers and businesses are not going to come into Chicago with the sales and property tax rates as they are until that happens.
Forrest Claypool 2010!
Oh ! That crazy Todd is at it again! Fool me once, shame on you, Todd. Try and fool me again, I will make you pay, you SOB!
Maybe Todd can appoint a relative to fix the problem.
Maybe Donna Dunnings shouldn't have received a 12 percent pay increase as part of the 2008 budget.
Todd Stroger is the biggest crook in the world. He needs to get out of here. When's he up for re-election... 2010? I'm going to campaign for whoever is going against him. He is the biggest SOB!!!!!!!!
The only question is: Will that overgrown pile of shit Larry Suffredin roll over for Toddler again?
If he does, we're doomed, if he doesn't, he may actually have a spine, which I doubt!
...lying, traitorous overgrown pile of shit Larry Suffredin.
Stroger wins again unless Republicans cross over in the 2010 primaries.
Finally, full employment for all cousins.
Finally, full employment for all cousins.
And their lovers, boyfriends, girlfriends, collage roommates and assorted hangers-on. Let's not think too small when it comes to Cook County.