Stroger on Taxcut: Not Too Happy

By Kevin Robinson in News on May 6, 2009 2:00PM

Greg Hinz is reporting on his blog that Cook County Board President Todd Stroger issued a scathing statement late Tuesday, threatening "thousands" of health care and public safety layoffs as a result of the tax cut county board commissioners voted for earlier in the day. The statement also featured an amusing typo that seemed almost appropriate.

The "quarter-of-a-billion disaster" is occurring only because its advocates "have once again chosen to put their political opportunism ahead of the public well-being," the statement says.

"Their dangerously responsible (sic) position threatens health care for hundreds of thousands of our patients, and will force the layoff of thousands of union workers at a time when the economy is facing its deepest crisis in 60 years," it states.

(emphasis ours)

There is some question as to whether the repeal is veto-proof, however. County code requires a four-fifths vote to override a veto - that's 14 of 17 commissioners. It's not clear if that will be possible. Three commissioners voted against rolling back the tax hike, and two commissioners weren't present for the vote.

Ed's Note: After Kevin filed this story, both Stroger and Tony Peraica made the morning talk show rounds. According to Peraica's always entertaining Twitter feed, Stroger indicated he probably does not have the support of Commissioners Deborah Sims and Earlean Collins, the two absent votes from yesterday. If this is true and the rest of the commissioners stick to their guns, it will give the Board the necessary votes for a veto override. Of course, this is merely speculation from the Twitter feed of a commissioner opposed to Stroger, so take it with a grain of salt. Though Peraica did claim another amusing example of Stroger misspeaking. - M.G.