Patlak for Cook County Board of Review: We Are On The Air‏

From the Patlak for Cook County Board of Review campaign…

Our campaign to bring professional competence and political balance to the Board of Review is firing on all cylinders. Today we unveil our radio spot which uses a Halloween theme to call out the Chicago Democrat Machine for preventing tax bills from coming out until after the election.

We have distributed our distinctive blue and gold yard signs throughout the district. If you don’t have one yet, click here to order a sign today. We still have large 4×4 signs for placement at heavily trafficked locations. Let us know if you can provide such a location.
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Patlak for Cook County Board of Review: We Are On The Air‏”


Patlak for Cook County Board of Review: Two New Tax Facts Videos Released‏

From the campaign for Patlak for Cook County Board of Review …

I just released two new Tax Facts videos: What if I did not get an exemption I was entitled to? and How do I file an appeal at the County Assessors Office and the Board Of Review? Let me know if you have any questions about the answers or any other question in our Ask Dan section.

Thank you for your continued support through this campaign. We are down to the last two and a half weeks. Early voting started this past Monday and ends Thursday the 28th. Election day will follow on Tuesday November 2nd. Now is the time to act. Please encourage your friends and neighbors to get out and vote early, reminding them to vote for Dan Patlak on the down ballot race for Cook County Board Of Review. This is one of the most critical races this election season. Unfortunately, many voters stop filling out their ballots before they get to many of the down ballot races. This is where you can make a difference. Every vote counts for the Board Of Review, a board and property tax system that is completely controlled by the Chicago Machine.
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Patlak for Cook County Board of Review: Two New Tax Facts Videos Released‏”


Patlak: A Critical Moment

From the Patlak for Cook County Board of Review campaign…

As we approach early voting on October 11th and Election Day just 27 days from now, we are pulling out all the stops to secure a victory and win back the 1st District Board of Review seat for the Republican Party. For over a year I have put aside my normal life to pursue this office.

We now find our campaign at a critical moment. We have a winning message and just received the endorsement of the Chicago Tribune but need more funding to get that message out to the half million people who will cast ballots. In order to purchase the minimum amount of media time necessary to be effective, we need to raise $20,000 by Friday October 15th. I am making an urgent request for additional financial help to allow us to bring our message of ethical leadership and political balance on the Board of Review to the people of Cook County. I want to change business as usual at the Board and I need your help. Please join me in this battle by sending your maximum contribution.
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Patlak: A Critical Moment”


Endorsed by the Tribune — Early Voting Just Days Away!‏

From the office of Commissioner Tony Peraica…

Today, I was humbled to receive the endorsement of the Chicago Tribune for re-election to the 16th District Commissioner seat. Calling me a “warrior for taxpayers” who is “relentless in questioning business as usual”, the Chicago Tribune writes:

The Tribune endorses Peraica because he’s been a reliable thorn to Democratic officials who think citizens exist primarily to pay taxes.

How fitting, then, that this endorsement comes on the same day I am introducing two taxpayer-protection initiatives to the Cook County Board.

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Endorsed by the Tribune — Early Voting Just Days Away!‏”


Another Corrupt Stroger Associate Arrested

-By Warner Todd Huston

Another one of Cook County Board President Todd Stroger’s top aides was arrested for a money laundering scheme on Monday, Oct. 4.

Stroger aide Carla Oglesby is accused of funneling a county no-bid contract to her own privately held public relations firm. The $24,975 contract falls under the “24-9” rule where contracts under $25,000 can be awarded without the County Board’s specific approval.

Oglesby served as Stroger’s chief spokesman during his failed primary bid for reelection.

The contract was first reported by the SunTimes last April at which time President Stroger suspended Oglesby for a week. The story prompted federal authorities to begin an investigation.

At the time Oglesby denied she steered the contract to her own firm, but the Times found paperwork showing that she had signed the contracts over to herself.

This is typical of the cash machine for friends and family that Todd Stroger turned his stint as Cook County Board President into. From handing out contracts to pals and giving all sorts of county jobs to family members, Stroger has been particularly corrupt in office.

The county board has since changed it rule on the under $25,000 contracts.
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Another Corrupt Stroger Associate Arrested”


Chicago Tribune Endorses Dan Patlak‏

From the Patlak for Cook County Board of Review…

Today the Chicago Tribune endorsed our candidate Dan Patlak for Commissioner of the Cook County Board of Review. You can read the endorsement below or click here to read it on the Chicago Tribune website.

It would help Dan’s campaign immeasurably if you would forward this e-mail to all of your contacts. Thank you for your support.

From the Chicago Tribune:
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Chicago Tribune Endorses Dan Patlak‏”


Carl Segvich for Cook County Commissioner (11th District)

-By Warner Todd Huston

Republican Carl Segvich is running against John Daley, soon to be former Mayor Daley’s brother, for Cook County Board from the 11th District. http://www.segvich.com/.

Segvih’s goals are to enhance private sector job opportunities, balance the budget, and cut waste. Segvich wants to cut taxes to promote economic growth and will stand up for families & American values. He will get public transit working for everyone and end the red light camera program. Segvich will also enhance support for law enforcement.

His opponent, Segvich says, has:
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Carl Segvich for Cook County Commissioner (11th District)”


The Chicago Machine Strikes Against Property Owners Again

From the Patlak for Cook County Board of Review Campaign…

Once again the Chicago Machine has pulled a fast one on Cook County property owners. They have conveniently arranged for property tax bills to be issued after the November 2nd election. In fact the bills will arrive just before Thanksgiving with payments due right before Christmas. How’s that for a happy holiday season? We can make a change in the culture of corruption that has enveloped Illinois, Cook County and Chicago by helping to elect reform candidates like Dan Patlak who are interested in empowering taxpayers instead of confusing them. Please visit Dan’s web site to volunteer or request a yard sign.

Dan has released the seventh in a series of Property Tax Facts videos. This one addresses the question of what grounds people use to appeal their assessments. Please take a look and forward it on to your friends who may need to appeal their assessment.
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The Chicago Machine Strikes Against Property Owners Again”


A Case of Influence Peddling by a Dem. Member of the Cook County Board of Review?

-By Warner Todd Huston

A few weeks ago Chicago Magazine published a story that revealed what sure looks like an influence peddling scandal perpetrated by Democrat Cook County Board of Review member Joseph Berrios. The story is filled with the maddeningly typical Chicago corruption. It also seems to implicate his other two fellow board members, Brendan Houlihan and Larry Rogers, Jr — both Democrats. To date Houlihan has yet to answer to these charges.

The Cook County Board of Review is the office responsible for handling property tax complaints and is responsible for lowering the tax rate if a property merits a reduction. As it happens Berrios, a Board of Review member since 1988, has been rather free with tax reductions for campaign contributors. He also seems to have ignored or skirted multiple rules and regulations by meeting with contributors behind closed doors and illegally filing requests for review. It appears that Berrios initiated a pay to play operation where commercial property owners got reductions in property taxes for campaign contributions to his campaign.

One Berrios associate in particular had some very favorable tax reductions given to him and his clients. Paul Froehlich and a political associate who once worked for Berrios found the Board of Review quite amenable to reductions for several Schaumburg properties the pair represented.

Now a property cannot have its taxes reduced unless at least one other commissioner agrees to the reduction. Meetings arranging the reductions, though, appear to be little else but a rubber stamp affair of the member’s recommendations. It is rare that any of the other two board members ever deny a fellow their recommendation. Again, all three board members are Democrats.

After the Chicago Magazine story at least four property tax reductions were suddenly reversed by the board, reductions that were called into question by the story. Fellow board member Brendan Houlihan, who represents suburban Cook County, attempted to distance himself from the corruption by claiming that he had investigated himself and all was well with the world.

Houlihan claimed that he had conducted an “internal investigation” and his findings had been turned over to the state’s attorney’s office that is investigating the scandal. He refused any further comment because of the ongoing investigation of possible criminal activity.

Houlihan has quite a few questions to answer to and just sitting back and saying “no comment” is not good enough as he presents himself for reelection by the very people he may have helped defraud of tax receipts to help Berrios gain campaign donations.

Here is what Houlihan is accused of doing: The Board of Review frequently goes out among private citizens with seminars and similar events and at these events tax reduction requests are accepted from the general public. The law states that regular homeowners are allowed to file reductions in person but commercial property owners must file via an attorney. The accusation is that Houlihan was allowing the cases from Berrios’s pals to be added illegally to private homeowner cases, all of which were then rubber stamped by the board with the reductions passed on illicitly to Berrios’s commercial property campaign supporters.

Worse, Houlihan claims that he was unaware that Joe Berrios was running one of these citizen outreach seminars right in Houlihan’s own suburban Cook district. It was at this outreach session that Berrios slipped in the commercial cases among the private citizen’s requests.

There are several vexing questions that Houlihan has yet to answer to in this scandal. Chief of which is what did Houlihan know and when did he know it?

  • Was Houlihan personally aware that these commercial cases were slipped in with the private homeowner’s tax reduction requests?
  • If Commissioner Houlihan wasn’t aware of it is one of his staffers complicit with the illegal activity?
  • Did Houlihan review and approve of the tax reductions for Berrios’s pals?
  • If not, isn’t that a dereliction of his duty as a board member?
  • Why did Houlihan not even know what was going on in his own district?

There also seem to have been three closed-door hearings by the Board of Review on this whole scandal. Despite that these violations occurred in Houlihan’s very own district transcripts show that he asked no questions during the hearings. In fact, he failed to even attend one of them.

Just what the heck does Brendan Houlihan do in his elected position on the Cook County Board of Review? He skips meetings, refuses to ask questions about a scandal perpetrated in his own district, rubber stamps illegal tax reductions, and then won’t answer to the voters for his lack of alacrity for doing his job.

I called Houlihan’s office and was granted a meeting… at first. The next day, via email, spokesman Mark Volpe told me that meeting was canceled. After a follow up phone call I was told that Houlihan had no comment on the matter.

Clearly Houlihan doesn’t feel he has to answer to the voters of suburban Cook County. Will they return him to office in November?
____________
“The only end of writing is to enable the reader better to enjoy life, or better to endure it.”
–Samuel Johnson

Warner Todd Huston is a Chicago based freelance writer. He has been writing opinion editorials and social criticism since early 2001 and before that he wrote articles on U.S. history for several small American magazines. His political columns are featured on many websites such as Andrew Breitbart’s BigGovernment.com, BigHollywood.com, and BigJournalism.com, as well as RightWingNews.com, CanadaFreePress.com, StoptheACLU.com, AmericanDaily.com, among many, many others. Mr. Huston is also endlessly amused that one of his articles formed the basis of an article in Germany’s Der Spiegel Magazine in 2008.

For a full bio, please CLICK HERE.


Cook County Commish Tony Peraica: Protecting Your Hard-Earned Tax Dollars

From the office of Cook County Commissioner Tony Peraica…

Update on Our Efforts at Tax Relief and Ethics Reforms

I wanted to take this chance to update you on important developments in county government.

I am pleased to announce that the county finance committee recently passed a series of reforms to the Cook County Ethics Ordinance — one of which prohibits conflicts of interest in lobbying. Hopefully, at the next County Board meeting on October 5 the adoption of these amendments will be approved by the entire County Board.

The second item we are looking at introducing is a requirement that any future tax increase is subject to a super majority vote of the County Board. As it stands now, it is much easier to pass a tax hike in Cook County than it is to repeal it. This is wrong — and our proposal is needed to protect the taxpayers.

As you know, we were successful at rolling back one half of the one percent sales tax increase early this year — and I will not rest until we have fully repealed the Stroger sales tax increase.

I invite you to watch our brief video in which I update you on these, and other, important issues that directly impact your pocketbook:

www.CommissionerPeraica.com


Patlak: Questions For The Cook County Board Of Review & Tax Facts Video 5 Released‏

From the Patlak for for Cook County Board of Review…

There has been an ongoing State’s Attorney investigation regarding influence pedaling at the Board of Review for the benefit of properties within Commissioner Brendan Houlihan’s 1st District. Commissioner Houlihan has been tight mouthed about this matter and has some important questions to answer regarding his competence, culpability and lack of oversight. This is further evidence that we need greater transparency and balance on the board and Dan Patlak will provide the necessary ethical leadership. Please read the News Release from the Cook County Republican Party.

With less than one month to go before early voting begins on October 11, we are releasing our fifth Tax Facts video. This video describes the three most commonly received property tax exemptions as well as the venues available for appealing your assessment.

We are still looking for new yard sign locations as well as heavily traveled locations for our 4X4 signs. Click here to request a yard sign and write a note if you have an appropriate location for a 4X4.

We are facing a well financed incumbent in our efforts to empower tax payers and to bring competence and political balance to the Board. Please contribute by clicking here.

http://www.electpatlak.com
http://www.twitter.com/DanPatlak
http://www.facebook.com/DanPatlak


$75 million in federal disaster assistance to victims of July flooding‏

From the office of Cook COunty Commissioner Tony Peraica…

The late July flooding that ravaged much of Cook County was salt in the wounds of many individuals and employers who are already fighting to recover from the economic downturn.

Those of us in the bipartisan contingent of local elected officials who fought for the federal “disaster area” declaration were pleased when that declaration came last month. So far, upwards of $75 million in federal disaster assistance has been distributed.

Thank you to all the residents, businesses, municipalities and townships that helped distribute and gather the data collection forms which helped us in our effort to garner this federal declaration.
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$75 million in federal disaster assistance to victims of July flooding‏”


Dan Patlak Campaign Update & Tax Facts Video 4 – Appeal Property Taxes With An Attorney?

From Dan Patlak for Cook County Board of Review…

It is time to start placing Taxpayer Advocate Dan Patlak yard signs in lawns. If you saved your sign from the primary campaign please put it up right away. If you would like to have a free yard sign, click here to provide us with your address and we will deliver a sign to you.

Interested in learning more about the Cook County property tax system? Please view taxpayer advocate Dan Patlak’s Tax Facts video #4 – Is It Best To Appeal Property Taxes With An Attorney?. Go to the Education Center at to watch more videos and submit your own question for Dan. If you like what you see click on volunteer to help the campaign.

If you are a Senior or if you have been having a hard time keeping up with your property tax payments, then you will be interested in reading the Letter to the Editor Dan had published in the Southtown Star newspaper last week, 2 Property Tax Changes That Should be Repealed.

Wheeling Township Precinct Captain Karen Conway was the winner of the Matching Contribution contest for a two night stay at the Island Lake Resort in Mackinac Island. Bill Cadigan and Scott Kegaris won gift certificates to Ryba’s Fudge Shop at Navy Pier and McCormick Place. Thank you to everyone who helped us reach our $10,000 goal. We still have a long way to go to fund our entire campaign budget but this contest was a good demonstration of our fundraising potential. If you would like to help Dan bring professional competence and political balance to the Board of Review, click here to contribute.

Dan and a cadre of volunteers will be marching in the Buffalo Grove Labor Day parade on Sunday, September 5th at Noon. He will also be marching in the Schaumburg Labor Day parade on Monday, September 6th at 9 AM. We would love to have you join us. For more information on where to meet, call us at 847-867-2375.

Sincerely,
Ken Jochum
Campaign Manager
http://www.electpatlak.com
http://www.twitter.com/DanPatlak
http://www.facebook.com/DanPatlak


Govt Officials Take Day Off To Raise Campaign Cash for Bosses

-By Warner Todd Huston

Must be nice to be a boss at the Cook County Board of Review. While there are 436,000 appeals for property tax appraisals sitting in its offices, the bosses of the Cook County Board of Review took a day off in the middle of the week to attend a fundraiser for Cook County Democratic Chairman Joe Berrios. And they invited their employees to join them.

It’s all fun and games working for government, we all know.

A dozen Board of Review employees and many of those lawyers and tax attorneys that make their living dealing with the Board attended the golf outing fund raiser for Berrios.

But who cares about work when there’s fundraising to be done?


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Govt Officials Take Day Off To Raise Campaign Cash for Bosses”


How to apply for Federal Flood Disaster Assistance‏

From the office of Cook County Commissioner Tony Peraica…

The federal government has declared Cook County a disaster area due to the flooding that occurred in late July.

Those of us in the bipartisan contingent of local elected officials who fought for this declaration were pleased when it came last week. Thank you to all the residents, businesses, municipalities and townships that helped distribute and gather the data collection forms which helped us in our effort to garner this declaration.
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How to apply for Federal Flood Disaster Assistance‏”


Commissioner Peraica: Bringing Important Issues to Your Attention

From Cook County Commissioner Tony Peraica…

While the County Board is out enjoying the last few weeks of summer — issues facing taxpayers and our citizens continue to mount.

That’s why I want to make sure you are aware of the following important issues facing the county board in the coming weeks.

  • On August 26 the county board will come together to discuss and deal with the flood issues facing Cook County.
  • The Cook County board will meet again on September 1 to kick off the 2011 budget process.
  • On September 15, a special meeting of the Finance Committee will convene to deal with the County Ethics Ordinance that we have put forth. The ordinance would prohibit lobbying by all elected officials of any legislative body.

I also invite you to watch my brief video update:

Tony Peraica
Cook County Commissioner
www.commissionerperaica.com/


Dan Patlak’s Campaign For Cook County Board Of Review‏

From the Patlak for Cook County Board of Review campaign…

Today we are rolling out our third “Tax Facts” video for your review. The first two have been met with interest by Cook County taxpayers far and wide who find the information provided to be empowering. The first two Tax Facts videos are now posted in our Education Center at www.ElectPatlak.com. You can ask your own question about property taxes by clicking on “Ask Dan”.
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Dan Patlak’s Campaign For Cook County Board Of Review‏”


It’s All In The Family In Suburban McCook

From the office of Cook County Commissioner Tony Peraica…

In the small suburban Cook County village of McCook it’s all about hiring as many relatives to the village payroll as possible.

It is mind-boggling to find out that a village as small as McCook (only 250 residents) — has at least 12 relatives of Mayor Jeffery Tobolski, including his own wife who work or contract for something with the village of McCook.
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It’s All In The Family In Suburban McCook”


2 Property Tax Changes That Should be Repealed

From the campaign of Dan Patlak for the Cook County Board of Review…

Two changes recently made to the property tax code by Governor Quinn and the state legislature are bad for taxpayers and should be repealed.

The first change is a “Senior Penalty” requiring that Senior Exemptions be renewed every year. Evidently, our lawmakers believe that once homeowners turn 65 they may actually get younger. The requirement for seniors to renew each year is an unnecessary burden on seniors as well as the County Assessor’s office which must repeatedly process paperwork year after year for taxpayers who have already proven they are eligible for the exemption. The result is more administrative expense, more missed exemptions, more refund applications and more confusion for seniors.
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2 Property Tax Changes That Should be Repealed”


Property Tax Education Center and Tax Facts Video Release‏

From the Patlak for Cook County Board of Review campaign…

With real estate values declining and property taxes rising, it is important to have a representative within our county government who is dedicated to making sure taxpayers get a fair hearing when they appeal their property assessment. My name is Dan Patlak and I am a candidate for Commissioner of the Cook County Board of Review which reviews property assessment appeals. Unlike my Chicago Machine opponent, I possess the formal education, professional credentials, real world experience and demonstrated actions as a Taxpayer Advocate that make me uniquely qualified to lead the Board of Review. Details confirming this can be found in my biography.
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Property Tax Education Center and Tax Facts Video Release‏”


Peraica: Today’s Taxing (and Troubling) News‏

From the office of Cook County Commissioner Tony Peraica….

There were two tidbits in today’s headlines that further support my push to fully repeal the Stroger sales tax hike in Cook County.

First, despite rising taxes and fees, tax collections are actually down in the state (again). As the Champaign News-Gazette reports, overall state tax collections are down 9.5% in July.

The reason for this decline? Simple: people are out of work. When they are out of work, their incomes drop (obviously). That leads to a drop in income tax revenues. They also consume less, which leads to a drop in sales taxes. It is for that reason that increasing the income tax and keeping sales taxes high will only further decimate our economy.
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Peraica: Today’s Taxing (and Troubling) News‏”


Second Tax Facts Video Released Empowering Cook County Property Tax Payers

From the campaign of Patlak for Cook County Board of Review…

As promised, we have released the second Property Tax Facts video in a series designed to educate Cook County property owners about our property tax system. If you have a question of your own, go to www.ElectPatlak.com and click the Ask Dan button located in our Education Center.

Our Matching Contribution effort is gaining traction. We are already half-way to our goal of raising $10,000 by August 19 which will be matched by a generous supporter who believes as we do that we need to fight the Chicago Machine by bringing professional competence and political balance to the Board of Review. But we still need your help. Please contribute whatever amount you can afford by mailing a check to Citizens for Dan Patlak, 113 Berkshire Drive, Wheeling, IL 60090. Or you can contribute on-line by clicking here.
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Second Tax Facts Video Released Empowering Cook County Property Tax Payers”


Joel Pollak: Jan Schakowsky Says Charles Rangel is ‘My Leader’

From the Pollak for Congress campaign (9th District)…

NILES, IL- A newly discovered YouTube video reveals the close ties between Jan Schakowsky and Charles Rangel, chair of the House Ways & Means Committee, who is currently facing serious ethics charges.

The video was uploaded by the National Black Leadership Commission on AIDS (NLBCA) on March 20, 2010

It contains footage of a speech Schakowsky gave at an NBLCA event on Capitol Hill on March 17, 2010–two weeks after Rangel was forced to take a “leave of absence” as chair of his committee on March 3.
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Joel Pollak: Jan Schakowsky Says Charles Rangel is ‘My Leader’”


Town Hall Meeting on Local Flooding: 10 a.m. Sat., La Grange Village Hall

From the office of Tony Peraica, Cook County Commissioner…

You are invited to join me tomorrow for a town hall meeting tomorrow at 10 a.m. at LaGrange Village Hall to discuss local village flooding and local governmental efforts to provide relief to local residents and families.

WHEN: Tomorrow, Saturday, July 31, 2010 — 10 a.m.
WHERE: La Grange Village Hall (53 S. La Grange Avenue)

We will have data forms available for you to fill out to detail any property damage. These forms will help our efforts to garner federal aid for local flood damage. You can also find those forms online at our Web site (please note: they are to be returned to your local town, village or township office.)

We hope to see you tomorrow

Sincerely,
Tony Peraica
Cook County Commissioner

www.commissionerperaica.com/


Now Cook County Board Prez Stroger Sticks Taxpayers With $175,000 Contract Bill

-By Warner Todd Huston

Cook County Board President Todd Stroger’s last year in office is marked by one incident of bilking the taxpayers after another. Each week seems to bring a new example of Stroger and his buddies and family members sticking their hands in our pockets and this week has been no different.

In fact, this week we’ve gotten a twofer as two incidents of Stroger’s nest feathering have come to light. The first came on the 27th when Big Boss Todd awarded a $15,000 consulting job to Raymond L. Harris Sr., of Bolingbrook, who worked on Stroger’s losing primary campaign to retain his seat.
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Now Cook County Board Prez Stroger Sticks Taxpayers With $175,000 Contract Bill”


Another Stroger Appointment on the Backs of Taxpayers

From Cook County Commissioner Tony Peraica…

Earlier today, in another direct insult to the county taxpayers — Todd Stroger and his administration put forth yet another campaign official from their failed primary campaign to join the county payroll as a $60,000 paid labor consultant.

It is high time for the Stroger administration to stop granting political favors by placing former campaign workers in high paid roles on the backs of the taxpayers.

Tony Peraica
Cook County Commissioner
www.reformcookcounty.com


The Jobs’ Not Done Yet — Sales Tax Still Highest in Nation

From the office of Cook County Commissioner Tony Peraica…

Let’s not forget that even though the county board approved to cut back the sales tax by a .5 percent reduction , there is still more work to be done.

This was an important step forward for Cook County taxpayers, who are struggling to make ends meet amidst rising unemployment and a growing tax burden.

But it is only a first step.
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The Jobs’ Not Done Yet — Sales Tax Still Highest in Nation”


Tony Peraica: Local Flood Relief Assistance

From the office of Cook County Commissinoer Tony Peraica…

I would like to offer my gratitude to Cook County and local municipal officials in the 16th District for their efforts in addressing the massive flooding which occurred over the past weekend.

I am pleased that everyone came together and worked to help county residents, especially the elderly. County employees from the Sheriff’s Department, Office of Homeland Security, and my own staff were on hand to survey damage and provide needed assistance. While this was certainly an unfortunate event, it was heartening to see local officials, neighbors and friends helping one another in this time of need.
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Tony Peraica: Local Flood Relief Assistance”


Cook County Board to Extort Suburban Drivers

-By Warner Todd Huston

Oh, the games Cook County Board President little Todd Stroger plays. And they are always about sticking it to the taxpayers, aren’t they? Stroger and his Democrat co-conspirators have really proven that county Democrats are more like a criminal syndicate as opposed to proper representatives of the people with a recent move to stick it to suburban drivers in violation of what the suburban cities even want to have happen in their jurisdictions.

Little Toddie wanted to have county sponsored red-light cameras positioned throughout the Cook County suburbs so that the county could get more money in the form of mailed fines from drivers. But the suburban towns and cities didn’t want the county to intrude upon their roads with these onerous cameras and at least in the case of one city, Schaumburg, we have a town that already removed their own red-light cameras due to pressure from the voters. So the county board offered a compromise.

To mollify the suburban cities the board included an opt out clause in its red-light camera rules. If the cities didn’t want them, they could opt out and keep them out of their areas. Stroger and his extortionist buddies were shocked, though, when “nearly every Northwest Cook County town proceeded to opt out” of his grab for suburban driver’s wallets.

What to do, what to do? Stroger was losing his new revenue stream. How could they stop it?

Eureka! Toddie had an idea…
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Cook County Board to Extort Suburban Drivers”


Dem. Cook County Board Prez Candidate’s Big Union Haul

-By Warner Todd Huston

The Sun-Times reports that the next Cook County Board President might be yet another bought and paid for union stooge.

Democrat Party candidate Toni Preckwinkle raised $1.3 million for her campaign for county board president thus far and $220,000 of that came from the Service Employees International Union (SEIU).

So, what we are seeing is yet another Democrat candidate owned lock, stock and barrel by a public employees union. Gee, I wonder if she’ll be amenable to union demands once in office?

Her opponent, GOP candidate Roger Keats, has raised only $19,000 so far. Not that there IS a Republican Party in the county of Crook.

If you would like to help out the Keats campaign, here is his website: http://keatsforcook.org/. You can donate directly here: Keats For Cook, PayPal.
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Dem. Cook County Board Prez Candidate’s Big Union Haul”