Cheap shot attacks against Liz Gorman by Republican foe

Many weeks ago, a friend who is an Oak Lawn landlord told me that Cook County Commissioner Tony Peraica doesn't like Cook County Commissioner Liz Gorman. Like someone needed to tell me that. It was a lot of Peraica trash-talk about Gorman a few years back that put me in a confrontation with her over some of her policies. He said Peraica wanted to give me a pile of court documents showing how bad she still is.


A week later, I received one of those anonymous envelopes that columnists always get around election time filled with court documents rehashed from a dead story from 2001 about a private business that Commissioner Gorman's husband once ran that was associated with former Chicago Alderman Ed Vrdolyak.


Believe me, if Vrdolyak's name had not come up in the story, no one -- and I mean no one would have written about it at all.


I don't know if the envelope came from Peraica, but it seemed a little too coincidental.


This week, Gorman's challenger in the Republican Primary, Mark Thompson, issued a scathing attack against Gorman and her husband Gerry Gorman, accusing them of all kinds of behavior, much of it tied to the story about the court documents and the failed car dealership.


Thompson is the Maine Township Republican Committeeman and former two-term Maine Township Supervisor. He was also the Chief Deputy Director under Secretary of State Jim Edgar, which goes back a long time. There is no doubt in my mind that Thompson is also close to Peraica and this is more about Peraica who can't stand the fact that Gorman is doing so well. It's always been Peraica's undoing in his political relationships.


It's sad that instead of dealing with the issues that voters are concerned about, like sales taxes in Cook County, Thompson has to launch a very nasty attack, mainly against Gorman's husband, Gerry.


HAS THOMPSON CROSSED A LEGAL LINE?


In his news release, Thompson alleges that the Gorman's illegally moved money between their business and campaign fund. 


Thompson wrote:


"Allegations have surfaced that Liz Gorman and her husband, Gerald Gorman, diverted hundreds of thousands of dollars due creditors of their failed car dealerships as “loans” to Gorman’s campaign committee in 2002.  The funds were used to pay for Gorman’s first race for County Commissioner. 

"Further allegations are that in 2004 the committee changed the listed creditors on the huge "loans" from the dealerships to Gerald Gorman, and have been paying back the "loans" to Gerald Gorman, not the dealership creditors."  


But what Thompson doesn't mention is that in 2005, the IRS Audited the transactions in question and found "NO CHANGE" an IRS legal term meaning that nothing was done improperly and that there was no tax liability. The Gormans forwarded a copy of that IRS document to me detailing the "NO  CHANGE."


The Gormans are talking to a lawyer to respond to Thompson's allegations with a lawsuit. 


WHAT'S REALLY GOING ON?


Gerry Gorman is NOT the candidate for the Cook County Board. Liz Gorman is. It's almost a sexist attack, too. Whenever a woman candidate is challenged, they always go after the husband. 


In the time that I have come to know Liz Gorman and better understand her politics, I've realized she is exactly the kind of county official that Cook County needs. 


She is fearless. I had criticized her over the esoterica issue of Republican Party leadership and we were going back and forth when she had the courage to attend a public fight-the-tax forum that I had sponsored in Orland Park. Although we had been trading some barbs -- it's the nature of journalism and politics -- Gorman had the chutzpah to show up and stand up for the rights of taxpayers at the meeting.


I was impressed. Most politicians slither around and cower in fear of being criticized, afraid to questions or defend their public records. Other politicians want to deal with mudslinging and anonymous envelopes of worthless mush to bring their opponents down, usually because they lack the creative mindset to offer new ideas and lead. Still others are consumed with jealousy when their colleagues on the board get all the attention and they don't. They have to be in the public spotlight and see their names in print and hear their voices on radio or see their faces on TV news.


But not Liz Gorman. In the past year, Gorman singlehandedly has helped the County Board find the courage to stand up to Cook County Board President John Stroger who with the backing of many of the same commissioners who supported the tax increase fought Stroger and forced him to back down.


The first vote came and went but Gorman would not relent. She persisted. Why? Because it was good for her career? No. It was good for the taxpayers of Cook County. The fight went back and forth and each time Gorman wouldn't give up and more and more commissioners joined the coalition until finally the sales tax that Stroger imposed was cut in half.


Let me repeat that. The Stroger sales tax, thanks to Liz Gorman, was cut in half, saving taxpayers millions of dollars during a time when our economy is in its worst predicament.


Now, Mark Thompson can spend all his money bashing Liz Gorman all he wants. He can attack her husband, who I think has a great personality. He can throw mud, dredge up old useless stories.


Or, Thompson can roll up his sleeves and show taxpayers how he would be a better Cook County Commissioner. But being better than Liz Gorman on the Cook County Board is one challenge that very few elected officials will be able to achieve in a lifetime.


And if you can't be a better leader, maybe all you have left is to call people names.


That's not going to win votes in this election. 


Liz Gorman is the 800 pound gorilla who has made Todd Stroger and his tax hike administration moan and groan over the past few years like no one has ever made the county board groan. Never before have I seen a board override a veto by a sitting county board president. And never before have I seen a government agency roll back a tax hike heeding the call of the public.


Not re-electing Gorman would be like telling Todd Stroger that it is okay to raise taxes even more, which is what several county Commissioner had hoped to do and probably will do after this year's election.


You can check all this out for yourself. Liz Gorman's web site is www.LizGorman.com. Mark Thompson's web site is www.MarkThompson2010.com.


I think the differences are clear.


-- Ray Hanania
www.RadioChicagoland.com

Gorman praises board action to override Stroger veto of sales tax rollback

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                 CONTACT:  Peg Walsh:  773-704-4655                  

           

Commissioner Gorman and County Board Override Stroger’s Veto of Sales Tax Repeal

December 1, 2009 – Today marked a major victory for Cook County taxpayers and businesses as Commissioner Liz Gorman joined with eleven other county board members in voting (12 to 5) to override President Todd Stroger’s veto of the 0.5% Sales Tax Repeal.  The 0.5% Sales Tax Repeal was passed by the county board by a 12 to 5 margin on November 17, 2009 after two previous repeal votes were vetoed by Stroger.  Within days of this most recent Sales Tax Repeal vote the board president, for a third time, vetoed this tax-cutting measure.

During today’s debate from the floor of the county board, Commissioner Gorman, in her remarks stated, “A new chapter in Cook County Government is being written today!  What governmental bodies are you aware of that have successfully repealed a tax?  In this economy, governments are making hard cuts and looking to increase tax and fee revenues wherever possible.

With this repeal, we are being proactive by leveling the playing field for our businesses so that they can grow, compete and create jobs.  This sales tax repeal will return consumer confidence back in Cook County. In turn, this will provide opportunity for municipalities to increase their local tax receipts by rolling back a portion now. 

This vote should be used as a litmus test for voters to hold elected officials accountable.  Not only does this repeal represent a sales tax cut, but it makes a bold statement -- that this body recognizes that taxpayers are not satisfied with the tax and spend policies that have dominated county government for decades and that this county board is serious about fiscal responsibility.  I hope this is the first step in many that will lead to more constructive reform initiatives and tax policies for county government.”

Today’s successful override vote was made possible by new legislation passed by the state legislature and signed by the governor (October 2009) that reduced the veto override threshold from 4/5 to 3/5.  Commissioner Gorman sponsored the county board resolution that urged the state legislature and governor to pass and sign this legislation.  

The 0.5% Sales Tax Repeal will reduce the Cook County Sales Tax from 1.75% down to 1.25%. The Sales Tax Repeal will be effective on July 1, 2010.

Cook County Board votes to defend taxpayers and push Stroger towards the exit

The Cook County Board has voted to override President Todd Stroger's veto of the motion introduced last week by Elizabeth "Liz" Doody Gorman and an array of progressive commissioners to roll back the 1 percent sales tax by half.


It's a huge victory for the taxpayers and the beginning of the end for Stroger who has turned Cook County into a personal patronage haven for his cronies. Instead of leading by example, Stroger chose to lead by shortcuts, addressing budget shortfalls not with cutbacks in his administration or forcing the county's eight executive office holders to cut back their budgets, but rather by placing the burden of his failed leadership on the backs of the taxpayers of Cook County.


Several commissioners deserve recognition for standing up to the Stroger tax tyranny including Gorman, John Daley, Peter Sylvestri, Gregg Goslin and Timothy Schneider. All of the 12 commissioners who voted to override Stroger's veto of the half percent sales tax rollback deserve praise and they are listed below.


Among those who must be remembered at election time, though, include Commissioner Joan Patricia Murphy, a friend of Stroger's legal eagle Burton S. Odelson, and Commissioner Deborah "Flip Flop" Simms. Murphy is being challenged by Nick Valadez who has vowed to represent the best interests of the taxpayers while Simms is being challenged by Sheila Chalmer Currin. (Click here to listen to the podcast of Valadez and Currin discussing their candidacies.)


VOTE TO CUT SALES TAX: 

Elizabeth Gorman, R-Orland Park

Peter Silvestri, R-Elmwood Park

Gregg Goslin, R-Glenview

John Daley, D-Chicago

Timothy Schneider, R-Streamwood

Earlean Collins, D-Chicago

Forrest Claypool, D-Chicago
Bridget Gainer, D-Chicago
Tony Peraica, R-Riverside
Edwin Reyes, D-Chicago
Robert Steele, D-Chicago
Larry Suffredin, D-Evanston

VOTE TO PRESERVE SALES TAX: 

Joan Murphy, D-Crestwood

Deborah Sims, D-Chicago
William Beavers, D-Chicago
Jerry Butler, D-Chicago
Joseph Mario Moreno, D-Chicago

Deborah Sims doesn't mind using taxpayer money for her own comfort

Deborah Sims, the do-nothing member of the Cook County Board who gave County Board President Todd Stroger the vote he needed to protect his repressive 1 percent sales tax on Cook County taxpayers, doesn't mind spending the taxpayer's hard-earned cash on her own comforts.

FOX Chicago news reporter Dane Placko did a report Thursday night detailing how Sims uses her $95,000-a-year salaried chief of staff to drive her around, not just to and from work but to and from political events and publicity events, and, even shopping?

Sims even uses county taxpayer money to pay to lease her big, fancy late model red Cadillac. her chief of staff drives to her home, parks his car at her house and then gets behind the wheel like a high-priced chauffeur and drives her everywhere.

It's not illegal for government officials to waste the taxpayer money on their own comforts and excessive luxuries. They get a fortune every year to pay for everything from staff, to offices, to cars (luxury cars apparently), and anything else their little hearts desire. They get the best healthcare taxpayer money can buy and they apparently don't feel they have to be accountable to the public, like when Placko asked Sims to answer some questions about her office practices and she responded saying whether she answers or not depends on the questions.

What's the issue? The Taxpayers have the right to know how their elected officials spend the taxpayer's hard earned money.

Get more information on the Sims' scandal at www.MyFoxChicago.com.

Now, while Sims is chauffeured to and from work in luxury, at the taxpayer's expense, other commissioners told Placko that they drive themselves to and from work. Well, not everyone drives. A few conscientious Cook County Board members know what it's like to be public servants and to respect the rights of taxpayers.

Cook County Commissioner Liz Gorman (R-17th) doesn't drive. She takes public transportation to and from her home to the County Board meetings and her office. I know because several times in the morning when she would appear on my radio show on WJJG 1530 AM (www.RadioChicagoland.com) she did the interviews while on the METRA train.

That's the kind of dedication that Sims doesn't understand. Gorman led the fight to repeal the repressive sales tax which is chasing businesses out of Cook County.

Let's hope Sims and Stroger are both thrown out of office on their asses and are forced to find real jobs where they have to do the work, for a change. Maybe they would come to respect the taxpayer's hard earned money if they had to worry about paying their own bills.

-- Ray Hanania

www.RadioChicagoland.com

Oust Tax Lady Deborah Sims from the Cook County Board

Cook County Board President Todd Stroger had the dubious distinction -- the only one in his undistinguished career -- of raising the most taxes in Cook County, introducing and pushing for a hike in the Cook County Sales Tax. Stroger wanted 1 percent but his more fanatical tax-lovers and citizen-haters like Joan Patricia Murphy wanted more -- can you believe Murphy wanted to increase the sales tax 2 percnt to what? Protect her job, perqs and patronage?

Then came Deborah Sims, the Cook County Board commissioner who voted to repeal 1/2 percent or half of Stroger's oppressive sales tax increase so she could tell voters and taxpayers she is on their side.

Then Stroger vetoed the rollback of his one percent tax, which would have gone to only .5 percent.

Today, two-faced liar Sims backed off of her support of taxpayers and decided to NOT override Stroger's veto of the sales tax rollback, singlehandedly undermining the effort to ease the tax burden on Cook County residents.

The list of people who MUST be ousted from Cook County government, if you care about the cost of living in this county, has now grown by one to include Deborah Sims. She should resign in disgrace and step down from the county board. She is the ultimate flip-flopper and a true pathetic anti-taxpayer loser!

She should be ashamed of herself.

It's very possible Sims was playing a little game all along, to pretend to support the rollback to get pats on the back for doing the right thing, and then voting no to NOT override Stroger's veto.

The sooner we clean out the Cook County Board the sooner taxpayers can find relief. Until that election next year, the tax-leviers like Stroger, Murphy and Sims have a headlock on our pocketbooks and they clearly do not care about the public interest.

Tragic but typical of the Machine Politics that puts the interests, benefits and patronage of government officials way above the interests of the public.

Vote Sims out of office. Vote Murphy out of office. Vote Stroger out of office, not just for his tax policies but for his pathetic failed track record in office.

UPDATE: 9:15 pm

We should remember, though, the courageous fight led by County Commissioner Liz Gorman with the support of Commissioners Larry Suffredin and John Daley. If it wasn't for Gorman, this fight would not have gone as far as it has. Gorman and her allies on the board have refused to give up. Even though Stroger's oppressive anti-taxpayer veto has prevailed thanks to Sims, the fact is that the entire saga of flip flopping and challenges to the Stroger tax has been a victory for the public and another loss for Stroger. Sustaining the veto has only secured his certain fate in February to lose in the Democratic primary, remembered mainly as a spoon-fed, pampered politician who rose to power on his late father's back, only to fall off forgetting that his allegiance should be to the best interests of ALL of the taxpayers of Cook County.

There is no doubt this battle will scar Stroger's re-election chances and possibly open the door to a new, more progressive leadership that is sensitive more to the needs of the public than selfish political interests. Hopefully, Sims will also go down next year.

-- Ray Hanania

www.RadioChicagoland.com

Nick Valadez announces candidacy for the 6th Cook County Board District challenging Joan Murphy

Nick Valadez announced his candidacy for the Cook County Board in the 6th District surrounded by 150 of his supporters out in Tinley Park Saturday. He hammered his opponent, incumbent Joan Murphy, who not only sponsored County Board President Todd Stroger's 1 percent hike int he sales tax, she tried to double it to a 2 percent sales tax increase which would be an even greater burden on taxpayers.

Murphy has never had to worry about being re-elected. She was backed by Crestwood's former mayor Chester Stranczek who was recently replaced by his son. But it turns out that while the Stranczeks were in power, the water in the village was contaminated with hazardous materials that many believe are behind the high rate of cancer there. Murphy has defended Stranczek and called those who complained about the increase in the sales tax and the hazardous water in Crestwood whiners.

Valadez is tapping the growing anger with Murphy, who is unresponsive to voter needs and does whatever Stroger tells her to do. She's a Machine candidate who takes her orders from machine insiders. in contrast, Valadez is taking his campaign to the people. He is running much of it on the Internet, which is the new media, and by going out and actually meeting voters one-on-one. He's combining old politics with new media and it can be very powerful.

I stopped by his announcement today and here is a links to a video interview posted on Facebook Video and also on MySpace Video.

His web site is FixCookCounty.com where you can read about his background.

Valadez wants to give you information and hold down the costs of taxation in Cook County. Murphy wants business as usual and is unaccountable.

The choice is simple.

-- Ray Hanania
www.RadioChicagoland.com

Pundits say Gorman has trouble but I don't believe it

Going in to every election, incumbents always look vulnerable. There's a lot of big talk and big ambition by officeholders who dream of becoming the next political "phenom" like Barack Obama, who went from relative unknown to president of the United States in less than six years.

The candidates are already dreaming and some of those dreamers have set their sights on one incumbent in the Southwest Suburbs, 17th District Cook County Commissioner Liz Gorman.

Gorman is not the darling of the downtown news media which analyzes everything in terms of either Mayor Daley or the Chicago Loop. Most major media, with some exceptions, ignore the suburbs and pretty much follow the pack when deciding who is or isn't vulnerable in elections. So bright stars in the suburbs often are overlooked.

There have been a few exceptions like Media darling Forrest Claypool, who every writer pretty much ordained would become the slayer of the evil tax lord, Cook County Board PresidentTodd Stroger. But Claypool discovered in his polling that he could neither raise the money nor could he count on real Democratic Party support. He would have lost to Stroger.

Then there is the other darling of the news media, Mike Quigley. Unlike Claypool, Quigley is made of much more genuine substance. He's more personable and less arrogant. He actually talks to people. Quigley was smart enough to throw his hat into the crowded Democratic primary battle to succeed Rahm Emanuel in Congress. It wasn't that Quigley was a phenom like Obama, but rather that the race for the congressional seat was more like the running of the bulls in Pamplona. Some people would luck out and make it through to the end of the race without getting gored, and a few unlucky ones would get gored.

Quigley got lucky. He has but two years to prove himself and he's working hard at showing he can handle the job, now that he was lucky enough to win.

Gorman is off the major media radar screen, except when the negative steamrollers come in to rehash all that deadweight about Ed Vrdolyak. Yes "Fast Eddie" will never leave the news. Ed happened to be friends with Gorman's husband, Gerry. They were business partners, too. But there isn't one politician Ed Vrdolyak hasn't helped, worked with or has not considered to be a friend. And he's done business with a lot of others, incuding a few who are among those being hailed by pundits as possible Gorman challengers.

The least known of the presumptive candidates to challenger Liz Gorman is in fact the front-runner, Pat Maher. President of the controversy-plagued Orland Fire Protection District (in two years its political legal spending went from nothing to hundreds of thousands) Maher is the son of a long time Orland Park village clerk, Dave Maher. Pat Maher has one brother who quietly and unsuccessfully ran for a village trustee post in nearby Lemont. In any other lifetime, the Mahers would be just an ordinary, bland suburban political family. Fat frogs sitting high on lilly pods in small pools. But this Maher family has ties to the powerful family of Tom Hynes, father of Comptroller Dan Hynes, who hail from the legendary 19th Ward where the the 19th Ward Machine stands ready at their beck and call.

Yet Pat Maher is not the name that everyone is talking about when it comes to the 17th District challenge to Liz Gorman. Take this paragraph from a recent column by my friend and capable columnist Russ Stewart (July 23) who looked at the county races from top to bottom:

17th District (Park Ridge, Des Plaines, Mount Prospect, then south in a narrow corridor to Lemont, Orland Park and Tinley Park): Incumbent [Liz] Gorman’s husband was a business partner of Ed Vrdolyak, and there is some negative fallout attaching to her. She was first elected unopposed in 2002, and re-elected in 2006 with 55.6 percent. She is the Orland Township Republican committeeman, was briefly the Republican county chairman, and has been feuding with Peraica.

A likely 2010 Democratic candidate for the seat is Dr. Victor Forys, a Polish-American who garnered 11.7 percent of the vote in the 2009 Democratic congressional primary in the 5th District. If Forys can assemble both a geographic (north versus south) and ethnic coalition, he could win. Other candidates include Orland Park trustee Jim Dodge and RTA Board member Dennis Cook. But well-known Orland Park Mayor Dan McLaughlin is also a possibility, and would be favored in a primary. The outlook: Gorman has huge problems.

The first thing you notice is that the focus is not on Liz Gorman, who has come out swinging this past year with some major legislative initiatives. Rather, the focus is on her husband, Gerry, a businessman whose family is involved in politics. It's a funny thing. I'd heard a lot about Gerry Gorman that made him out to be some kind of behind-the-scenes T-Rex. Then I had a chance to meet him. Turns out he's just like any other family man who takes his kids to little league practice and spends a lot of time with his wife.

The second thing you notice in Russ Stewart's analysis is the absence of any recognition of Pat Maher. The focus instead is on: Orland Park Mayor Dan McLaughlin; Jim Dodge, who Gorman appointed to the METRA Board; Dennis Cook, a member of the RTA board with the Illinois Federation of Young Republicans. And perennial candidate Victor Forys.

Now, I'm not knocking anyone but I can tell you this:

Dan McLaughlin may covet higher office, possibly lieutenant governor in the Democratic race for Governor in 2010, as the rmor mill is now swirling. But Dan has a big job with the Chicago Plumbers Union that pays well and takes up much of his time. Being president of a village with a great reputation and a high-paid village manager is a second job that pays some money but offers great rewards. Give that up for the undistinguished arena of the Cook County board? I don't think so. Maybe for statewide office, yes!

Dodge, the former Orland Township GOP Committeeman, has ambitions. But in a fight with an incumbent Republican, he'd have a difficult battle. A nice guy, what has he done on the METRA Board and how would the public even know him? Could he raise the money you'd need to run in this fight? And would you backstab someone who went to bat for you when you needed it?

Dennis Cook may want to enter the race simply to give himself higher name recognition because he just ain't too well known with the voters. A nice guy according to Republican insiders who I know. He has a future.

But Orland Park based challengers really have a disadvantage. The 17th District is shaped like the Via Dolorosa, the cobble-stone path that winds its way through the narrow streets of Jerusalem, where Jesus carried his cross before being crucified. In addition to including Orland Township, where Maher may do well, the 17th District runs all the way north to include many areas where names like Maher, McLaughlin, Cook, Dodge and others might not mean so much. Places where building name recognition is not easy like in Park Ridge, Des Plaines, and Mt. Prospect, just to name a few.

I give Liz Gorman credit. She's fearless. I wasn't her biggest fan several years back when she headed the Cook County Republican Organization. I thought she could have done more. But since leaving that party leadership post for others, she has done much. The truth is I don't think any Republican could have done much better with the county or with the state. Illinois House Speaker Mike J. Madigan has the legislature in a vice grip, and despite numerous opportunities to break through the Democratic headlock, Republican leaders have fallen short. The disarray at the state level only gets worse in many prominent Republican bastions. So maybe she did as well as anyone else might have done.

It takes more than party identity. It takes action, someone willing to stand up and fight the fight for the taxpayers. And boy do the taxpayers desperately need someone to standup and fight on their behalf as everyone seems to tripping up all over. Everyone that is, except Liz Gorman.

In the past year, I have seen Liz Gorman stand up and fight, and fight hard for the rights of taxpayers not just in the 17th District, but in Cook County, too. She was the driving force behind the battle to force Todd Stroger to repeal the oppressive 1 percent sales tax hike. If it wasn't for her, the repeal battle might not have been fought. That it was fought has given the county board ambition to push even harder and there is a chance that next week, a compromise will pass that forces Stroger to cut the sales tax by half.

And while everyone else was hissing last year, Liz Gorman was the only county commissioner who stood up and asked why the board was going to give a $190,000 taxpayer funded loan to the regional schools superintendent, Charles Flowers. She fought hard trying to convince everyone that Flowers' office was drowning in mismanagement and wasteful spending. No one listened.

Turns out Liz Gorman was right on the money, where it counts for taxpayers. Gorman protested and last month, a state Audit concluded that Flowers had charged thousands of dollars worth of personal expenses on the taxpayers' credit card. And he couldn't provide receipts for more than 70 percent of those purchases. he also gave thousands of dollars in cash advances to his employees, including to one who is his sister.

Believe it or not, there are politicians like Flowers who think the public trough is their personal ATM machine where they can borrow money whenever they want.

Liz Gorman was the scissor who chopped up Flower's taxpayer funded Debit Card.

Two major initiatives defending the rights of the taxpayers just in the past two months. That has to make even the most seasoned of political challengers a bit wary wondering if Liz Gorman is really worth trying to unseat.

For the taxpayers, right now, the answer is Liz Gorman should remain in office.

I think if Pat Maher breaks from his father's shadow and starts to clean up the mess at the Orland Fire Protection District, he could make a name for himself as a champion for the taxpayer's too. And when Dan McLaughlin retires -- he's been in office a long time -- or moves on up the ladder as some are rumoring he will do in another bid for state wide office, Maher may want to try to run for village president.

And if he can do it without the help or meddling of the foreigners from the 19th ward, he just might make a great mayor. Someday.

By the way, there is one rumor that is worth looking at closely. Orland Park Police Chief Tim McCarthy, the hero who took a bullet for President Ronald Reagan in the assassination attempt in the 1970s, is being rumored to be a possible candidate for the U.S. Senate seat on the Democratic side. McCarthy is a titan. he ran for statewide office once before but with two statewide candidates coming from the same village, it made it tough to win. With Illinois Attorney general Lisa Madigan out of the race, why not McCarthy.

-- Ray Hanania

www.RadioChicagoland.com

Give Commissioner Collins what she wants

Cook County Commissioner Earlean Collins, abstained from yesterday's vote on the effort to override President Todd Stroger's veto of the repeal of Todd Stroger's repressive 1 percent sales tax.

In effect, the board was not able to override Stroger's veto. The county has an outrageous standard that requires 80 percent to override a president's veto. That, hopefully will change but probably not as fast as change will come to the county board itself in the Spring when Stroger is dumped as the Democratic Party candidate for re-election. Maybe Stroger, who I predict will be rightfully ousted by the party, can form his own party and run under that banner: "The Excessive Repressive Taxation Party."

And while every commissioner voted the conscience, or at least their fear of a backlash from voters, the most fearful and cowardly were Collins and Robert Steele, the son of a former commissioner who grabbed the president's office long enough to greedily jack up her pension.

Collins told commissioner in explaining her refusal to vote, "You want to vote me out of office? Hooray. I would just love to go home for once in my life and relax."

Really? Then do us all a favor Earlean and quit. Why waste your time and our time by having you take up that wasted space on the Cook County Board. Go home, Earlean. Don't wait for anyone in your district to throw you out. Do us a favor.

Stroger's veto of the sales tax repeal was the best move for the taxpayers of Cook County. It will be just the right incentive to galvanize voters to throw Stroger out of office in the Spring Democratic primary rather than waiting until November. He'll be able to cause all kinds of havoc as a lame duck loser between elections, but it can be repaired.

The first thing they should do in sweeping Stroger out of office is take his disgraceful name off of the County's bloated and inefficient and poorly run hospital.

-- Ray Hanania
www.RadioChicagoland.com

New plan to be proposed to roll back Stroger Tax completely over four years

Fearing a real backlash from over-taxed residents in Cook County, Board President Todd Stroger proposed rolling back only a modest .25 percent of the 1 percent he added last year to the county's sales tax. The Stroger Tax raised the county portion of the sales tax from .75 percent to 1.75 percent, which in turn increased the burden on taxpayers already strapped by state and local sales tax hikes.

That proposal was swiftly sent to committee during this morning’s Cook County Board meeting. But tonight, a coalition of Republicans and progressive Democrats are weighing a new plan to roll-back the entire Stroger Tax not just by one .25 percent increment, but by four .25 percent increments in each of the next four years beginning this year until the entire “Stroger Tax” is repealed.

Leading the charge is 17th District Commissioner Elizabeth Doody Gorman, who has the backing of several commissioners whose ears have been ringing with voter opposition to the Stroger Tax.

Stroger can count on his City Machine minions to defend the tax, but there might be nine of the 17 commissioners who like Gorman have the courage to stand up to Stroger’s waste-filled rule.

“We plan to introduce the proposal to the next board meeting,” Gorman said Wednesday night. “I just got off the phone with several commissioners and the proposal has a lot of support.”

That puts emphasis on the published claim from her anticipated county board rival, Pat Maher, that “there is more to just voting no” at board meetings. Gorman actually has not just voted “No,” she puts meaning behind the word voting “no” to unnecessary tax hikes that Stroger has forced upon the over-taxed residents of Cook County.

Gorman questioned the need for the millions that the Stroger tax will reap from over-taxed county residents, and challenged Stroger’s claim that the county can use the $100 million in stimulus money to pay county operating costs.

“That stimulus money should go to stimulate the economy and not to cover his expenses,” Gorman said. “We can’t put that in operating expenses. It’s supposed to go for new project to help create jobs and strengthen the economy.”

Gorman is right on when she argues that the money shouldn’t go into Stroger’s back pocket to pay for his city Machine patronage army, cronies and consultants.

The next board meeting is on May 5th. In the meantime, voters can help make this work by contacting their local county board commissioners and telling them to follow Gorman’s lead.

-- Ray Hanania
http://www.radiochicagoland.com/

Seceding from Cook County's repressive taxation option on five township ballots

Palatine Mayor Rita Mullins, who is leading a growing protest movement against the repressive sales taxes and bloated Cook County Government of County Board President Todd Stroger, was the keynote speaker at a Fight the Taxation Forum held Monday night at the Orland Park Civic Center.

Mullins was joined by National Taxpayer's United President Jim Tobin and by Cook County Commissioner Liz Gorman, who is also the Orland Township Republican Committeeman. The forum, the first in a series to challenge Stroger's represssive and unjustified tax increases, was organized by Radio Chicagoland talk show host Ray Hanania (WJJG 1530 AM Radio, Mon-Fri 8-9:30 am) and was taped and will be broadcast Thursday (April 2) on the morning Show beginning at 8 am.

Palatine Township is one of five townships where voters are considering seceding from Cook County. The others include Barrington, Schaumburg, Elk Grove and Hanover townships. Although it takes much to secede -- a 50 percent plus one vote in each township and a similar majority vote in the county -- the very act of standing up to Stroger's taxation is energizing a fight the taxation movement that is spreading throughout the county.

Mullins, Tobin and Gorman agreed that there is already a quasi-secession taking place in Cook County. Many consumers in Cook County are simply already driving across the county's borders into neighboring counties to purchase big ticket items, a form of de facto secession.

"With my district running from the north to the southwest suburbs in Cook County along the western most border of the county, I am hearing from businesses that customers are chosing to cross over into neighboring counties to purchase big ticket items and that is hurting their business," Gorman said. "Those businesses need our support, not more taxation."

Gorman was one of eight commissioner who opposed Stroger's repressive sales tax hike.

Mullins said that while the likelihood of seceding is challenging, the very act of putting the measures on local ballots has caught the attention of Stroger, whose administration has turned a blind eye to the concerns of many suburban communities and leaders.

In fact, a spokesman for Stroger, who has ignored repeated requests to come on the "Mornings with Ray Hanania" radio show, called to see if a Stroger spokesperson could attend the meeting. Hanania, the show's host, said that Stroger should first come on the radio show and take questions fromt he audience and show that he has the courage to stand up to the concerns of the taxpaying public first.

No one from Stroger's office bothered to attend, which did not surprise the audience nor the speakers.

Also speaking was Orland park Mayor Dan McLaughlin who welcomed the guests to his suburb.

The evening radio forum was taped and will be broadcast on Thursday morning from 8 until 9:30 am on WJJG 1530 AM Radio. I will also have it podcast, possibly before Thursday so you can hear the comments and observations from the guests, Gorman, Mullins and Tobin, and the great questions fromt he audience.

And a special thanks goes out to one of the first professional journalists I met some 32 years ago, Jodi Marneris, whose mention in her column in the Southtown/Star helped get the word out about the forum and pushed the crowd. And thanks goes out to the Palos Regional News also for their ongoing publicity. Also covering the event is the Orland Park Prairie which has the largest circulation in Orland Park and most of the neighboring suburbs. The reporter there was Jamie Lynn Ferguson. Aaaannnnd! We also had FOX 32 News (Channel 12 on Comcast Cable) covering the event that evening and the next morning. Plus WBBM Radiow as there grabbing interviews ... great coverage!

http://www.radiochicagoland.com/

Chicagoland Chamber President rips into Stroger's sales tax hike: Callers debate who is the real terrorist in the Gaza Strip fight

Radio Chicagoland is broadcast live on the Internet at www.WCEV1450.c0m if you do not live in the six county Chicago region (more than 11 million residents). You can also get podcasts (for your iPod) and listen to selected past segments online at www.RadioChicagoland.com. The show is broadcast every Tuesday and Thursday live on WCEV 1450 AM Radio from 4 to 6 PM:

Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce President Jerry Roper challenged the unnecessary and punitive increase in the sales tax by Cook County Board President John Stroger, and advised by Burton S. Odelson, Stroger's legal counsel. Roper called the tax unnecessary and noted that it would raise far more funds than Stroger asserts is needed to cover an alleged shortfall in the county budget.

Callers to WCEV 1450 AM Radio participated in an energetic discussion about the war taking place between Israel and Hamas, debating who is the real terrorists, Hamas, which fires Qassem rockets indiscriminately into Israel or Israel, which fires indiscriminately at Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip as a part of their policy of collective punishment. One Israeli civilian, a little girl, was killed in the Hamas terrorist attack and more than 70 Palestinians, mostly children and civilians, were killed by Israel's repressive and excessive military response. Who's the terrorist? Call in to the next radio show Thursday to continue the discussion.

Joe Boyle, News editor of the Southwest News-Herald discussed billionaire Same Zell's proposal to sell the naming rights to Wrigley Field. And The Chicago Tribune's Ray Long provides an overview of the Tony Rezko trial in Chicago and the impact on Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

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County Commissioner Larry Suffredin explains his support of the Sales Tax increase for Cook County

This is a statement from Commissioner Larry Suffredin explaining his vote on the sales tax increase for Cook County. While I disagree with his decision to vote to support the Todd Stroger/Burt Odelson sale tax increase in Cook County, I think the commissioner has the right to express his views and share them with our viewers and audience.

We'll certainly invivte him back to the radio show to talk about this issue and debate and discuss it, as professionals always do.

Ray Hanania

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STATEMENT OF COMMISSIONER LARRY SUFFREDIN ON 2008 BUDGET PASSAGE

At midnight on February 29th President Stroger was threatening to shut down Cook County Government unless his sales tax increase passed. I voted for a compromise that I believe offered the best chance for reforming Cook County and insuring that all vital services continued. I'm not totally happy about the compromise but it was a case of choosing the lesser of two evils.

As you are aware, President Stroger has been working for months to impose a sales tax increase to fund the county's budget. I have fought hard to stop that increase, because I do not believe a tax is necessary. We should reduce our spending to make government more efficient and avoid the tax. I presented many ideas to stop a tax increase that were voted down by the Commissioners supporting President Stroger.

Without the compromise, President Stroger would have totally shut down all services of the County government – including hospitals, courts and the County Jail – which would have adversely affected all citizens, especially the most vulnerable. It would also have opened the County to huge financial liability for damages to those who would have been injured by such a dangerous move.

I chose to prevent such a tragedy by negotiating a compromise with President Stroger just before the midnight deadline for passing a County budget. He initially had insisted on a 2% increase in the County sales tax. I agreed to support only half that amount in return for a major concession on the part of the President.

This was the agreement to have the President give up control of the Bureau of Health. The Bureau is the largest unit of County government and is responsible for most of our current financial problems. The key to the compromise was transfer of control to run the Bureau of Health to a newly created independent Governance Board. Political considerations in hiring and contracting at the Bureau have led to continuing financial shortfalls for the five years I've been on the County Board . The President's office has continued to use this important health resource as a piggybank for jobs and contracts to serve political needs rather than those of our citizens. Last year President Stroger and Dr. Robert Simon, his director of health services, closed clinics and caused thousands of patients to look for health care elsewhere. This act put an unsustainable financial and service burden on non-county hospitals and clinics, which can ultimately result in higher medical costs to all citizens.

The independent Governance Board will for the first time allow Cook County health services to be run by health administration professionals who will know how to deliver services efficiently and to bill and collect for those services in a timely manner. Dr. Simon will be replaced by an appointee of the independent Board.

That was my compromise: a vote for a sales tax reduced to 1% in return for President Stroger surrendering his control of the Bureau of Health and all its patronage jobs and contracts. In the long run this will save Cook County taxpayers millions of dollars and provide the health care services our citizens deserve.I was elected to the County Board to reform this government. I have no apology for my latest decision and my vote for what I think will bring about the most long-lasting true reform. You have my firm commitment to continue fighting to control spending, improve management and working to cut back on these taxes, which I fundamentally believe are not the right solution to running our government.

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Tuesday's radio show topics: How to fight the sales tax increase

Tuesday, we'll have a series of guests speaking about how voters and residents in Cook County can respond to the punitive sales tax increase imposed by Cook County Board President Todd Stroger and his pro-tax minions, including Oak Lawn attorney and stroger adviser Burton S. Odelson and former politically sleazy Chicago Alderman Bill Beavers.

The tax is punitive, but it can be stopped.

Join us. Tuesday 4 to 6 PM WCEV 1450 AM Radio. Call in line is 773-777-1450 ... how will you respond to the punishing tax increase?

Ray Hanania
www.RadioChicagoland.com