Cook County Board votes to overturn Stroger's Sales Tax Hike

[NorthSideSox72]

Check this out:

 

County Board votes to repeal sales tax hike

By: Greg Hinz May 05, 2009

(Crain’s) — Cook County commissioners Tuesday voted in favor of repealing a controversial sales-tax hike that was pushed through last year by President Todd Stroger, but the action is unlikely to survive.

 

Board members voted 12-3 at their meeting to rescind the 1-percentage point increase, with the reduction to take effect on Jan. 1. John Daley, Cook County’s finance chairman and a longtime Stroger ally, voted to overturn the hike.

 

As the board meeting ended, Mr. Stroger announced that he would veto Tuesday’s action. He only needs three votes to do so, and Mr. Stroger already appears to have that many. In addition, two of his supporters did not attend Tuesday’s meeting.

 

Mr. Stroger recently attempted to appease voters upset with the sales-tax increase, offering to push for a 0.25-percentage-point roll back.

 

So, the board votes to repeal it (why did they vote for it in the first place?). But Cook County has a 4/5 rule to override vetoes, and Stroger vows to veto.

 

Fun times.

 

 

 

[RockRaines]

Stroger is such a douche.

[HuskyCaucasian]

Check this out:

 

 

 

So, the board votes to repeal it (why did they vote for it in the first place?). But Cook County has a 4/5 rule to override vetoes, and Stroger vows to veto.

 

Fun times.

\/ \/ \/ \/ \/

[HuskyCaucasian]

On a kinda related note, Cook COunty needs the money:

Cook County settles recorder's office patronage clout lawsuits

 

Taxpayers now are on the hook for $470,000 to settle allegations that Cook County Recorder of Deeds Eugene Moore laid off employees without political connections to protect others with clout.

 

The County Board today approved another $190,000 in payments to former employees who brought the allegations against Moore.

[NorthSideSox72]

On a kinda related note, Cook COunty needs the money:

Cook County settles recorder's office patronage clout lawsuits

When this kind of things happen, I'd think that the county could (and should) sue the convicted offenders for the money. They may only get part of it back, but, maybe worth it. Or heck, it should be automatic law - if you work for a government agency that spends money to defend you against criminal allegations related to your job, and you lose the case, you should have to pay the county for the law bill.

 

[HuskyCaucasian]

WOW! Storger threw a MAJOR hissy-fit:

Stroger appeared angry at the meeting, repeatedly interrupting the commissioners.

 

"I don't want to hear that crap," Stroger said when arguments were made that the County wastes money and could afford to repeal the 1 percent hike.

 

He even had a flare-up with Finance Committee Chairman John Daley, a longtime ally.

 

"Today you might want to listen for a change," Daley said.

 

Another blowup came as Stroger was being lectured on reform by Commissioner Forrest Claypool, a likely challenger in next year's Democratic primary.

 

Another Stroger blowup came as he was being lectured on reform by a commissioner who's likely to challenge Stroger in next year's Democratic primary.

 

"Reform is getting rid of nepotism and patronage," Claypool said.

 

Stroger responded, "Excuse me. I am very upset today. And it's not just this. It's all this crap."

[NorthSideSox72]

WOW! Storger threw a MAJOR hissy-fit:

Claypool was the guy I wanted in there last time. Maybe this time, the Dem machine will back him, instead of this clown in office.

 

[HuskyCaucasian]

Claypool was the guy I wanted in there last time. Maybe this time, the Dem machine will back him, instead of this clown in office.

The problem is the Dem machine wants Stroger in there because of his cronyism.

Edited May 6, 2009 by Athomeboy_2000

[NorthSideSox72]

The problem is the Dem machine wants Stroger in there because of his chronism.

He can travel through time?!?!?!

 

[HuskyCaucasian]

He can travel through time?!?!?!

LMAO! Never know. He has all sorts of connections.

 

My bad. forgot to spell check before I posted.

[HuskyCaucasian]

Looks like he might realize that if he vetos it, he almost seals his political death, so he's gonna try and throw the commissioners under the bus as the evil ones.:

 

Stroger may not veto Cook County sales tax repeal

Thrown to the political wolves by the all-powerful Daley family, embattled County Board President Todd Stroger said Wednesday he may not veto a surprise sales tax repeal after all.

 

During a live interview with Don Wade and Roma on WLS-AM Radio, Stroger made it clear he was rethinking his emphatic veto threat.

 

Although the future of Provident Hospital and county health clinics hangs in the balance, Stroger said he might just call the bluff of the 12 county commissioners who voted to repeal the one percentage point increase.

 

"Why do an exercise in fertility? If they don’t really care about what happens — if they don’t think they need the money, then say nothing and we’ll just let it happen," Stroger said.

 

Fourteen votes are needed to override a Stroger veto, a four-fifths majority that’s politically difficult to achieve.

 

But, the mountain got easier to climb on Wednesday, when Mayor Daley threw his support behind the full repeal backed by his brother, County Board Finance Committee Chairman John Daley.

 

"The county sales tax … was very detrimental … The retailers will tell you that. This is very, very serious for them," Daley said.

 

Nothing pisses me off more than someone using a hospital as a political blackmail.

Edited May 6, 2009 by Athomeboy_2000

[NorthSideSox72]

Looks like he might realize that if he vetos it, he almost seals his political death, so he's gonna try and throw the commissioners under the bus as the evil ones.:

 

Stroger may not veto Cook County sales tax repeal

 

 

Nothing pisses me off more than someone using a hospital as a political blackmail.

He's doing this because Daley just said yesterday that he supports the repeal (but can't do anything about it). This basically means the machine won't be behind Stroger in the coming election. In other words, if he vetoes, say hello to your new County Board President, Forest Claypool (or possily Tony Peraica).

 

Actually, that may happen anyway, but its a done deal if he vetoes this. Probably, he'll now not veto, and pull some shenanigans to make it seem like he can't cut anywhere and cut something that is actually important to make his point.

 

[HuskyCaucasian]

Probably, he'll now not veto, and pull some shenanigans to make it seem like he can't cut anywhere and cut something that is actually important to make his point.

Oh I have no doubt he'll "have" to close a hospital or two. He'll then say "it was their fault".

 

Lincoln, or Liberty, County is looking more and more preferable to me.

Edited May 6, 2009 by Athomeboy_2000

[NorthSideSox72]

Oh I have no doubt he'll "have" to close a hospital or two. He'll then say "it was their fault".

 

Lincoln, or Liberty, County is looking more and more preferable to me.

The only way it makes sense to seperate Cook County is to have ALL of suburban Cook in its own county, and the city seperate as its own county. And that won't happen, for a whole host of reasons.

 

If just a few NW suburbs try to break off, it will never fly, and would be horrible for them AND the rest of Cook anyway.

 

[CanOfCorn]

"Why do an exercise in fertility?

 

Was that a typo???

[HuskyCaucasian]

Was that a typo???

LMAO! Didnt see that the first time I read it. yea, has to be a typo.

[NorthSideSox72]

Was that a typo???

LOL, I missed that. It is the Sun Times after all, and they've been laying off editors.

 

[StrangeSox]

Oh I have no doubt he'll "have" to close a hospital or two. He'll then say "it was their fault".

 

Lincoln, or Liberty, County is looking more and more preferable to me.

 

Reminds me of how school districts act whenever tax increases come up for a vote.

[HuskyCaucasian]

Dont piss off Stroger...

Riverside police are investigating whether shots fired into a West Suburban home next door to Cook County Commissioner Tony Peraica's family may have been intended for the outspoken politician.

 

"My wife and children are very much upset, as are the neighbors," Peraica told the Huffington Post. "This is a quiet subdivision where this sort of thing does not usually occur."

 

Seven gunshots were fired around 3 a.m. Wednesday, according to Riverside Police Chief Thomas Weitzel. No one was injured. Peraica said he woke up to the sound of the popping but did not know they were gunshots.

 

"I woke up and looked outside my bedroom window, but it was dark and I didn't see anything, so I went back to sleep," Peraica said.

 

It wasn't until Wednesday evening that Peraica learned the sounds were gunshots -- and that the police thought they might have been meant for him.

 

For Peraica, an opinionated politician and practicing lawyer, the news didn't come as much of a shock.

 

"It's part of the crooked and corrupt politics of Crook County," Peraica said, "where people who try to do the right things and govern according to their principles have to be subjected to this kind of intimidation."

 

Peraica believes the incident fit a larger pattern of systematic intimidation that goes back to when he was running for Cook County State's Attorney and his law offices were burglarized four times.

[bmags]

Was that a typo???

 

haha, I wonder if he actually did say that and the reporter's just making him seem like an idiot.

[lostfan]

haha, I wonder if he actually did say that and the reporter's just making him seem like an idiot.

They do that to Sarah Palin routinely. lol.

[bmags]

They do that to Sarah Palin routinely. lol.

 

I remember this editorial four years ago from a white house reporter really pissed that they had to keep correcting Bush's language when he was actually saying the complete wrong words every day.

[NorthSideSox72]

I remember this editorial four years ago from a white house reporter really pissed that they had to keep correcting Bush's language when he was actually saying the complete wrong words every day.

I've heard some stories from Trib folks about reports like Gonzales having to quote Ozzie. Apparently, they had a big meeting of writers one day, and the instruction was something along the lines of, quote more directly with less corrections. The very first objection raised was "um, Ozzie?"

 

[NorthSideSox72]

So, he was going to veto, Daley said HAIL NO, he said maybe he'd call the board's bluff, and then when the 11th hour hit...

 

He vetoed.

 

Sales tax is staying put, unless the board can come up with a 13th vote (out of 15) to override. Original vote was 12-3, but Cook County has a 4/5 veto override rule.

 

[Harry Chappas]

So, he was going to veto, Daley said HAIL NO, he said maybe he'd call the board's bluff, and then when the 11th hour hit...

 

He vetoed.

 

Sales tax is staying put, unless the board can come up with a 13th vote (out of 15) to override. Original vote was 12-3, but Cook County has a 4/5 veto override rule.

 

Wow those 3 folks should not be reelected in the real world but I have long stood by my thought that the general population as a whole is to dumb to vote. Most of the dumbest are lazy and don't vote but those with a vested interest will vote.