* 1:17 pm - No tax cut for Cook County…
Cook County’s controversial sales-tax hike will remain in place.
An effort to roll back half of the year-old penny-on-the-dollar sales-tax increase fell short in a vote today of the Cook County Board, with Cmsr. Deborah Sims jumping ship and backing Cook County Board President Todd Stroger’s earlier veto of the rollback.
More…
Commissioner Deborah Sims (D-Chicago), who had been part of the tenuous coalition supporting a roll back, chose today to support Stroger and sustain the veto. In July, Sims had voted to roll back the sales tax increase, but today she switched positions and voted in favor of keeping the tax hike. (You can read about the board’s July vote to cut the sales tax by clicking here.
Sims said it’s too early in the 2010 budget process to determine whether the entire increase will be needed next year. “I hope that we will not rush to do anything here today,” she said.
“I want to make an intelligent vote here,” she added. “That’s what the people elected us to do, and we can’t do that if we don’t have all the information.”
Commissioner Tony Peraica’s response…
“Shame on those commissioners who upheld Stroger’s veto - - especially Commissioner Sims, who flipped her position to become the deciding vote in support of this tax. With portions of our county having the highest tax rate in the country, it’s no wonder that our local economy is suffering so badly. Who in his or her right mind would want to make the situation worse?”
* Legislative Democrats are scared to death about the impact of this Stroger tax issue on next year’s suburban campaigns, and they should be. Commissioner Sims may think she made the right vote for the county’s budget (and that’s debatable), but her party is gonna suffer because of that flip-flop.
- cassandra - Tuesday, Sep 1, 09 @ 1:36 pm:
Is this going to have an impact on the state Dems’ (and many Republicans’, if you believe the Dems) desire to put through a regressive income tax increase this fall. It’s getting awfully expensive to live in Cook County and it’s hard to believe voters will confine their wrath to county pols only, when addressing their total potential increase in taxes.
- Skeeter - Tuesday, Sep 1, 09 @ 1:37 pm:
Sims got the press today, but Jerry Butler has always stood strong with Stroger and apparently did so today again. Hopefully he will have a primary opponent.
- Will County Woman - Tuesday, Sep 1, 09 @ 1:41 pm:
I’m not sure why Peraica even bothers to care any more. Maybe he should do like Claypool and get out now to go work in the more lucrative and sane private sector.
- Mike - Tuesday, Sep 1, 09 @ 1:44 pm:
Skeeter, if you listen, Butler is supporting someone else for the Pres of the board.
- Rob_N - Tuesday, Sep 1, 09 @ 1:47 pm:
Cassandra said, “It’s getting awfully expensive to live in Cook County […]”
It’s expensive to shop and to own commercial property in Cook County, but the residential property tax rates are much better than surrounding counties.
- Ian - Tuesday, Sep 1, 09 @ 1:56 pm:
Why is Matt Murphy running for Governor? The GOP has their best shot since Ogilve won in the late 1960’s.
If Stroger is the nominee again, Murphy would win.
- Downstater - Tuesday, Sep 1, 09 @ 1:57 pm:
Keep voting for those democrats and your taxes will keep going up.
- Skeeter - Tuesday, Sep 1, 09 @ 1:58 pm:
Mike,
Whether or not Butler is supporting Stroger for re-election, it is clear that he’s stood behind Todd Stroger for the past years. He’s allowed Stroger to do whatever he wants to do.
Butler is part of the problem. He’s got to go.
- Malcolm - Tuesday, Sep 1, 09 @ 1:59 pm:
Huge win for President Stroger! Rich you and your cronies can spin this anyway you wantbut,this is a huge win. Kudo to Com. Sims who listened to her southside supporters. Rich I continue to question your journalist integrity because you did not highlight the overwhelming win President Stroger had in last weeks debate. The Stroger soldiers are ready for battle!!!!
- Obamarama - Tuesday, Sep 1, 09 @ 2:00 pm:
===I’m not sure why Peraica even bothers to care any more. Maybe he should do like Claypool and get out now to go work in the more lucrative and sane private sector.===
Take a look at Peraica’s D-2’s. He (and his wife) has loaned over $1.4 million to his own campaign. He doesn’t need the money.
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Sep 1, 09 @ 2:01 pm:
Malcolm, perhaps you should join the Chicago GOP.
lol
- Carl Nyberg - Tuesday, Sep 1, 09 @ 2:01 pm:
Sims either is sacrificing herself to help Toni Preckwinkle or she’s some combination of stupid and/or dishonest.
Sims wants to know what cuts Stroger will make if he gets less tax revenue.
Sims wasn’t satisfied with Stroger’s answer.
How does she punish Stroger for not providing sufficient info? By upholding his veto?
How’s this make sense?
- Ian - Tuesday, Sep 1, 09 @ 2:07 pm:
Carl, Sims is not that clever. How would you like to be a Suburban DEM Rep. like Mark Walker or Paul Froehlich today knowing you just lost in 2010.
- Malcolm - Tuesday, Sep 1, 09 @ 2:09 pm:
Chicago GOP…..HMMM!
- Leroy - Tuesday, Sep 1, 09 @ 2:13 pm:
So how come Springfield has a free pass to raise taxes, (”otherwise, we hurt those who need help the most”) yet Cook County does not?
Does Cook County not have budget pressures? Are the people in Cook County not as important as other residents of Illinois?
If it is so important to raise taxes in Springfield, why shouldn’t the same apply to Cook County?
- Ian - Tuesday, Sep 1, 09 @ 2:13 pm:
Tom Dart is the only person who can save the Suburban Democrats in 2010. If he runs for Board President he would easily beat Stroger and the GOP.
- Third Generation Chicago Native - Tuesday, Sep 1, 09 @ 2:16 pm:
Malcomn? Do you honestly believe the people in Sims district support a tax increase? Have you been in Sims district? I have, and I seriously doubt there is a lot of support for keeping the tax increase intact.
And Carl Nyberg on Sims, being stupid or dishonest…your not far off base. Sims, and Murphy wanted to exempt thier employess against the Shakmann decree, for starters.
And Butler, sometimes I feel he naps during the board meetings.
- Been There - Tuesday, Sep 1, 09 @ 2:20 pm:
===If Stroger is the nominee again, Murphy would win.===
Ian, That’s a BIG if. Stroger is toast unless the black candidates come up with some compromise to have only one of them run against Stroger. Otherwise Terry O’Brien walks into it. Unless another credible white candidate takes a run at it. O’Brien probably wins no matter what as long as Stroger stays in the race. Tougher if he is one-on-one against another black.
- Ian - Tuesday, Sep 1, 09 @ 2:25 pm:
Been There, O’Brien the Culligan Water man?
Anyone is better than Stroger I guess? Has O’Brien gone on record saying he would rollback the Sales Tax?
- Joe in the Know - Tuesday, Sep 1, 09 @ 2:26 pm:
I am sorry Leroy, but as messed up as Springfield is, and that’s saying a lot, Cook County is and has been terribly mismanaged. Patronage bloat, contract abuse, health care mismanagement….you name it. Cook County’s got it. Oh, except for competent managers starting with President Stroger on down.
Property taxes are off the charts, sales taxes are highest in the nation. If the county worked as hard on reining in taxes as it does creating new ones or boosting existing ones, their problems would have been solved years ago.
Cook County is a horribly run cess pool. Plain and simple.
- bored now - Tuesday, Sep 1, 09 @ 2:43 pm:
i have three words for deborah sims: sheila chalmers-currin. once again, the south suburbs gets screwed (cleaned up because rich runs a family blog here)…
- Chi Gal - Tuesday, Sep 1, 09 @ 2:47 pm:
Joe in the know - Amen. And there has been little attempt to clean things up. Tax first. That is the motto of Stroger and Quinn. Not to say that at times a tax increase might not be necessary. But how about cleaning things up first?
- wordslinger - Tuesday, Sep 1, 09 @ 2:52 pm:
The cynic in me says Sims or someone very close is going to get a nice county job. There’s no other reason to put a target on your back like that.
I’m not an anti-tax nut, but the Cook County increase that put the sales tax over 10% in the city (I know, very little of it is Cook County’s) is a psychological dagger to retail. Indiana, Wisconsin and the Collars are too close.
Running the jail and Cook County Hospital is a thankless job, but the sales tax as currently constituted is not the way to go.
- True Observer - Tuesday, Sep 1, 09 @ 2:53 pm:
“Sims either is sacrificing herself to help Toni Preckwinkle or she’s some combination of stupid and/or dishonest.”
How about conniver. She was always going to vote for the tax increase if her vote was needed.
Let’s give her credit. She fooled everyone except the ones who knew she was in their pocket.
- overcooked - Tuesday, Sep 1, 09 @ 3:02 pm:
Sims just voted her district. Any opponent she has that runs on the issue of cutting taxes and therefore, services is a loser. She is protecting Oak Forest Hospital.
- phil - Tuesday, Sep 1, 09 @ 3:10 pm:
Her party will suffer and so will her County. As a Republican, I find strategic value in the Stroger tax, but I can’t help but feel disappointed by this vote as I think of the many mom and pop businesses that have failed and will continue to fail because of Democratic Party mismanagement. The good people of Cook COunty will vote for Change in 2010, but it will be too late for many of the bravest folks who had the courage to risk entrepreneurship.
- nobody nobody sent - Tuesday, Sep 1, 09 @ 3:33 pm:
This increase might never have been necessary if Mike Quigley hadn’t stabbed Suffredin and Claypool in the back on their alternative to the first Stroger budget. If Quigley hadn’t sold the reformers out for Todd then, the patronage waste would have been cut.
- Stroger is toast - Tuesday, Sep 1, 09 @ 3:41 pm:
Malcolm, bringing 400 patronage workers to stomp their feet and cheer when Stroger talked did not constitue a “win” at that forum. Every major news report and blog - including Cap Fax - saw through that sophmoric tactic. As well they should.
It should come as no surprise that Brown had almost as large a cheering section that night as Stroger, given the number of jobs she controls. Does that mean she finished in a tie for first in the forum? Does that mean Toni Preckwinkle came in last, because although she spoke with substance, she didn’t bring a patronage army to shout down her oppnenets? Or was Danny Davis last? He didn’t have as many people as Stroger or Brown even though he had home field advantage.
Get real - Stroger’s patronage stacked cheering section at the forum fooled nobody and was every bit as silly as Brown’s. Todd Stroger is toast, get used to it.
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Sep 1, 09 @ 3:43 pm:
Also, Malcolm, if things are going so well, how do you explain what just happened with the 8th Ward president?
- Ravenswood Right Winger - Tuesday, Sep 1, 09 @ 3:45 pm:
I hope the fine voters of elitist and esoteric Evanston vote Larry Suffredin out next election. It was his vote that got the tax passed originally and now he wants a rollback. What a joker.
- Black Voter - Tuesday, Sep 1, 09 @ 3:52 pm:
Today’s Cook County Vote is about the third time flip flopers voted to override this Sales Tax vote! I over my respect to Comm. Sims for her vote today. She DID NOT flip, as the other Commissioners did. On February 29, 2008 @ 11:55 pm the same Commissioners who voted to kill this thing, voted for it! Why did they vote for it? They knew that it was needed for the hospitals and clinics, in addition to the Court System and Jail. Without it, the SUBURBAN courthouses would probably be closed and ALL these “mad” voters would have to make the trip downtown. This is what they did before 1978, then the Courthouses opened thanks to George Dunne. Now because people don’t want extra taxes and fees, BUT want services for FREE they say repeal and vote these dummies out of office. The same is with the video poker State Law! Now matter how it came about, it did so to replace the very old roads and bridges. On the other hand, NOBODY wants any thing raised to fix it. Does it take another Minnesota situation to occur in Illinois. If we get rid of video poker do we raise something us to fix the roads? These Commissioners are bucking to all of the media and others who believe anything people tell them. Many layoffs have occurred since this hike occurred in the County, which left many without Health Insurance. Don’t let your Cubs, Bears, Blackhawks or Bulls outing result in a health crisis. After all, without insurance you might wind up at a closed Cook County Hospital!
- Yellow Dog - Tuesday, Sep 1, 09 @ 4:02 pm:
The business lobby needs to hire someone who can count to 14.
- Malcolm - Tuesday, Sep 1, 09 @ 4:14 pm:
I can’t wait until February! All the campaigning against President Stroger is firing up the troops! We beat Claypool and Perica in ‘06, remember? And we will do the same to all oponents in 2010! All of you predicted defeat back then.lol Boy I can’t wait! Lol
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Sep 1, 09 @ 4:14 pm:
===All of you predicted defeat back then===
Um, nope. But I am now.
- Oneman - Tuesday, Sep 1, 09 @ 4:18 pm:
Sales tax icrease, cousins on the payroll. The ads write themselves
- Joe in the Know - Tuesday, Sep 1, 09 @ 4:24 pm:
Malcolm, the real question here is: can you keep from defeating yourself? Try as he might, President Stroger is doing everything, and I mean everything, to ensure his defeat. I, for one, remain unconvinced that he will even run again. God pray he doesn’t.
- Carl Nyberg - Tuesday, Sep 1, 09 @ 4:41 pm:
If you were Black and inclined to believe everything bad said about Stroger in the “White” media is a combination of distortions and editorial bias, I can see thinking Stroger did well at the Malcolm X forum.
Stroger was more specific than Brown and Davis about accomplishments.
Preckwinkle was the most specific about her vision. She did not present well.
Brown’s supporters made as much noise as Stroger’s from my vantage point (stage right, four rows back).
I thought Stroger’s cheering section heckling Brown for saying, “It’s about dollars and cents, not Black and White,” was offensive.
While completely vague on what he’d do Davis performed well minus one quote that will come back to bite him, “If you ain’t African-American don’t expect to sell me no car.”
- Nort'sider - Tuesday, Sep 1, 09 @ 4:49 pm:
Cook County residents may be willing, even eager to vote for change. But not chump change (Tony Peraica).
Stroger vs. Peraica II. Geez. Hemlock or Strychnine?
- Hank - Tuesday, Sep 1, 09 @ 4:53 pm:
Despite what he has done or not done, Stroger can only be defeated if he has an opponent. I see Davis as a stalking horse but with a strong enough political shadow that Brown and then Preckwinkle drop out. As time runs out, Davis also drops out to stay in Congress leaving Stroger as the Dem candidate to be opposed by the scary Cook County Republican party.
I’ll go have another drink now!
- bored now - Tuesday, Sep 1, 09 @ 5:05 pm:
deborah sims isn’t voting her district, she’s voting with the chicago wards in her district. more than 60% of the 5th cook co. commission district is in the south suburbs, and sims has duly ignored them for years. the south suburbs is getting screwed and deborah sims is holding the coats of the people doing the screwing…
- Leroy - Tuesday, Sep 1, 09 @ 5:09 pm:
Joe in The Know - And there is no corruption, waste, and nepotism in Springfield? Surely you jest!
So let me ask you this….what would you cut from the Cook County budget to make up the shortfall the tax increase represents?
Remember, the rules are if you advocate cuts, you have to enumerate them specifically, otherwise you are being very irresponsible.
- Joe in the Know - Tuesday, Sep 1, 09 @ 5:19 pm:
Leroy, yes there is waste, corruption and nepotism, as there is in all levels of government. I never suggested otherwise.
However, to answer your question, I think you have to start with the symbolic: fire every cousin, 8th Ward appointee (in many cases, this is redundant (cousin and 8th Warder), cut every salary over 100k to more realistic levels (except Doctors).
I would eliminate Township government in Cook County.
I would streamline the health care system, maximize the billing system.
I would overhaul the procurement process to ensure qualified bidders were competing on price not who they know.
I would stop playing basketball at the East Bank Club everyday during work hours and start playing my role as President of the Board.
- Leroy - Tuesday, Sep 1, 09 @ 5:36 pm:
Joe - those are good suggestions, but they simply won’t amount to the amount needed to cover the sales tax hike. In fact, they wouldn’t even dent it.
And your biggest one - eliminating townships in Cook County, would be awkward. What about the rest of the state? Some counties have townships, some don’t? And the townships do perform important duties that would still have to be done by county, hurting potential savings.
Like Springfield, Cook is faced with the tough need to raise taxes, otherwise we will be cutting into those who need help the most, especially in these down economic times. If we don’t spend the money now, it will only cost us more in the long run.
- Amalia - Tuesday, Sep 1, 09 @ 7:18 pm:
So Butler did not vote to overturn the tax increase? but he supports Preckwinkle? if that’s true, he’s a bad example of support.
- wordslinger - Tuesday, Sep 1, 09 @ 8:03 pm:
==As a Republican, I find strategic value in the Stroger tax, but I can’t help but feel disappointed by this vote as I think of the many mom and pop businesses that have failed and will continue to fail because of Democratic Party mismanagemen–
It would be nice if the national, state or Cook County GOP could give these poor souls a reasonable alternative, wouldn’t it? Here’s an idea: start with kitchen-table economics, and abandon bedroom inspections.
- Bobs yer - Tuesday, Sep 1, 09 @ 8:08 pm:
Sorry folks, this County ain’t ready for reform. Just ask Daley….oh, forgot he’s traveling to Russia on your dime.
- molly - Tuesday, Sep 1, 09 @ 9:23 pm:
joe in the know, by “streamlining and maximizing the billing system ” are you saying that hasn’t been done? If so, you are sadly mistaken my sheep. Stroger already implemented a billing system that captures up to 77% of reinbursable Medicaid funds. Try to get your facts straight before you run that trap of yours!
- phil - Tuesday, Sep 1, 09 @ 9:28 pm:
wordslinger—->case you haven’t been paying attention, we are a few steps ahead of you.
- Henry - Tuesday, Sep 1, 09 @ 10:28 pm:
Get rid of the patronage workers…yes, lay them off…stop with the scare tactics, I.e., “cutting essential services”.
- Taxpayer - Wednesday, Sep 2, 09 @ 8:46 am:
One word to explain Sims’ flop: Race. They had Collins’ vote, but she hardly pays attention and probably didn’t know what she was voting on. Everyone else voted in lock step. Sims absolutely, positively was threatened as a traitor and she caved linke a newly-taxed pop can. So much comes down to race in Illinois, Cook Co., and in the City of Chicago. The race card always trumps–and wins.
- Brennan - Wednesday, Sep 2, 09 @ 9:14 am:
bored now: Does Sims have a challenger? She should.