* WBEZ interviewed all of the candidates for Cook County Board President as well as Sen. James Meeks (D-Chicago). Meeks said he’s worried that four black candidates “cancel each other out” against one white candidate…
A few weeks ago, Meeks organized a quiet, private meeting with the four African American Democrats: Clerk of courts Dorothy Brown, Congressman Danny Davis, Chicago Alderman Toni Preckwinkle and Stroger.
MEEKS: I just wanted them to make sure that they were dialoguing with each other, that they were not saying anything disparaging about each other, and that - at a certain date - they could come back together again and maybe determine who had front-runner status.
Meeks says he hopes one or more of the black candidates then drop out, making it less likely, he contends, that Terry O’Brien wins. O’Brien, chair of the water and sewage agency with that impossibly bureaucratic name… is that one white candidate Meeks was referring to.
But, so far, none of the African-American candidates seem concerned abut the racial dynamics, at least in public. Here’s Danny Davis’ reaction…
DAVIS: I can’t think of any particular reason that an African American voter wouldn’t vote for me, but I can’t think of many reasons that other voters wouldn’t vote for me either, if they’re looking for the best-run government that Cook County can have.
Go read the whole thing.
* Meanwhile, the Tribune editorial board pins the Stroger tax hike on Speaker Madigan because he has so far refused to move a bill that would allow a smaller override margin on the county board. The margin is currently four-fifths…
…Madigan wants to protect the thousands of Democratic patronage jobs in county government. Many of those payrollers donate money and campaign time to Madigan’s party. Overriding Stroger’s veto and lowering the sales tax would begin to force some economies — such as eliminating a few do-little patronage jobs — on Stroger’s government.
So let’s bestow on Madigan the honor he richly deserves: co-ownership of Stroger’s galling tax hike. They’re the taxmen.
Madigan has historically opposed lowering the veto threshold at least since the 1980s. That wasn’t mentioned in the editorial, of course.
…Adding… As a commenter correctly points out, the bill the Tribune wants passed during the veto session has an effective date of January 1, 2011. So, even if it had passed last spring, it wouldn’t have impacted any of the sales tax veto override attempts. Oops on the Trib.
* The Cook County Democratic Central Committee meets for a slating session today, and the Tribune came out hard against slating Joe Berrios for county assessor…
Berrios isn’t just an old-style ward-heeler. He’s an ambitious ward-heeler who would bring his disregard for basic ethical principles to an office that by definition is highly vulnerable to clout and favoritism. If the Democratic bosses slate Berrios, they’ll be saying to the taxpayers of Cook County: We’re backing a guy who plays by our rules. Joe takes care of us, and we take care of Joe. As for you, well, tough.
* And here’s some underreported county news…
In the first of four public hearings on the Cook County Health and Hospitals System’s 2010 budget, the tension that dominated recent budget discussions in county board chambers was nowhere to be found.
In fact, it was hard to detect a pulse at Provident Hospital last night, despite the fact that health system board members control the county’s second largest budget - nearly $1 billion in taxpayer dollars.
However, health system leaders told those at the sparsely attended event that the system’s increased patient volume and negotiations with government leaders has led to increased revenue this year, and a projected revenue increase of about $100 million next year.
The dollars rolling in are softening the burden to taxpayers, as system leaders are requesting $74 million less in county tax subsidies, relying more on the revenue generated from patients and federal funding. And as health system board members prepare to submit their budget to the county board, that’s a good thing.
That it is.
* Related…
* Legislators take on Cook veto-override issue
* Bill would make it easier to override Stroger veto
* Show Stroger he’s not king
* It’s time to fix unfair override system