Cook County, Illinois: America's worst government getting unimaginably worse

Two years ago President-elect Barack Obama enthusiastically endorsed political hack Todd "The Toddler" Stroger for Cook County Board President. His only qualification for office is that his father, John Stroger, who suffered a debilitating stroke shortly before winning the Democratic Primary for the office, had served as county board president.

In a letter to voters, Obama said Stroger, also known as "Urkel," was "a good progressive Democrat" who will "lead us into a new era of Cook County government."

Tomorrow Stroger will introduce his new budget. Last year's budget stuck it to Cook County residents by increasing the sales tax. Now I pay 10 percent on most purchases, Chicago residents pay 0.25 percent more--the highest big city sales tax in America.

Chicago is of course Obama's hometown.

From the Chicago Tribune:

Nine months after a sales-tax increase that was expected to bring in nearly $400 million a year passed, Cook County Board President Todd Stroger is warning that thousands of workers will be laid off if commissioners don't approve borrowing $740 million.

Treasurer Maria Pappas was told that 85 of her 135 employees would have to go. Sheriff Tom Dart was told that 1,500 of his 5,900 would get the ax.

"You're looking at Draconian cuts, which equals significant layoffs," said Donna Dunnings, the county's chief financial officer appointed by Stroger. The borrowing, she added, is needed to cover unavoidable costs, most of which already won board approval.

More...

Critics say the warnings are taken from a worn political playbook often used by Stroger and his late father, John, who also ran the county. By claiming a crisis, Stroger secures more money to reward financial consultants with bond deals and constituents with jobs, all to beef up his campaign fund and power base, the critics allege.

As for that last paragraph, all true. In his book, The Case Against Barack Obama: The Unlikely Rise and Unexamined Agenda of the Media's Favorite Candidate, David Freddoso nicely summarizes Obama's blindness to Stroger incompetence, and abuses committed by the "Soldiers for Stroger."

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