Wednesday, February 04, 2009

Vallas to run for Cook County board prez--as a Republican

The man who took Chicago's public schools out of the abyss, Paul Vallas, tells the Chicago Sun-Times' Carol Marin that he is running for president of the Cook County Board. Vallas, who was runner-up to Rod Blagojevich in the 2002 Democratic gubernatorial primary--will be running as a Republican.

Yes, the GOP is back in Illinois.

Currently, Cook County is "led" by Democrat Todd Stroger, who essentially inherited the office from his father. "Toddler" has continued his father's mismanagement of America's second-most populous county, using jobs and contracts to maintain the Democratic machine's patronage army.

Last year Stroger and his Democratic enablers raised the county's sales tax, giving Chicagoans the nation's highest sales tax.

Since his 2002 defeat at the hands of Blago--the wrong guy clearly won--Vallas has been busy fixing troubled school systems in Philadelphia and New Orleans. The native of Chicago's Beverly neighborhood has been working closely with Bobby Jindal, Louisiana' Republican governor.

Valas plans to return to his Southwest Side Chicago home later this year.

In 2006, as I've reported many times before, Barack Obama enthusiastically endorsed Stroger, actually he lied to myself and the other 5 million residents of Cook by declaring that Toddler was "a good progressive Democrat" who will "lead us into a new era of Cook County government."

I want the Stroger era to end.

As for Vallas, he told Marin, "Cook County is broken, and I like fixing things that are broken."

Related posts:

Hey Obama! Speak out on proposal to impose nation's highest sales tax in your hometown: UDPATED
Todd Stroger: More Chicago Democratic sleaze
Another update on America's worst government--Cook County
Rita Rezko's contribution to America's worst government, Cook County
The latest from America's worst governmental body, Cook County
Bid to rescind Cook County corruption tax fails: UPDATED
Revolt at the polls against the Cook County corruption tax called by Democratic reformer
T-Day in Obama's hometown: Highest sales tax of any big city in America
Patronage hiring still thrives in Cook County
Another thing for Obama to be silent on: Cook County summer jobs going to pols' kids
Update on America's worst governmental body, Cook County
Palatine wants to secede from Cook County
Something else for Obama to be silent on: Chicago will have the nation's highest sales tax
Say no to higher Cook County taxes
No fat in Cook County budget?
Beavers leaves it to the race card as America's worst governmental body gets worse
Your Cook County tax dollars at work
Stop the proposed Cook County phone tax
"Is anyone watching out for Chicago taxpayers?"
Time for me to shop...outside Cook County?
Marathon Pundit Chicago River dumping follow up
Obama and Chicago's "We Don't Want Nobody Nobody Sent" culture
Cook County sues Cook County
My day as a Cook County juror

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3 comments:

Levois said...

"I want the Stroger era to end."

YES WE CAN! YES WE CAN! YES WE CAN! YES WE CAN!

pathickey said...

Laissez les bon temps rouler ! Somebody -wake up Todd and tell Todd - very slowly.

Jim Roper said...

Toady Stroger Sucks And so does
John Ruberry!