AnthonyJ.Peraica
Cook County Commissioner -- 16th District
Today, Cook County government is in a state of crisis. The budget is fast-approaching $3 Billion annually. Themoney for this budget is primarily raised from one source: taxes. While most people understand the need fortaxes and our duty as citizens to help fund our government, no one likes to be taken advantage of. Our taxes aretoo high, because the budget is too high. And the budget is too high for all the wrong reasons: waste; patronage;unnecessary employees, departments, and "consultants". All of these contribute to make your tax bill an unfairburden upon you and your family. When elected your commissioner, I will fight to bring fairness to Cook Countygovernment.
How am I going to do this? By eliminating waste. My first priority will be the Forest Preserve District, where Iwill press for a complete audit of the budget and expenditures, and the imposition of a balanced budget. The mostimmediate means to accomplish this goal is to abolish the Forest Preserve Police force, which unnecessarilydrains millions of tax each and every year. I will vehemently oppose any further tax giveaways from the Countyto the District. The District must also return its focus to its reason for being: the acquisition, preservation, andmaintenance of open spaces. The District must acquire the land the taxpayers have already given it to acquire.For too long, the District has operated primarily to justify its own existence, and has forgotten that primaryfunction. Finally, I will continue my push to bring the District directly into county government, which will makeyour commissioners directly responsible to you for the performance of the District on Election Day.
I will apply a similar approach to county government as a whole. Duplication of services by local governmentsand the County is a tremendous and unnecessary drain on our tax base. Where a county department providesservices already provided by local government, it must be eliminated. I have long argued for the privatization ofcounty golf courses. While this has finally been done, it is only the tip of a very large iceberg. The county payroll is too big. Many functions of county government can be performed by the private sector, both more efficientlyand for fewer tax dollars.
Certainly not least, I will fight to bring ambulatory care and other County services directly to residents of the Western Suburbs. It is simply unfair for suburbanites to pay hundreds of millions of dollars for a hospital whichthey have no reasonable access to. Suburban residents are paying for health care, and it is only fair that they getwhat they have already paid for. If you have any concerns to share, please call me any time at (708) 443-5554.
Main Office
3339 South Halsted Street
Professional Building Suite 1-A
Chicago, Illinois 60608
(773) 890-1001
Southwest Branch Office
5130 South Archer Avenue
Chicago, Illinois 60632
(773) 735-1700
AnthonyJ.Peraica
Cook County Commissioner -- 16th District
Today, Cook County government is in a state of crisis. The budget is fast-approaching $3 Billion annually. Themoney for this budget is primarily raised from one source: taxes. While most people understand the need fortaxes and our duty as citizens to help fund our government, no one likes to be taken advantage of. Our taxes aretoo high, because the budget is too high. And the budget is too high for all the wrong reasons: waste; patronage;unnecessary employees, departments, and "consultants". All of these contribute to make your tax bill an unfairburden upon you and your family. When elected your commissioner, I will fight to bring fairness to Cook Countygovernment.
How am I going to do this? By eliminating waste. My first priority will be the Forest Preserve District, where Iwill press for a complete audit of the budget and expenditures, and the imposition of a balanced budget. The mostimmediate means to accomplish this goal is to abolish the Forest Preserve Police force, which unnecessarilydrains millions of tax each and every year. I will vehemently oppose any further tax giveaways from the Countyto the District. The District must also return its focus to its reason for being: the acquisition, preservation, andmaintenance of open spaces. The District must acquire the land the taxpayers have already given it to acquire.For too long, the District has operated primarily to justify its own existence, and has forgotten that primaryfunction. Finally, I will continue my push to bring the District directly into county government, which will makeyour commissioners directly responsible to you for the performance of the District on Election Day.
I will apply a similar approach to county government as a whole. Duplication of services by local governmentsand the County is a tremendous and unnecessary drain on our tax base. Where a county department providesservices already provided by local government, it must be eliminated. I have long argued for the privatization ofcounty golf courses. While this has finally been done, it is only the tip of a very large iceberg. The county payroll is too big. Many functions of county government can be performed by the private sector, both more efficientlyand for fewer tax dollars.
Certainly not least, I will fight to bring ambulatory care and other County services directly to residents of the Western Suburbs. It is simply unfair for suburbanites to pay hundreds of millions of dollars for a hospital whichthey have no reasonable access to. Suburban residents are paying for health care, and it is only fair that they getwhat they have already paid for. If you have any concerns to share, please call me any time at (708) 443-5554.
Main Office
3339 South Halsted Street
Professional Building Suite 1-A
Chicago, Illinois 60608
(773) 890-1001
Southwest Branch Office
5130 South Archer Avenue
Chicago, Illinois 60632
(773) 735-1700