Candidates for County Board president explain differences for reforming health system
MEDILL REPORTS Chicago
June 09, 2010
by Adam Alexander
The candidates for Cook County Board president agree on one thing – the county health system needs to be reformed. How the reform should take place is where they disagree.
Democrat Toni Preckwinkle and Republican Roger Keats spelled out their differences on reform priorities at the Access to Care annual luncheon Friday. The two are running for county board president in the November elections.
"The reason Alderman Preckwinkle sees a difficult budget year is because she has been captured by the special interest groups and insider cronies who control Cook County. She won't change a thing. Chaos as usual... changing one insider for another." Roger Keats
Did Toni Preckwinkle Ever Intend to Roll Back the Sales Tax?
NBCChicago.com
Ward Room
Thursday, May 20, 2010 at 10:30 CDT
BY Edward McClelland
Did Toni Preckwinkle ever actually intend to roll back that half-penny?
Her opponents would have you think eh, not so much.
“Did anyone seriously think that Toni, an alderman who got $200,000 from the [Service Employees International Union], is really going to roll back taxes?” said Republican nominee Roger Keats. “I don’t think she ever intended to.”
Preckwinkle: Cutting sales tax will take longer
Democrat blames worsening Cook County budget woes
Chicago Sun-Times
May 19, 2010
By FRAN SPIELMAN City Hall Reporter
Shoppers will have to wait until 2012 at the earliest for repeal of the remaining half-penny increase in the Cook County sales tax because of a shortfall that could approach $500 million, the Democratic nominee for County Board president said Wednesday.
Link to local ABC News related coverage....
Listen to WBBM At Issue interview with Craig Dellamore...
Clash emerges over how to assess Cook Co. market values
Daily Herald
Published: 5/4/2010 10:31
By Ted Cox | Daily Herald Staff
The Cook County Board of Review charged Monday that Assessor James Houlihan was shifting the tax burden to homeowners with the new, streamlined "10-25" system tying assessed property values to market values.
Keats pushes reforms, slaps Madigan, Berrios
Daily Herald
Published: 4/20/2010 4:26 PM | Updated: 4/20/2010 7:03 PM
By Ted Cox | Daily Herald Staff
Roger Keats, a Republican candidate for Cook County Board president, on Tuesday came out in favor of strong reforms limiting lobbying by elected officials.
Keats leans on UIC corruption report, vows reform
Chicago Current
April 20, 2010 @ 2:50 PM
By Alex Parker
Republican nominee for County Board President Roger Keats today announced he would embrace a number of reform proposals supported by anti-corruption watchdogs, and said he hopes lawmakers in Cook County and Springfield will put such reforms into law.
Listen to Roger's interview on WLS
Tribune & Sun Times Endorse Roger Keats
- Cook County Board President!
TRIBUNE ENDORSEMENT FOR COOK COUNTY BOARD PRESIDENT
The GOP alternative: Keats
KEATS HAS EXPERIENCE TO LEAD COUNTY BOARD
January 14, 2010
Cook County's government is so vast and so complicated that an effective reformer needs more than good intentions. He or she also must understand the behind-the-scenes workings of bureaucracies and know how to deal with other elected county officials who have their own budget priorities.
With that in mind, we support veteran legislator Roger A. Keats in the Republican primary race for Cook County Board president.
Keats, 61, would eliminate the county sales tax increase imposed under incumbent Todd Stroger and trim the size of county government. Both would fight corruption by expanding the inspector general's office and support extending the term of the independent Cook County health systems board. Both consider Stroger's creation of an independent Cook County film office to be just another patronage haven.
Keats, with his 16 years of experience in the state Legislature, most of them in the Senate, comes with the background to make his reform proposals work. Although a North Shore resident, he has kept up old ties with Chicago's South and West sides.
Keats, who has had a long career selling stocks and bonds for individuals and institutions and managing teams of financial advisers, has pledged a transparent administration in which the county's checkbook and $3 billion- a-year budget would be posted on the Internet and designed for easy searches. He would end the use of pension fund and bond consultants, which he considers a waste of money.
Depending on who wins the Democratic primary, this might be the best chance for a Republican to win the board presidency since Dick Ogilvie won 44 years ago. Keats has the resume to carry the GOP banner. (Click for PDF)