Cook County Politicians better than you...

[Autolycus]

Todd won't share ride, you get the shaft
Aide says Stroger too chatty to take elevator with public

December 22, 2006
BY STEVE PATTERSON Staff Reporter
Only if you're the Cook County Board president.

A public elevator recently was roped off at the County Building, 118 N. Clark, for the exclusive use of newly elected board President Todd Stroger.

Cook County Board President Todd Stroger has a public elevator roped off for his use at the Cook County Building. Such special treatment usually is reserved for the likes of Mayor Daley or Gov. Blagojevich, for security reasons.

Muzzles reporters, residents...But Stroger's perk, a spokesman said, is needed because he's just too chatty. And with a hectic schedule, his friendly nature often makes him late.
"It's really for expediting his schedule so we can get him places and get everything completed," spokesman Bill Figel said. "It's one of many features to modernize county operations, but it also speaks to his inclination to stop and talk to everybody."

The elevator is roped off, with the door open, when Stroger is in the building. When he's not, an orange cone is placed inside as it is parked on the building's fifth floor.

The president's elevator is closest to his fifth-floor office, leaving 11 others for the general public.

This new perk comes on the heels of other moves by Stroger that keep him away from the public and press.

He has demanded that reporters not talk to him while he's in the hallways near commissioners' offices. And he has put an end to public comments at County Board meetings, meaning residents can no longer stand up and address elected officials as they gather there.

There also has been a stiffer security presence around Stroger at those board meetings -- though his staffers admit there have been no recent threats against him.

"A little dose of reality, a little unfiltered interaction with the public, even in an elevator, wouldn't be the worst thing in the world for him," said Jay Stewart of the Better Government Association.

"It strikes me that in the same week we're hearing about 17 percent cuts in the county budget, 'Oh, I get my own elevator.' It's not the end of the world, but while some are sacrificing, others get special treatment."

Dad, Dunne more open
Many county employees have grumbled about waiting for an elevator on the fifth floor while looking over at Stroger's empty, unused elevator. But Figel insists it's a practical move for scheduling.
Stroger's father -- the very chatty John Stroger -- never got a special elevator when he was County Board president, not even when the 77-year-old suffered health troubles.

The late County Board President George Dunne was well-known for walking from his Streeterville home to the County Building each morning, without a security detail in tow, and talking with residents along the way.

[email protected]

http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/182943,CST-NWS-stroger22.article

and here is his dad...

John Stroger also went where few could go

December 22, 2006
BY STEVE PATTERSON Staff Reporter
Before Cook County Board President Todd Stroger had his exclusive elevator, his father, John Stroger, had the "emperor's thrones."
Though the public was reduced to using aged, dirty, wooden outhouses while visiting county forest preserves, fancy, new, plastic-laminated portable bathrooms were wheeled out -- just for John Stroger's use -- when he had his 8th Ward picnics at the preserves from 1998 until 2003.

When the 8th Ward picnic was over, the fancy toilets were wheeled back to district offices, where they stayed put until the next year.

County workers quietly called the toilets the "emperor's thrones."

http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/182932,CST-NWS-sside22.article

This kind of elitism is disgusting. I think that perhaps we who reside in IL should go to Chicago and ride his elevator all day. IT sickens me that politicians think they deserve more than us.

 

[scout26]

Saw Mr. Stroeger being interviewed on the news. He said something to effect of "When we have to wait for elevators it makes us late for meetings." (emphasis mine).

I hope he's referring to his staff and not already using the "Imperial" we. Meanwhile Cook County needs to cut the budget by roughly 17% across the board or raise taxes...... I'm betting on raising taxes and giving the points......

Glad I live in DuPage County. My county board just completed the budget exercise and every do-gooder organization that feeds at the public trough is filling up the the Letter to Editor columns in all the local papers. Mr. Schillerstrom and the rest of the (*cough* Republican *cough*) board is being compared to the Nazi's and have been accused of everything from taking food from the mouths of starving children and kicking the homeless out of their carboard boxes, to stealing from the poor and down trodden and disbanding the Girl Scouts.

I think I need to write a LTTE complaining that they need to cut more, so I can get a tax cut this year.......

 

[Autolycus]

Sounds like you have good politicians. Sadly Mr. Stroger is the supreme politico in my county. I just am shocked at his open arrogance and the fact that people re-elected him.

I cannot wait to get out of here to America.

 

[Mojo-jo-jo]

"It's good to be the King..."

Next, he will require that the peasants bow in his presence.

Sounds like he already has a "pi$$ boy."
(If you're not familiar with this, see Mel Brooks' "History of the World Part I" for reference).

 

[Socrates]

AND WHO VOTED THIS ..... INTO OFFICE????

s

 

[Autolycus]

NOT ME! I did not vote for Stroger. The funny part is that the union guys who got screwed by his Dad and now him were supporters of his campaign.

 

[Nanook]

During his father's illness, while the dems were fighting over the reins of power, he kept referring to his father as "The President" as if he was the President of the US.

Instead, he was the county president in a county which contains a third rate city, run by a fourth rate mayor. Now, a small man with no experience is in charge and immediately acts like he is royalty. The royal "we" is perfectly in character.

Cook county, or Crook county as is more commonly known in these parts, has a long standing well deserved reputation for corruption and graft. I'm sure it will continue with this new "leadership".

 

[Autolycus]

Well if he is President is Daley the archbishop?

 

[thexrayboy]

Apparently the windy city has no shortage of petty poppinjays. The people of Chicago can moan and groan all they want about this BS being foisted upon them. Just keep all that moaning and groaning in Chicago. Or.....get off your duffs there in the Land of Lincoln, make old Abe proud and get rid of these walking brain farts masquerading as humans. This type of conduct is disgusting. The only conduct that is worse is voters allowing it to continue.

 

[Standing Wolf]

Just keep all that moaning and groaning in Chicago. Or.....get off your duffs there in the Land of Lincoln, make old Abe proud and get rid of these walking brain farts masquerading as humans. This type of conduct is disgusting. The only conduct that is worse is voters allowing it to continue.

I have a hunch there's quite a difference in Illinois between voting and tallying the results of voting.

 

[coyote_jr]

The people of Chicago can moan and groan all they want about this BS being foisted upon them. Just keep all that moaning and groaning in Chicago. Or.....get off your duffs there in the Land of Lincoln, make old Abe proud and get rid of these walking brain farts masquerading as humans. This type of conduct is disgusting. The only conduct that is worse is voters allowing it to continue.

+1

...by any means necessary I might add...

 

[geronimotwo]

out of ignorance, and curiosity, which political party does "the president" align himself with.

 

[gm]

Sounds to me like a bad use of public money...or rather misuse.Every king needs a court jester,I wonder whom his is?


From what I understand, the entire bunch running things there are.People who openly flaunt and try to excuse their elitist attitude make me ill as well.The excuse is as bad as the deed.

 

[Werewolf]

Cook county, or Crook county as is more commonly known in these parts, has a long standing well deserved reputation for corruption and graft.

I hear and read this all the time and though I tend to believe it one has to wonder why - if it is true - that the FEDS or the state hasn't done something to clean it up?

out of ignorance, and curiosity, which political party does "the president" align himself with.

A rhetorical question right? But just in case:

Stroger is a member of the Democratic Party. In 2001, he was appointed to the Chicago City Council by Richard M. Daley. Stroger's father is John Stroger, a long-time Daley ally who served as County Board president for 12 years.

 

[Spreadfire Arms]

just a note on elevators:

you need the service "key" to use that elevator since it is set to "private" use instead of "public" use. that is commonly referred to as "keying off" an elevator.

if you don't have the key you can't get the doors to close and have it take you anywhere. so if you had for some reason planned to go there and ride his elevator you're probably not going to be able to go anywhere and chances are one of his staff there will call the cops and then we'll see you on the local news.

this guy sounds like an idiot. really, if he needed a private elevator, all they need to do is call an elevator (any elevator) and key it off for his use, then key it back on when he exits. that way, the elevator isn't out of service any other minute he is not riding it. for crying out loud when i was working a security detail at an upscale hotel, even heads of state only got the elevator when they needed it (they'd give you a 15 minute "heads up" and you key it off like 3 minutes before they're supposed to use it).

personally i think this guy needs his own elevator because his ego is so big it takes up the rest of the elevator.

 

[vito]

As a Democrat he received support from all of their traditional voting blocks: minority groups, unions and of course public service employees. This type of arrogant behavior is more than tolerated. I have mentioned to people I know in Cook County other forms of priviledge that Chicago and Cook County officials have given themselves, and the response always is, "so what?". This type of behavior is accepted. The not-so-secret reason for this man's election is race. As a black potitician in a city with a sizable black population, and as a Democrat who reflexively receives the votes of all of the big city liberals, his Republican opponent never had a chance. For you non-Illinois readers, you might find it interesting that while Illinois has no legal provision for anyone to carry a concealed weapon, a city ordinance in Chicago allows all city councilman to carry for self defense. The fact that it is clearly in violation of state law apparently means nothing, and I understand that local police agencies extend the same "courtesy" to all Cook County board members. If it wasn't for my job, and having two grown children and several grandchildren in this area, I would leave Illinois and never look back.

 

[Art Eatman]

How about NOT starting these off-topic threads?

Art