Stroger, Peraica face off during WVON debate

The candidates for Cook County board president squared off Thursday evening in their second debate on WVON-AM/1690's The Cliff Kelley Show.

Democratic candidate Aid. Todd Stroger (D-8th) and Cook County Commissioner Tony Peraica (R-16th) agreed on the county's top priority - the budget - though Peraica suggested revamping the health bureau to eliminate waste and collecting money owed to the department to repair the county's budget problems.

"There is no budget deficit. There is a deficit of leadership, drive and determination," Peraica said.

Stroger agreed that the county's hospital system is in need of an overhaul, especially since it sees more patients than ever before.

"There are tangible problems that have to be solved. I know we have some duplication of services that needs to be consolidated," he said.

The alderman and former state legislator, who serves on the board of directors at both Jackson Park and South Shore hospitals, said the county's health bureau department also should explore more private-public partnerships in health care.

To further keep the budget under control, Stroger said he would ask each of the county departments not under the control of the county president to start with a zero-based budget to justify every need and to keep to their core missions.

"We have to make sure the other budgets are brought in line or we won't be able to accomplish anything," Stroger said.

Despite the budget crisis, Peraica vowed not to raise taxes if he is elected. Stroger said his plan is to modernize and consolidate county services to make it a more efficient government, but would not promise to lean on taxpayers over the next four years.

The two candidates also agreed the public's perception of county government needs to change. Peraica's plan would begin with removing political hires and making the government more transparent.

Peraica said the office of the president has been politicized and is the source of political hiring throughout the county. Stroger said voters are ready to hear about changes he would make at the county, not his defense of his father's record.

Former Cook County Board President John Stroger suffered a massive stroke one week before the March primary. Aid. Stroger was selected as the nominee by Cook County Democrats after his father retired in July.

Stroger fended off Peraica's assault on his legacy, defending his father at every turn.

"It's just like any other business. You learn through your parents. And if you think what they do is important, you try to emulate them," Stroger said.

When Peraica suggested President Stroger directly passed on the job to his son, Kelley noted that it was the county's 80 Democratic committeemen who nominated Aid. Stroger.

"His father may have helped, but that's what fathers do," Kelley said.

Peraica contends the committeemen selected the younger Stroger to repay political favors. "A vast number of them were given jobs by his father. They owed a debt to his father," Peraica said.

Stroger, who said the president's office needs new faces and young blood, said the corruption could be rooted out with a truly independent inspector general's office with the power to launch its own investigations and with access to each county office.

Peraica said he doesn't believe it can happen at the county.

"That's like believing in Santa Claus," he said.

[Author Affiliation]

by Mema Ayi

Defender Staff Writer