Three Cook County commissioners are pushing for big changes to an ordinance that frees some inmates wanted by immigration authorities. The commissioners say they’ll argue for amendments at Wednesday’s County Board meeting and press for a public hearing on them.
Calling an Arizona law aimed at finding illegal immigrants un-American, Cook County commissioners today approved a resolution boycotting the state and giving the board power to end any contracts with vendors located in the state.
But in a quick turn of events, commissioners then approved a contract with a Scottsdale, Ariz.-based company that will supply red-light cameras in the Cook suburbs.
Commissioners Edwin Reyes and Joseph Mario Moreno, the board's lone Latinos, led the charge to boycott Arizona businesses. Read more...
On Friday, as leaders of the Cook County Health and Hospitals System approved a three-year $6.4 million contract for laundry and linen services, small businesses renewed claims that they're being pushed away. And this time county commissioners are joining them in complaining about the health system's use of a group purchasing organization.
The contract, with Cincinnati-based Standard Textile Co., Inc., is expected to save the health system 38 percent of its current contract with Lorain, Ohio-based Angelica Corporation. And health system leaders say a rebate program will net an additional $2 million.
But a growing clamor from county commissioners and small business owners illustrates that not everyone is comfortable with the health system’s use of a centralized group purchasing program, which health system leaders expect to save up to $20 million a year. So far, however, the health system has been unable to prove those savings. Read more...County Assessor James Houlihan and one of the men aiming to replace him, Board of Review Commissioner Joseph Berrios, traded barbs yesterday in front of the Cook County Board of Commissioners.
Houlihan, Berrios and Board of Review Commissioner Larry Rogers are in the center of a controversy about a potential delay in when county residents will receive their property tax valuations. They testily barked at each other as each tried to explain how the other was fleecing taxpayers.
Houlihan accuses Berrios of delaying homeowners appeals so they would arrive after the Nov. 2 election, postponing potential voter angst over higher taxes. He said his office was on track in completing home assessments by May 7. Read more...
In the digital age, it's a common practice to search the Internet for information on potential employees.
So it's not surprising that Joe Fratto, chief of staff for County Board President Todd Stroger, Googled Stephen Hill, who had recently been offered a job as the county's risk management department director.
But the results were surprising. Read more...
