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Cook County Board President Bobbie Steele released her transition team’s recommendations for reforming county government.
Steele, elected by the board in July to replace ailing president John H. Stroger, will leave office at the end of November and will have little opportunity to implement the suggested changes, but county Commissioner Larry Suffredin said the report will serve as a “roadmap” for President-elect Todd Stroger.
The recommendations include:
•Improving collection of insurance and Medicare payments at the hospital.
•Eliminating the sheriff department’s boot camp.
•Selling surplus county property for a one-time financial boost.
•Eliminating the county’s animal control department.
•Consolidating the county’s four print shops.
Stroger’s campaign representatives sent out a prepared statement in which Stroger, who promised not to raise taxes this year, pledged to “aggressively implement cost efficiencies throughout county government.”
That will be difficult, as the report also updated dire budget predictions for this year and next, predicting a shortfall of $136 million this year and a deficit of $455.5 million for 2007. Combined, the two represent a hole of $591.5 million.
Meanwhile, Steele would not say whether she intends to retire when her presidency expires next month, or if she’ll resume her position as a county commissioner. If she retires, she will enjoy a pension based on the higher president’s salary rather than the commissioner’s salary.
Steele, a former teacher, did say she felt entitled to a higher pension, should she choose that.
“I have worked non-stop for 35 years, and whatever decision I make, I feel I am entitled to make,” she said.