|
|
 |
Cook County lobbyist reports online Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Chicago Tribune
by Hal Dardick The most lobbied official in Cook County
Government? That's Cook County Chief Financial Officer Jaye Williams,
according to a new county Web site. Lobbyists talked to her nearly
40 times during the first six months of the year, almost always to
discuss bonds and contracts, according to a new Cook County clerk’s lobby disclosure Web site that went live today. The site is www.cookcountyclerk.com/ethics/lobbyistonline. By contrast, William’s boss, County Board President Todd Stroger, spoke with lobbyists less than a dozen times. Cook
County commissioners last year voted to require more details about
lobbying under the county's ethics ordinance. Failure to report could
result in an ethics investigation and fine.
What day the lobbyists spoke to county officials, who the lobbyists
worked for, what they talked about and whether they met face to face all
is listed on the new site. The site, proposed by County Clerk David Orr
and a bi-partisan group of commissioners, also lists how much lobbyists
were paid. Orr said 188 lobbyists representing 89 businesses
reported on time. They contacted about 60 government officials and were
paid a total of $1.12 million. “You can track who they were lobbying
and, for the most part, why,” Orr said. “They made 576 contacts with
those roughly 60 people, and that’s just in the first half of 2010.”
It’s
the most detailed site of its kind in the state, said David Morrison,
assistant director of the Illinois campaign for Political Reform.
“The
public has a lot of justification for feeling cynical about lobbying,
and deserves to know more about how lobbying actually works,” he said.
“Long-term, this has a huge potential to clean up government by inviting
the public to watch what’s happening.”
Commissioner Bridget
Gainer, D-Chicago, a backer of the Web site initiative, suggested people
can compare the lobbyist reports with state databases that list
political contributors.
“There is this moral hazard with
companies that may pitch you to buy something who then may also
contribute to your campaign, and thus give you some personal incentive
to choose them,” Gainer said.
|
 |
Recent Headlines
Provident closing Ob/Gyn department
Thursday, September 02, 2010
Chicago DefenderStroger again skirts board approval in payments
Thursday, September 02, 2010
Daily HeraldProperty tax burden in Cook county shifts back toward business
Monday, August 23, 2010
Crain's Chicago Business Living the American Dream -- on the taxpayers' dime
Monday, August 16, 2010
Chicago Sun-TimesCook state's attorney refutes red-light-camera ultimatum
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Daily HeraldCounty exec who ran troubled jobs office is promoted
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Chicago TribuneStroger jobs program loses $2.7 million
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Chicago TribuneSuburban Cook County jobs program loses $2.7 million
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Daily Herald Cook County property taxes: Show us the damages
Monday, August 09, 2010
Chicago TribuneStroger names new chief of staff as term nears end
Sunday, August 08, 2010
Chicago Sun-TimesStroger Hospital receives Joint Commission Accreditation as Advanced Primary Stroke Center
Thursday, August 05, 2010
Special to suffredin.org Cook Co. Treasurer Pappas furious over tax law
Wednesday, August 04, 2010
Senior exemption change creates headaches for townships
Wednesday, August 04, 2010
Daily HeraldStroger chief of staff resigns, to take job with county treasurer
Wednesday, August 04, 2010
Chicago Sun-TimesCook County property values may be down four years in a row
Wednesday, August 04, 2010
Crain's Chicago BusinessState plans takeover of troubled Cook County jobs program
Friday, July 30, 2010
Daily HeraldStaff Reductions Fall Short of Mark
Friday, July 30, 2010
Chicago News CooperativeA welcome tool for open government
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Daily Herald $175K in county deals won't get fed cash
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Chicago Sun-TimesCook commissioners question 24-9 contracts and lost grant money
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Daily Herald
all news items
|
|
 |
 |
