Thursday, July 15, 2004
Chicago Sun-Times
by STEVE PATTERSON

Cook County Forest Preserve District employees for now won't pay fair-market rent to live in district houses, as commissioners voted to not even study such a plan.

The district rents housing to 65 employees, who pay as little as $250 a month to live in houses valued at as much as $422,000.

While nearly all commissioners showed interest in raising rents, as was proposed by Commissioner Forrest Claypool, a majority said "inflammatory" allegations in his ordinance killed their interest. They defeated the measure Wednesday by a 9-7 vote.

Commissioner Mike Quigley defended Claypool, saying his colleagues who voted down the ordinance were acting like Claypool didn't "play kickball with me at recess," so they would shortchange taxpayers to spite him.

County Board President John Stroger took that personally, saying Claypool engaged in "a sleazy, cheesy type of operation," including allegations that Stroger hand-picks politically loyal employees to live in the houses.

Still, the program did get some criticism from Stroger, who said some houses were purchased "to satisfy certain people," like one "we didn't even need to buy" at 8716 S. Beverly. That's where Leroy Taylor, who makes $90,030 a year, pays just $450 a month in rent.

By the end of the four-hour meeting, Stroger said he'd appoint a panel to study whether taxpayers get their money's worth by renting houses to employees.

Commissioner Joseph Mario Moreno said he'd "love to be able to work with" Claypool, but Joan Murphy said his approach was "not the proper way to do business," which Deborah Sims described as "showboating" while "making headlines."

Those traditional Stroger allies helped him kill Claypool's plan, but the deciding vote came from Republican Carl Hansen, who said market rent in some areas could hurt some low-paid employees.

Commissioner Larry Suffredin tried saving Claypool's plan with a compromise amendment, but with Hansen's "no" vote and a "present" vote from Peter Silvestri, the plan died, drawing applause from one district employee in the crowd.