NEW REPORT EXAMINES COOK COUNTY BOARD VOTING PATTERNS

Fewer than half of the commissioners on the Cook County Board voted to support county board President Todd Stroger's position at least 50 percent of the time on key controversial votes in the past 33 months, according to a report produced by University of Illinois at Chicago political scientists.

The study, "Cook County Wars," highlights 14 major divided roll call votes -- votes in which at least one commissioner opposed the president on an issue -- from February 23, 2007 through December 1.

During this span, the board battled over budgets, taxes, and debts.

"The pattern of Cook County board votes is the reverse of the Chicago City Council voting pattern," says the report's lead author Dick Simpson, UIC professor and head of political science and a former 44th Ward alderman in Chicago. "Board President Stroger is dealing with a full-blown rebellion in contrast to Chicago Mayor Richard Daley, who easily dominates a 'rubber stamp' City Council."

To compare, the researchers note that during a similar time period 60 percent of Chicago aldermen voted in step with Mayor Daley on 90 percent or more of divided roll call votes.

Since being elected in November 2006, Stroger, a Democrat, has struggled in his attempts to secure support for his positions.

The most consistent opposition to Stroger is in the 10th District, where former Commissioner Mike Quigley cast an opposing vote on all but one of seven key votes (14 percent support). Quigley, a Democrat who resigned his county board seat after winning election to Congress earlier this year, was replaced by Bridget Gainer in April. Gainer has opposed Stroger on seven out of seven key votes (0 percent support).

Joining in the board's "independent" coalition are fellow Democratic Commissioners Forest Claypool (17 percent) and Larry Suffredin (31 percent).

Five suburban-based Republican commissioners -- Tony Peraica (8 percent), Timothy Schneider (14 percent), Elizabeth Gorman (21 percent), Peter Silvestri (29 percent) and Gregg Goslin (29 percent) -- comprise the foremost opposition bloc to Stroger.

Only four commissioners, William Beavers (100 percent), Jerry Butler (93 percent), Deborah Sims (92 percent), and Joseph Moreno (93 percent), supported Stroger on more than 75 percent of the key divided roll call votes.

Others who voted with Stroger 50 percent of the time or more were Joan Murphy (69 percent), Earlean Collins (56 percent), Robert Maldonado (56 percent), and John Daley (50 percent).

Democrat Edwin Reyes, who was appointed last August to replace 8th District Commissioner Robert Maldonado who became a Chicago alderman, has voted against Stroger in all three key votes since joining the board.

This is the first study of Cook County commissioner voting patterns produced by Simpson, who since the 1970's has teamed with UIC political science students to issue numerous reports detailing Chicago City Council voting patterns.

"The voting records of the Cook County Board of Commissioners are not as accessible for the public as Chicago City Council voting records," said Simpson, who compiled the report with UIC graduate student Tom Kelly. "With primary elections in February, this report can serve as a resource for citizens to hold commissioners accountable for their representation of the districts and the county as a whole."

"Cook County Wars" is a compilation of board voting patterns, both by district and by individual commissioner, as well as analysis of several important votes on issues such as the sales tax increase, the move to repeal the sales tax, budget approvals, and hiring an inspector general.

A full report is available online at http://www.uic.edu/depts/pols/ChicagoPolitics/countyreport2009.pdf.

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