Kotowski Releases Letter-to-Editors Regarding Cook County Board Accountability

Friday 4th of September 2009

Dear Editor:

As a resident of Cook County , I was extremely disappointed to learn that the County Board failed to repeal Board President Todd Stroger’s controversial sales tax increase. I applaud the 13 members of the Board who voted to override Stroger’s veto of the tax repeal. Unfortunately, under the arcane rules governing the Cook County Board, 13 votes - 75 percent of the total vote - is not enough to override the Board President's veto. To override Stroger’s veto, the Board needs a four-fifths majority - a staggering 80 percent of the total vote.

I am fighting to change this outdated and unfair rule. Last spring, I introduced legislation that would have reduced the veto override threshold to a three-fifths majority - 60 percent of the total vote. I hasten to add that a three-fifths majority is all the Illinois General Assembly needs to override the Governor's veto and all the United States Congress needs to override the President’s veto. To grant the Cook County Board President greater power over his constituency than that of the President of the United States is ludicrous and unjust. I know there was a historical reason for the four-fifths requirement—to protect the voice of the suburbs - but subsequent changes to the Board’s composition have made this argument obsolete. Lowering the veto threshold would make the Board President more responsive to the citizens of Cook County , restoring democratic decision-making power to the people and their directly elected representatives.

The bill I sponsored flew through the Senate, passing unanimously and with little debate. It's a common-sense measure, and my fellow senators—Democrats and Republicans alike—supported it. At this time, the bill has not been called for a vote in the House. Restoring authority to the people of Cook County and accountability to the County Board President is too important an issue to ignore. I intend to reintroduce this same legislation with an immediate effective date, during the October Veto Session and to continue pushing for reform until it happens.

Sincerely,

Dan Kotowski
Illinois State Senator, 33rd District