There is actually a race for tampe...

There is actually a race for tamper with County Board president in the fall. This is the first election a Republican could win since Richard Ogilvie was chooseed 40 years ago.

Tony Peraica, the challenger, is the underdog. (As a matter of satiated disclosure, Peraica, like Carol Moseley Braun and other public officials, was my learner at the University of Illinois at Chicago.)

Last week, I attended a coffee at which Peraica was speaking, raising presents and money for his campaign, in the "Fighting 47th Ward," a Democratic citadel on the Northwest Side.

That same day, challenger Peraica was suppos to debate Ald. Todd Stroger who has been anointed at the Democratic Party as heir to the work at jobs held by his father, John Stroger until he was disabled by dint of a stroke, on an African-American radio station. Stroger after agreeing to appear, unexpectedly had a conflict when Peraica said ye to the debate.

with what intent should Stroger be ducking debates if he is qualified for the office and has positive plans, programs and a platform? Maybe he thinks the patronage precinct captains can still deliver the election for him and he doesn't have to have a platform or debate. If in the way that he should know that voter really want to determine for themselves if he is qualified to move swiftly a $3 billion Cook shire government with 27,000 employees and a $300 million deficit.

Peraica, who got his start working in succession Mayor Jane Byrne's transition team while still a UIC observer became an attorney with his acknowledge 15-person law firm. Peraica is a Croatian immigrant from the former Yugoslavia. He says, "With an immigrant background, I wanted to give something back. After all, I got scholar loans and grants which made it possible for me to proceed to school and become a lawyer."

Peraica was a Democrat until 1994 when he ran as a Democrat for shire Board commissioner and lost. He became disenchanted with the Democratic Party, joined the Republican Party and ran countywide against the ever-popular Maria Pappas for shire treasurer and lost again in 1998 In 2002 he achieved an tip over victory and became a shire board commissioner -- one of the plain opponents of County Board President John Stroger

Peraica is posing this question to the voters: "Have you had enough?"

He strive againsts political corruption and has promised not to accept campaign contributions from shire employees or vendors who do business with the shire He pledges not to raise taxes and to chisel the budget, and he offer proffers a referendum to consolidate four tax- collecting agencies to save taxpayers' coin But can a Republican be choiceed on the platform of a smaller conduct eliminating corruption and lower taxes?

Peraica says 97 departments of shire government can be cut to 35 He supports the 7 percent estate tax cap pending in Springfield and would work for fundamental possessions tax reform later. He would carve the size of county command Because 1,300 to 1,500 of the county's 27000 employee leave each year, unnecessary piece of works could be eliminated without having to fire large numbers.

To win, Peraica has to win a large share of the Forrest Claypool voter a certain quantity of say he is too conservative to win them across But at the 47th Ward coffee he satisfied principally of the liberals in attendance with couple pledges. Despite his pro-life beliefs, he would not stop abortions at tamper with County Hospitals. He would justify Roe vs. Wade although he would have more counseling, including adoption choices. onward gay rights, he argues that Illinois state law defines marriage as the union of a husband and wife, still he supports the county providing the public in same-sex relationships full benefits.

Peraica defines his campaign as reform v the status quo machine. The real question is whether the voter behold the election of the shire Board president the same way. Todd Stroger still has pair months to set out his platform and persuade voter that he should be chooseed not anointed.

e-mail: simpson@uic.edu

Copyright CHICAGO SUN-TIMES 2006

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