CFL passes on Cook prez endorsement

The Chicago Federation of Labor opted today to make no endorsement in the Cook County Board president's race and held off on endorsing commissioners, saying it can't support any who support the proposed county sales-tax rollback expected to come up for vote next week.

"We cannot endorse individuals who plan to balance the budget by slashing services and laying off men and women for political gain during an election year," said CFL President Dennis Gannon.

The commissioners have called a special meeting for Tuesday, with the idea of passing a sales-tax rollback and then overriding Stroger's expected veto at Wednesday's regularly scheduled meeting. They could vote to cut all of the 1 percent increase imposed last year or 0.5 percent.

The CFL, which claims almost a half-million members in more than 300 affiliated unions, did endorse Democratic county incumbents Clerk David Orr, Treasurer Maria Pappas and Sheriff Tom Dart. It backed incumbent suburban 1st District Board of Review Commissioner Brendan Houlihan and also Joe Berrios' bid to move from the Board of Review to county assessor.

The CFL, the Chicago area's largest labor organization, said incumbent President Todd Stroger and his three Democratic challengers - Chicago Hyde Park Alderman Toni Preckwinkle, Clerk of the Circuit Court Dorothy Brown and Metropolitan Water Reclamation District President Terrence O'Brien - all "have strong records of standing up for working men and women."

The CFL also said the County Board's vote on video gambling would affect its endorsements, as it was expected to fund one-third of the Illinois Jobs Now program passed by the General Assembly earlier this year.