Another affront from Stroger & Co.
It's more than nice that Cook County officials paid tribute last Thursday to one of the suburbs' most legendary county commissioners by renaming Shoe Factory Road Woods in honor of the late Carl R. Hansen of Mount Prospect.
The ceremony to unveil the new sign proclaiming "Carl R. Hansen Woods" was quite touching and a well-deserved recognition of Hansen's 32 years of service on the county board.
It was almost enough to make you think that those in control of Cook County government actually care about the suburbs after all.
In reality, when it comes to the suburbs, here's what they care about: Our wallets.
When County Board President Todd Stroger and the majority faction of the county board look to the suburbs, they see green, and the green they see isn't the forest preserves.
That's why they've taxed us with an unfair sales tax that even repudiation at the polls can't seem to eliminate.
And that's why red-light cameras may be going up in suburbs that have expressly rejected them.
Make no mistake. This is not about traffic safety. The county has almost no role in policing these intersections.
No, it is about money, as so often is the case with red-light cameras. After years of gluttonous spending, the county is having trouble making ends meet.
As county Commissioner Larry Suffredin pointed out Friday in trying to defend the project, the county already has budgeted a minimum of $2 million in red-light camera revenues.
Sorry, that isn't a defense, Commissioner Suffredin. That's an indictment.
With typical county government indifference, this project has gotten underway with no consultation with the suburbs involved.
Six of the intersections the county is considering are in Schaumburg. The irony of that? The village of Schaumburg long ago abandoned its experiment with red-light cameras.
Two of the intersections are in Buffalo Grove. The irony of that? The village of Buffalo Grove expressly rejected installing its own red-light cameras.
Three of the intersections are in Arlington Heights. The irony of that? The village of Arlington Heights does not operate its own red-light cameras.
In short, the county is trying to impose these cameras in suburbs that already have considered and rejected them.
What nerve!
It's the type of arrogance that Carl Hansen fought for three decades as a representative of the Northwest suburbs on the county board.
If county officials truly want to honor his memory, they would do so with more than a patch of ground. They would do so first by respecting his constituency.