Stroger scheduled to speak Monday at Harper College
Cook County residents will hear directly from county board President Todd Stroger on Monday when he visits Harper College from 7 to 9 p.m. in a forum with the public.
Stroger will take questions on various topics, but the meeting is seen largely as a chance for him to make his case directly to the public about a Cook County sales tax increase of $426 million annually, the largest tax increase in the county's history.
He also is expected to address what services the county provides to Northwest suburban residents as a way of showing what taxpayers get for their money.
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Stroger had previously arranged to visit the Palatine community college but backed out after he said Palatine officials were setting up the meeting to be a bash-Stroger event.
This time, the Palatine Chamber of Commerce is hosting the gathering, and village aldermen will not be allowed to precede Stroger's opening remarks with any speeches or editorials. After his opening statement, Stroger will take questions from the public, which may or may not include Palatine officials. Their presence is likely, however, given that the village board moved up the time of its meeting so it would not conflict with the Stroger appearance.
Aides to Stroger say the appearance will be a chance for Stroger to communicate without the filter of media or political enemies. They maintain he has been unfairly portrayed in the press.
The meeting begins at 7 p.m. at Harper College's Wojcik Conference Center.
Stroger in the suburbs
Fresh off his record-setting increase of taxes in Cook County, board President Todd Stroger will appear in person in Palatine to meet with the public, explain why a tax increase of $426 million in an already $3 billion budget was necessary, and what services the Northwest suburbs receive from Cook County.
Who: Cook County Board President Todd Stroger
What: Live forum with suburban residents
How: A brief address, followed by questions and answers with the public
Where: Harper College, Wojcik Conference Center at Euclid Avenue and Roselle Road in Palatine
When: 7 to 9 p.m. Monday