Why do we even need Cook County?

As recently as 25 years ago, there was still a great deal of open space and farmland within the boundaries of Cook County.

Back then, if you lived in an unincorporated area, you called the Cook County sheriff if you needed the police.

If you fell ill or were in an accident, you were taken to Cook County Hospital. The park you played in was probably in a Cook County Forest Preserve.

With urban sprawl, there are only tiny pockets of unincorporated space left. Now, when it snows, you're likely to see a Cook County salt truck driving from pocket to pocket with his plow up to get to those unconnected areas.

The forest preserves are surrounded by towns whose police forces can't help you, so you must call the sheriff or Cook County Forest Preserve Police.

If you fall ill or are in an accident, you're going to the nearest hospital and unless you live in Chicago, that won't be Cook County Hospital.

So I have this very simple question, "Why do we even need Cook County?"

The concept of a county government designed to aid the unincorporated rural areas when there are none seems to be quite redundant and wasteful.

I know we need a board of elections, court system, recorder of deeds and a clerk to register marriages, divorces, and other legal matters.

But do we need Cook County Jail? It's basically a prison, so it should be run by the state. Cook County Hospital serves Chicago, so let Mayor Daley figure out how to pay for it.

I think the remaining pockets and forest preserves should be incorporated and their responsibility turned over to the towns they touch. With this act, we can eliminate the highway department, sheriff's department, forest preserve administration and their special police force.

There are many ways to cut county spending. In fact, when county Board President Todd Stroger comes to Harper College later this month to explain the need for the sales tax increase, I hope that someone asks him, "Why do we even need you?"

John Schadl

Arlington Heights