Cook County commissioners balk at furloughs Cook County commissioners balk at furloughs

The Cook County Board of Commissioners is in the midst of an escalating fight over furlough days.

Five commissioners this week said they weren’t going to abide by the 10 days off without pay, as most of the 23,000 county workers will. However, public pressure is beginning to have an effect, with two commissioners saying they are rethinking their positions.

The second thoughts come as Commissioner Larry Suffredin labeled his balking colleagues “Strogerites.” A reference to former board President Todd Stroger, who lost a 2010 re-election bid. That prompted Commissioner William Beavers to tell the Chicago Sun-Times (http://bit.ly/qCccDN) that Suffredin was “an idiot” and “a misfit.”

The stand by the five commissioners, who make $85,000 annually, also prompted Suffredin to call for a reduction of their office budgets next year.