Toni’s taunts. Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle tells the Daily Herald editorial board that Sheriff Tom Dart can meet her demand for 16 percent budget cuts across the board by reining in excessive costs in his office for medical leaves and worker’s compensation claims. An editorial in the Tribune praises her for taking on Dart and others as she prepares to unveil a lean budget for the next year.
Farewell flood. Also in the Herald, news that early retirements of 78 employees at the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District will cost $2.4 million. President Terry O’Brien says the district will realize “tremendous savings” in the future by leaving some positions unfilled and hiring others at lower salary and benefit levels.
Burge splurge. John Burge, the former Chicago police commander who ran a homicide unit that tortured and abused suspects, will keep his police pension of $3,000 a month, despite a recent conviction and prison sentencing for perjury and obstruction of justice. Cops and ex-cops on the pension board side with Burge.
Another abuse angle. The City of Chicago is taking a new approach to cop abuse cases, according to the Chicago News Cooperative. City lawyers are fighting cases instead of settling out of court, arguing that higher legal bills can be offset by a reduction in the number of lawsuits filed as plaintiff’s attorneys realize they’re in for a fight instead of an easy settlement.
Rich on Rahm. Rich Miller offers up some quaint anecdotes in his Sun-Times column, which supports the Illinois Supreme Court’s decision to keep Emanuel on the ballot because his “intent” was always to return to Chicago after his White House stint, and “intent” has always been the legal standard.
