OntheWilderSide

Dear Wilders –

I’m the Green Party candidate for Cook County Board President.

I was one of the leaders of No Games Chicago. My work in helping to keep the Olympics out of Chicago saved every tax payer in Cook County at least $1,000! Let me tell you – we REALLY needed a progressive alliance for that fight. I have decades of work in education, social change, grassroots politics, leadership development and successfully fighting the Democratic Machine.

Attached are my platform for reform and improving services for Cook County and my my proposal for what I call the “Ten Percent Solution for Cook County” – saving taxpayers ten percent on their property tax bills.

TOM TRESSER

GREEN PARTY CANDIDATE FOR COOK COUNTY BOARD PRESIDENT

A FRESH START FOR COOK COUNTY

SAVINGS. SERVICE. JOBS.

IF ELECTED, I PLEDGE TO MAKE ALL UNITS OF COOK COUNTY GOVERNMENT LEANER AND MORE EFFICIENT AND
LOWER YOUR PROPERTY TAX BILL!

1.   ELIMINATE PATRONAGE, WASTE, DUPLICATE DEPARTMENTS, BRING IN NEW REVENUES – TOTALING $700 MILLION IN SAVINGS/NEW REVENUES ANNUALLY! I WILL PLACE ALL LEGISLATIVE, FINANCE, EMPLOYEE, CONTRACTOR AND VENDOR INFORMATION ONLINE FOR CITIZENS TO REVIEW AND COMMENT UPON. IT’S YOUR MONEY. IT’S YOUR INFORMATION.

2.   ELIMINATE TODD STROGER’S REMAINING HALF-CENT SALES TAX INCREASE AND FIGHT TO ELIMATE T.I.F. (TAX INCREMENT FINANCING) DISTRICTS – REDUCING YOUR PROPERY TAX BILL BY AT LEAST 10%!

3.   EXTEND HEALTH CARE SERVICES TO THE LEAST SERVED IN COOK COUNTY VIA STORE-FRONT CENTERS STAFFED BY NURSE-PRACTITIONERS.

4.   CONVENE A “STATE OF THE COUNTY’S HEALTH” SUMMIT WITH COMMUNITY LEADERS, HEALTH CARE EXPERTS AND CITIZENS. PUBLISH AN ANNUAL HEALTH CARE ATLAS DOCUMENTING THE HEALTH OF THE COUNTY WITH TRENDS, NEEDS AND SOLUTIONS.

5.   DE-INSTITUTIONALIZE NON-VIOLENT OFFENDERS AND SEEK COMMUNITY-BASED TREATMENT ALTERNATIVES THAT ARE LESS EXPENSIVE AND MORE EFFECTIVE IN REDUCING CRIME.

6.   ESTABLISH A COUNTY-WIDE URBAN AGRICULTURE PROGRAM TO TURN VACANT LAND INTO FOOD PRODUCTION – CREATING NEW JOBS AND NEW SOURCES OF AFFORDABLE FRESH PRODUCE.

7.   ESTABLISH A COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BANKING PROGRAM TO INVEST COUNTY FUNDS IN FIRST-TIME HOME OWNERSHIP AND SMALL BUSINESS INVESTMENT.

8.   LAUNCH A COUNTY-WIDE SUSTAINABILITY INITIATIVE REVIEWING THE STATUS OF OUR WATER, LAND AND AIR – TO MAKE COOK COUNTY THE GREENEST, CLEANEST AND MOST CARBON-NEUTRAL COUNTY IN AMERICA!

9. CONVENE A COUNTY-WIDE SUMMIT OF MAYORS AND TOWN

MANAGERS FOR REGIONAL PLANNING ON TRANSPORTATION,

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, GREEN TECHNOLOGY AND LAND USE. ESTABLISH TRAINING PROGRAM AT COMMUNITY COLLEGES FOR GREEN JOBS SUCH AS SOLAR PANEL INSTALLATION. INVESTIGATE HOW MEDICAL CENTERS CAN PARTNER WITH COMMUNITY GROUPS TO TRAIN THE NEXT GENERATION OF MEDICAL TECHNICIANS.

10.ESTABLISH A COOK COUNTY ARTS COUNCIL TO SERVE AS A VOICE AND CHAMPION FOR THE ARTS IN COOK COUNTY AND TO SEED CREATIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND COMMUNITY SERVICE PROJECTS BECAUSE THE ARTS SAVE LIVES AND BUILD VITAL COMMUNITIES.

BOTTOM LINE: I WILL TRANSFORM COOK COUNTY FROM AN UNDER-PERFORMING SERVANT FOR THE COOK COUNTY DEMOCRATIC MACHINE INTO A WORLD CLASS, SERVICE DRIVEN ORGANIZATION FIERCELY DEDICATED TO CUSTOMER SERVICE AND SOCIAL JUSTICE.

“I do not take campaign contributions from any organization that does business with Cook County. That way you know I will only serve your interests once in office. My opponents will make no such pledge. The Democratic candidate has already raised over $1 million from special interests. If you want to see a real change in Cook County politics, then you will have to make an investment in my campaign. Please donate $50, $100 or even $500 today. I firmly believe my reforms will increase the effectiveness of Cook County government and reduce your property taxes by at least that much.”

DONATE ONLINE AT WWW.TOM2010.US

MAIL A CHECK MADE OUT TO “FRIENDS OF TOM TRESSER” TO

333 W. NORTH AVENUE #154, CHICAGO IL 60610.

Tom will work to restore trust in Cook County government, eliminate corruption from Cook County government and deliver world-class service from Cook County government.

Tom is an educator, organizer and consultant to nonprofit organizations. He has founded or led ten nonprofit enterprises in the arts, community development and civic engagement. He has worked for good government causes for over 30 years. He formed 42^nd Ward Citizens for a Better Future in 1994 and was part of the regional coalition that defeated Mayor Daley’s attempts to bring land-based gambling to Cook County. He was a co-founder of Protect Our Parks, which successfully blocked the privatization of Lincoln Park, and was a leader of No Games Chicago, which successfully opposed the 2016 Olympic bid that would have bankrupted our local government, destroyed public parks and displaced working class families from their neighborhoods. Tom has the experience in collaborative problem solving and the courage to confront the Democratic Machine to create a…

FRESH START FOR COOK COUNTY!

Filed under: 3rd party, activism, election, Election 2010, elections, grassroots democracy, Green Party, News Tagged: | chicago, Cook County, Cook County Board of Commissioners, Cook County government, Cook County Illinois, Counties, Education, green, health care, Illinois, Local government, Tom Tresser, united states