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CHICAGO TRIBUNE
During his run for Congress, Michael Quigley was cautious about publicly telling Democratic committeemen whom he hopes they'll choose to replace him on the Cook County Board. But when we spoke with Quigley after his Tuesday victory, he wasn't so guarded: "I understand this isn't my choice," he told us, "but I'd love to have my chief of staff replace me." Then he enumerated three reasons why he thinks Kimberly Walz is best qualified to fill this crucial seat at this crucial time.
Walz isn't the only impressive candidate vying for the job—more on that later—but we second Quigley's motion. Ald. Tom Tunney, who'll chair Saturday's meeting to choose Quigley's successor, says he wants someone who's "Just like Mike." That's Walz. Here's Quigley's rationale for promoting her:
•Quigley's 10 years on the County Board, he says, included about a dozen truly critical votes, most opposing tax increases or other efforts to further grow this bloated government. He wasn't a "maybe" vote on those issues. This year alone, the County Board demanded 4 percent cuts from board President Todd Stroger's budget requests for most departments—and slashed his proposed $740 million in new borrowing to $251 million. Every move that defended taxpayers relied on Quigley's relentless opposition to needless taxing, borrowing and spending. He sees Walz as an equally reliable vote for reform.
•"It's important not just to be a 'no' vote but to have educated alternate proposals," Quigley told us. "Kim co-authored every report on reinventing Cook County, every budget amendment, every counterproposal we offered. She'll keep this a leadership seat."
•Some of the Democratic machine's worst tax-and-spend proposals haven't come to a vote over the years because Stroger and board Finance Committee Chairman John Daley knew those proposals were sure to lose. Subtract Quigley's rock-solid stand for reform and you're left with only 7 of 17 board members who'll usually fight Stroger's inclination—often with Daley's vote of support—to spend as much money as he can.
We know and respect other candidates for this seat, notably Bridget Gainer, a veteran of City Hall's budget office and the Chicago Park District administration. Gainer, now director of public affairs for Aon Corp., has much to offer, and if she is unsuccessful in this quest, we hope her candidacy signals interest in another office.
But Gainer's comparative inexperience with county issues surfaced this week when we asked her and Walz, in separate meetings, whether the County Board could repeal its noxious 1-percentage-point increase in the sales tax and still meet its responsibilities. The urgent need to reverse that unneeded tax increase is the reason we run a daily tax calendar counting off the days until voters can have their say on these board members. Gainer tentatively responded, "I certainly think that [repeal] should be a possibility." Walz instantly responded, "Yes," and ticked off specific tactics for cutting the tax without impairing county services.
Quigley built his reputation by mastering the unsexy details of a government that has been managed as a honey pot for machine pols. Here's a chance to appoint a successor who is eager—and ready from Day One—to build on his reform efforts.
Committeemen decide on Saturday who'll occupy what's sure to be the most-watched seat in county government. They have a chance to choose someone who is, as Tunney put it, "Just like Mike."
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CHICAGO SUN TIMES
On Saturday, Democratic committeemen voting on Cook County Commisioner Mike Quigley's replacement will decide whether they stand for reform or business as usual.
They will do the voters' bidding, or bank on the voters' apathy.
They will vote for a new way -- or the Chicago Way.
When the voters of the 5th District elected Quigley to Congress, they made clear they approve of what he stands for -- an eagle eye on government spending and waste, a passion for reform, an ability to get things done.
But that was the rub in sending Quigley to Congress. We gained a good congressman, but lost a good county commissioner.
And, goodness knows, we need as many good county commissioners as we can get.
With that in mind, the Chicago Sun-Times strongly urges the Democratic committeemen within the county's 10th District to appoint Kimberly Walz as Quigley's county board replacement.
The selection is important. Whoever they choose will have a great advantage come the primary in February. And Walz, 34, has earned that advantage. She is Quigley's chief of staff and embodies the best of Quigley's qualities.
Usually, we're not fans of endorsing staff people to replace their bosses.
It can be too chummy.
It can smack of a fait accompli, an anointing of the pre-anointed.
It can be simplistic: Like the boss? You'll love his staffer!
It can run counter to the very reform measures that we have endorsed time and again to clean up Cook County government.
After all, there are plenty of bright, promising people interested in the county job. Many of those candidates emphasize their own strong support of Quigley's ideas, although they were less vocal in their support for the man himself when he was running in the Democratic primary for Congress.
Walz will continue Quigley's mission on the county board and needs no on-the-job training.
With a master's degree in public policy from Georgetown University, she is a policy wonk, a detail person, someone who has had plenty of experience sniffing out waste in county government, having worked for Quigley for 8 1/2 years.
She understands the ins-and-outs of the county budget, and she has helped write many of Quigley's white papers -- the ones that suggest savings and efficiencies in many areas of county government.
You know, the ones that county leaders usually ignore.
With Quigley, Walz fought Cook County Board President Todd Stoger's record sales tax increase. She understands voters are sick at getting nickeled-and-dimed to death while having little faith that government is spending their money wisely.
She knows that much more needs to be done to reform county government. She supports, for instance, prohibiting any company that provides financial services to the county from making political contributions to county commissioners.
On a personal level, Walz has a somewhat sunnier disposition than Quigley, meaning she may do a better job of reaching out to opponents.
Mike Quigley has moved on to Washington, but that doesn't have to mean a loss for the cause of true reform on the Cook County Board.
Not if the committeemen choose Kimberly Walz.
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Questions? Need to know what ward you're in? Email me at FriendsofKim@gmail.com
Ward/ Committeeman/Phone/Vote percentage
(32)- Rep. John Fritchey – 773-477-8683 (1.9%)
(39)- Committeeman Randy Barnette -- 773-736-5594 (5.77%)
(40)- Ald. Pat O’Connor -- 773-769-1140 (8.79%)
(41)- Committeeman Mary O’Connor -- 312-208-0821 (0.33%)
(43)- Committeeman Michelle Smith – 773-661-2133 (17.15%)
(44)- Ald. Tom Tunney – 773-472-0444 (20.54%)
(45) Ald. Pat Levar – 773-283-8594 (0.34%)
(46) Committeeman Tom Sharpe – 773-327-4646 (19.10%)
(48) Carol Ronen – 773-726-0480 (19.94%)
(49) Committeeman David Fagus – 779-761-0050 (3.79%)
(50) Sen. Ira Silverstein – 773-761-0050 (3.79%)