Better than Monday night football: Ald. Stroger on Cable & Streaming
Jeff Berkowitz: ...He [Commissioner Claypool] said that was supposed to be consolidated. That would have saved a lot of money. He said John Stroger as President didn’t do it, even though he should have done it because it was required by what the County Board said [or passed]. Claypool said John Stroger cut patient care services instead of getting that kind of savings. What do you say to Forrest Claypool?
Ald. Todd Stroger: Well, first, I know John Stroger. He’s not going to cut patient services. So I’m sure he’s incorrect with that...
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Ald. Todd Stroger: Well, he’s right. They came in complaining before they even knew what was going on in the system. So they were looking from the outside and throwing stones before they actually had any data. To me that sounds like somebody who was running for County Board President as soon as they got there.
Jeff Berkowitz: And you’re talking about Forrest Claypool? You’re talking about Tony Peraica?
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"Public Affairs," is featuring Chicago Ald. Todd Stroger, Democratic Nominee for Cook County Board President, tonight ; Monday night [August 14] through-out the City of Chicago on CANTV, Cable Ch. 21 at 8:30 pm; And, anytime on the "Public Affairs," podcast page on your computer [Watch Now].
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The "Public Affairs," podcast page gives you a choice of more than twenty-five episodes of “Public Affairs," including shows with Ald. Todd Stroger; McCain, Obama and McSweeney; 8th CD candidates McSweeney [R]and Scheurer[I], Tony Peraica, Cook County Commissioner and Republican Nominee for County Board President , Deputy Governor Bradley Tusk on our video and audio podcast page[Watch here]. The podcast page also includes a one on one interview with 8th Cong. Dist. Republican Nominee David McSweeney [Barrington Hills], press conferences held with Governor Rod Blagojevich and his Republican Challenger, State Treasurer Judy Baar Topinka, a press conference with U.S. Senator Barack Obama and Cong. Bean and much, much more. [Watch here].
*******************************************************
Coming attractions on Public Affairs in the suburbs:
This Week: Bill Scheurer [M-Lindenhurst], Moderate Party candidate for 8th Congressional District, is interviewed by Jeff Berkowitz, show host/producer of "Public Affairs," and Executive Legal Recruiter doing legal search.
***************************************************
A partial transcript of the show with Ald. Stroger is included below and an additional partial transcript of the interview with Ald. Stroger and additional information about the show is here.
******************************************************
Jeff Berkowitz: Let's go to some issues. The health bureau. That's about one third of the budget, a 3.1 billion dollar budget for Cook County. The Health Bureau runs about 900 million dollars, more than nine hundred million dollars, right?
Ald. Todd Stroger: Yes.
Jeff Berkowitz: And that includes three hospitals, Stroger Hospital [named a few years ago after John Stroger], Provident, Oak Forest Hospital, and thirty clinics. There’s a gap now. People are saying this current annual budget is in deficit. And Peraica says one of the reasons is because they are not billing. That is, Cook County, for those hospital and health services—some people get them free, but some people are expected to pay because they have sufficient income to pay something. Bills aren’t going out. He [Peraica] claims we’re losing—we, Cook County—is losing several hundred million dollars as a result of that. Do you agree with your opponent [for County Board President] Tony Peraica on that and what would you do differently to make sure that doesn’t continue?
Ald. Todd Stroger: Well, there’s one more hospital, Cermak.
Jeff Berkowitz: Which is part of the jail. Some people say three. Some people say four, but I understand it is a hospital.
Ald. Todd Stroger: We pay for those services. So it’s four.
Jeff Berkowitz: Okay. That’s Cermak.
Ald. Todd Stroger: He is absolutely correct. We are not getting the dollars we need out of the hospitals, and it is because we are not asking people who can pay to pay. And that is something we’ll have to change at the hospital. I think it runs through the staff. They have got the feeling that it’s all free, but to keep those resources-
Jeff Berkowitz: So you agree with Peraica. It has to be changed. If you change that-- get several hundred million dollars more--That takes care of the deficit. Is that right?
Ald. Todd Stroger: I don’t know if that’ll take care of the deficit, but that will be one of the things that will help.
Jeff Berkowitz: Dan Winship has been there for two or three years as head of the Health Bureau, right?
Ald. Todd Stroger: Yes.
Jeff Berkowitz: Does he get the blame for this? Should heads roll? Should he go? Would you give the axe to Dan Winship?
Ald. Todd Stroger: You know, I’d have to look at it a little more closely. I can’t say that he is the direct problem. Of course, since he is the head, you would say that-
Jeff Berkowitz: The buck stops there. Just like if you were President and things weren’t going right, the buck would stop there. Right? You have to take the responsibility.
Ald. Todd Stroger: Well, he’s got to take some of the blame, for sure.
Jeff Berkowitz: Okay. On the Health Bureau, you know Forrest Claypool tells me—and I think I saw this—but he tells me he passed legislation, if you call it that or an ordinance—not an ordinance, I guess that’s the city--however you folks regulate what you do, but he said it passed the board. There was supposed to be consolidation of bookkeeping, accounting, finance, PR, things that are in the three separate hospitals—I know it’s different for Cermak, so we’ll leave them out for the moment. He said that was supposed to be consolidated. That would have saved a lot of money. He said John Stroger as President didn’t do it, even though he should have done it because it was required by what the County Board said [or passed]. Claypool said John Stroger cut patient care services instead of getting that kind of savings. What do you say to Forrest Claypool?
Ald. Todd Stroger: Well, first, I know John Stroger. He’s not going to cut patient services. So I’m sure he’s incorrect with that. Concerning consolidation, a study was asked to be done by the Bureau of Administration. They have done that study. They sent the industrial engineers out. They were bringing—they are bringing a report back, which I believe the Commissioners will get after their break, because they don’t meet this month. And that’s exactly what it talks about, consolidating positions.
Jeff Berkowitz: So you’re going to decide whether you support it based on that analysis? Or do you support it today?
Ald. Todd Stroger: Well, I believe if the Bureau of Administration did it, then they probably did a very thorough job, so I would support that.
Jeff Berkowitz: But why didn’t it happen before? Is Claypool right? Was it supposed to happen? Was your father, as President, opposing it?
Ald. Todd Stroger: Well, what Mr. Claypool doesn’t understand, in the healthcare field—because he doesn’t really have a background, I guess—is that you can’t just jump up and say, “I want to do this!” A lot of things have to go through the state. The state has to say, “Okay, this makes sense. We’ll let you do this.” So we can’t really make rules that happen in an instant. They have the last say.
Jeff Berkowitz: You don’t differentiate yourself from your father in that aspect at all? You think he did the right thing? Claypool’s wrong on this? Am I getting that right?
Ald. Todd Stroger: Yes. I’ll tell you one thing about John Stroger. He knew healthcare. He’d go to every healthcare seminar. He wanted to make sure the system was the best it could be.
Jeff Berkowitz: Okay. Now, your opponent, [County Commissioner] Tony Peraica and [County Commissioner] Forrest Claypool have been saying for a long time that there’s patronage, there’s bloat in the Health Bureau. They don’t want to hurt people who are needy, who can’t pay for services. They want them to get those services. Their point is they [the needy] are hurt by people who aren’t qualified to be working in the Health Bureau, who are patronage workers. [Peraica and Claypool] claim they are from the 8th ward, where your dad’s still the committeeman. Your dad’s still a power in the 8th ward. So they say, there is all that patronage, bloat and waste. [If you] get rid of that, you could save money for the taxpayers and improve services, health services, for the folks that you, I’m sure, care about, Claypool cares about, Peraica cares about and your father cared about. The [Cook County] constituents who need help. You disagree? Do you think there’s bloat, waste and inefficiency in the Health Bureau?
Ald. Todd Stroger: I think part of running a government is to make sure that there is no waste. And that’s an ongoing thing. So, you always want to check to make sure that people--
Jeff Berkowitz: But what’s your view, though? They’ve been saying it for four years. You know, Claypool’s been there for four years. Peraica. They came in—the Four Horsemen, as they say [Cook County Commissioners Claypool, Peraica, Quigley and Suffredin; all were elected in 2002, except for Quigley, who was elected in 1998].
Ald. Todd Stroger: Well, let’s be honest. They came in complaining!
Jeff Berkowitz: That’s what your father said, and you are agreeing with him. I heard your father say that.
Ald. Todd Stroger: Well, he’s right. They came in complaining before they even knew what was going on in the system. So they were looking from the outside and throwing stones before they actually had any data. To me that sounds like somebody who was running for County Board President as soon as they got there.
Jeff Berkowitz: And you’re talking about Forrest Claypool? You’re talking about Tony Peraica?
Ald. Todd Stroger: Well, yes, I am. But, the truth is, if you want to know about the system, you have to actually learn it first.
Jeff Berkowitz: They also said recently—Claypool said this, Mike Quigley said this, Peraica said this—The staff have been lying to the County Board. They’ve been doing it for a while. That’s why the County Board was surprised to learn of this deficit, because just a few months ago, staff at the County Board had been telling the Board members, “Everything’s fine.” Do you agree with that allegation, that staff had been lying to the County Board?
Ald. Todd Stroger: Well, it’s hard for me to talk about that since I’m not a County Board member. I haven’t had any-
Jeff Berkowitz: So you don’t have access to the same information. That’s what you’re saying?
Ald. Todd Stroger: Exactly.
Jeff Berkowitz: So you don’t know. They may have been lying. They may have not.
Ald. Todd Stroger: Yeah. I could not speak of that and have any knowledge.
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From Tonight's City of Chicago edition of Public Affairs. The program, taped on July 30, 2006, airs though-out the City of Chicago tonight, August 14 at 8:30 pm on Cable Ch. 21 [CANTV] and can be viewed anytime on your computer [Watch Now].
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Transcript draft prepared by Amy Allen, who also does research for “Public Affairs,” and has her own political blog [See here].
***************************************************
Jeff Berkowitz, Show Host/Producer of "Public Affairs," and Executive Legal Recruiter doing legal search can be reached at JBCG@aol.com
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Ald. Todd Stroger: Well, first, I know John Stroger. He’s not going to cut patient services. So I’m sure he’s incorrect with that...
***********************************************
Ald. Todd Stroger: Well, he’s right. They came in complaining before they even knew what was going on in the system. So they were looking from the outside and throwing stones before they actually had any data. To me that sounds like somebody who was running for County Board President as soon as they got there.
Jeff Berkowitz: And you’re talking about Forrest Claypool? You’re talking about Tony Peraica?
**************************************************
"Public Affairs," is featuring Chicago Ald. Todd Stroger, Democratic Nominee for Cook County Board President, tonight ; Monday night [August 14] through-out the City of Chicago on CANTV, Cable Ch. 21 at 8:30 pm; And, anytime on the "Public Affairs," podcast page on your computer [Watch Now].
****************************************************************
The "Public Affairs," podcast page gives you a choice of more than twenty-five episodes of “Public Affairs," including shows with Ald. Todd Stroger; McCain, Obama and McSweeney; 8th CD candidates McSweeney [R]and Scheurer[I], Tony Peraica, Cook County Commissioner and Republican Nominee for County Board President , Deputy Governor Bradley Tusk on our video and audio podcast page[Watch here]. The podcast page also includes a one on one interview with 8th Cong. Dist. Republican Nominee David McSweeney [Barrington Hills], press conferences held with Governor Rod Blagojevich and his Republican Challenger, State Treasurer Judy Baar Topinka, a press conference with U.S. Senator Barack Obama and Cong. Bean and much, much more. [Watch here].
*******************************************************
Coming attractions on Public Affairs in the suburbs:
This Week: Bill Scheurer [M-Lindenhurst], Moderate Party candidate for 8th Congressional District, is interviewed by Jeff Berkowitz, show host/producer of "Public Affairs," and Executive Legal Recruiter doing legal search.
***************************************************
A partial transcript of the show with Ald. Stroger is included below and an additional partial transcript of the interview with Ald. Stroger and additional information about the show is here.
******************************************************
Jeff Berkowitz: Let's go to some issues. The health bureau. That's about one third of the budget, a 3.1 billion dollar budget for Cook County. The Health Bureau runs about 900 million dollars, more than nine hundred million dollars, right?
Ald. Todd Stroger: Yes.
Jeff Berkowitz: And that includes three hospitals, Stroger Hospital [named a few years ago after John Stroger], Provident, Oak Forest Hospital, and thirty clinics. There’s a gap now. People are saying this current annual budget is in deficit. And Peraica says one of the reasons is because they are not billing. That is, Cook County, for those hospital and health services—some people get them free, but some people are expected to pay because they have sufficient income to pay something. Bills aren’t going out. He [Peraica] claims we’re losing—we, Cook County—is losing several hundred million dollars as a result of that. Do you agree with your opponent [for County Board President] Tony Peraica on that and what would you do differently to make sure that doesn’t continue?
Ald. Todd Stroger: Well, there’s one more hospital, Cermak.
Jeff Berkowitz: Which is part of the jail. Some people say three. Some people say four, but I understand it is a hospital.
Ald. Todd Stroger: We pay for those services. So it’s four.
Jeff Berkowitz: Okay. That’s Cermak.
Ald. Todd Stroger: He is absolutely correct. We are not getting the dollars we need out of the hospitals, and it is because we are not asking people who can pay to pay. And that is something we’ll have to change at the hospital. I think it runs through the staff. They have got the feeling that it’s all free, but to keep those resources-
Jeff Berkowitz: So you agree with Peraica. It has to be changed. If you change that-- get several hundred million dollars more--That takes care of the deficit. Is that right?
Ald. Todd Stroger: I don’t know if that’ll take care of the deficit, but that will be one of the things that will help.
Jeff Berkowitz: Dan Winship has been there for two or three years as head of the Health Bureau, right?
Ald. Todd Stroger: Yes.
Jeff Berkowitz: Does he get the blame for this? Should heads roll? Should he go? Would you give the axe to Dan Winship?
Ald. Todd Stroger: You know, I’d have to look at it a little more closely. I can’t say that he is the direct problem. Of course, since he is the head, you would say that-
Jeff Berkowitz: The buck stops there. Just like if you were President and things weren’t going right, the buck would stop there. Right? You have to take the responsibility.
Ald. Todd Stroger: Well, he’s got to take some of the blame, for sure.
Jeff Berkowitz: Okay. On the Health Bureau, you know Forrest Claypool tells me—and I think I saw this—but he tells me he passed legislation, if you call it that or an ordinance—not an ordinance, I guess that’s the city--however you folks regulate what you do, but he said it passed the board. There was supposed to be consolidation of bookkeeping, accounting, finance, PR, things that are in the three separate hospitals—I know it’s different for Cermak, so we’ll leave them out for the moment. He said that was supposed to be consolidated. That would have saved a lot of money. He said John Stroger as President didn’t do it, even though he should have done it because it was required by what the County Board said [or passed]. Claypool said John Stroger cut patient care services instead of getting that kind of savings. What do you say to Forrest Claypool?
Ald. Todd Stroger: Well, first, I know John Stroger. He’s not going to cut patient services. So I’m sure he’s incorrect with that. Concerning consolidation, a study was asked to be done by the Bureau of Administration. They have done that study. They sent the industrial engineers out. They were bringing—they are bringing a report back, which I believe the Commissioners will get after their break, because they don’t meet this month. And that’s exactly what it talks about, consolidating positions.
Jeff Berkowitz: So you’re going to decide whether you support it based on that analysis? Or do you support it today?
Ald. Todd Stroger: Well, I believe if the Bureau of Administration did it, then they probably did a very thorough job, so I would support that.
Jeff Berkowitz: But why didn’t it happen before? Is Claypool right? Was it supposed to happen? Was your father, as President, opposing it?
Ald. Todd Stroger: Well, what Mr. Claypool doesn’t understand, in the healthcare field—because he doesn’t really have a background, I guess—is that you can’t just jump up and say, “I want to do this!” A lot of things have to go through the state. The state has to say, “Okay, this makes sense. We’ll let you do this.” So we can’t really make rules that happen in an instant. They have the last say.
Jeff Berkowitz: You don’t differentiate yourself from your father in that aspect at all? You think he did the right thing? Claypool’s wrong on this? Am I getting that right?
Ald. Todd Stroger: Yes. I’ll tell you one thing about John Stroger. He knew healthcare. He’d go to every healthcare seminar. He wanted to make sure the system was the best it could be.
Jeff Berkowitz: Okay. Now, your opponent, [County Commissioner] Tony Peraica and [County Commissioner] Forrest Claypool have been saying for a long time that there’s patronage, there’s bloat in the Health Bureau. They don’t want to hurt people who are needy, who can’t pay for services. They want them to get those services. Their point is they [the needy] are hurt by people who aren’t qualified to be working in the Health Bureau, who are patronage workers. [Peraica and Claypool] claim they are from the 8th ward, where your dad’s still the committeeman. Your dad’s still a power in the 8th ward. So they say, there is all that patronage, bloat and waste. [If you] get rid of that, you could save money for the taxpayers and improve services, health services, for the folks that you, I’m sure, care about, Claypool cares about, Peraica cares about and your father cared about. The [Cook County] constituents who need help. You disagree? Do you think there’s bloat, waste and inefficiency in the Health Bureau?
Ald. Todd Stroger: I think part of running a government is to make sure that there is no waste. And that’s an ongoing thing. So, you always want to check to make sure that people--
Jeff Berkowitz: But what’s your view, though? They’ve been saying it for four years. You know, Claypool’s been there for four years. Peraica. They came in—the Four Horsemen, as they say [Cook County Commissioners Claypool, Peraica, Quigley and Suffredin; all were elected in 2002, except for Quigley, who was elected in 1998].
Ald. Todd Stroger: Well, let’s be honest. They came in complaining!
Jeff Berkowitz: That’s what your father said, and you are agreeing with him. I heard your father say that.
Ald. Todd Stroger: Well, he’s right. They came in complaining before they even knew what was going on in the system. So they were looking from the outside and throwing stones before they actually had any data. To me that sounds like somebody who was running for County Board President as soon as they got there.
Jeff Berkowitz: And you’re talking about Forrest Claypool? You’re talking about Tony Peraica?
Ald. Todd Stroger: Well, yes, I am. But, the truth is, if you want to know about the system, you have to actually learn it first.
Jeff Berkowitz: They also said recently—Claypool said this, Mike Quigley said this, Peraica said this—The staff have been lying to the County Board. They’ve been doing it for a while. That’s why the County Board was surprised to learn of this deficit, because just a few months ago, staff at the County Board had been telling the Board members, “Everything’s fine.” Do you agree with that allegation, that staff had been lying to the County Board?
Ald. Todd Stroger: Well, it’s hard for me to talk about that since I’m not a County Board member. I haven’t had any-
Jeff Berkowitz: So you don’t have access to the same information. That’s what you’re saying?
Ald. Todd Stroger: Exactly.
Jeff Berkowitz: So you don’t know. They may have been lying. They may have not.
Ald. Todd Stroger: Yeah. I could not speak of that and have any knowledge.
*********************************
From Tonight's City of Chicago edition of Public Affairs. The program, taped on July 30, 2006, airs though-out the City of Chicago tonight, August 14 at 8:30 pm on Cable Ch. 21 [CANTV] and can be viewed anytime on your computer [Watch Now].
*****************************
Transcript draft prepared by Amy Allen, who also does research for “Public Affairs,” and has her own political blog [See here].
***************************************************
Jeff Berkowitz, Show Host/Producer of "Public Affairs," and Executive Legal Recruiter doing legal search can be reached at JBCG@aol.com
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