Stroger: 'If you don't tell people, they won't know'
Cook County now spends more than $1 million for 15 salaried public relations employees.
So why is Cook County Board President Todd Stroger looking to hire an outside consultant to help handle public relations for the county hospital system?
"We're looking for expertise, to let people know what's going on," says Stroger, who's looking at proposals from nine firms. "We do good things. If you don't tell people, they won't know.''
And what about the three PR people at Stroger Hospital, the one at Provident Hospital and the one at the health department?
"Maybe they need a little help,'' says Stroger. "Is there something wrong with that? This isn't a Mickey Mouse operation. This is a large organization.''
Steve Patterson
Tony Rezko's former business partner, Daniel Mahru, is facing foreclosure on his North Shore mansion, just like Rezko.
National City Bank sued Mahru and his wife last month, saying they've stopped paying the $1.5 mortgage on their Glencoe home. The Mahrus got the mortgage five years ago.
Mahru could be called to testify in Rezko's ongoing corruption trial.
Rezko and his wife, Rita, are fighting a foreclosure suit on their Wilmette mansion. LaSalle Bank says the Rezkos owe $5.5 million.
Tim Novak
Peter Karahalios spent five years as a top assistant to Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas, where he was responsible for -- among other things -- helping taxpayers get back overpayments of their real estate taxes.
In 2003, he quit to start a small law firm specializing in -- among other things -- helping taxpayers get back overpayments of their real estate taxes.
Now, he's back on Pappas' payroll, as a $130,000-a-year project director.
Pappas says she expected to collect $8 million this year from banks and mortgage companies from a $5 fee for processing payments electronically. She's made that effort a priority for Karahalios and figures he'll boost that figure to $12 million.
Steve Patterson
