Think you're taxed enough? Alvarez wants more

CHICAGO, IL - Despite the recent tax increase that has given Cook County the highest sales tax in the country - State's Attorney candidate Anita Alvarez wants more. In her speech to the City Club of Chicago earlier today, Alvarez parroted the political insiders' party line by claiming her office doesn't have enough money to do its job ("Cook County State's Attorney Candidate Anita Alvarez Blasts County Board for Cutting Prosecutor Office's Budget", Michael Higgins, Chicago Tribune, 5/5/08).

Alvarez apparently missed the irony of the County Board passing that massive increase on the same day a federal court monitor released a report showing rampant illegal patronage hiring in county government.

The job of prosecuting that corruption is supposed to be carried out by the State's Attorney's office - an office in which Ms. Alvarez has served for 22 years. That same office has long turned a blind eye to the corruption that wastes millions of taxpayer dollars each year.

In recent years, the U.S. Attorney and federal courts have assumed the job of chief corruption fighter in Cook County - a job that the State's Attorney's office has failed to do. While that funds-consuming corruption goes unchecked by her office - she wants even more of the taxpayers' hard-earned money.

As Commissioner Tony Peraica told the Chicago Tribune, "Ms. Alvarez is apparently of the opinion that every problem can be solved by taxing the Cook County taxpayer more and more . There's a lot of patronage in the state's attorney's office . . . and we need to change that."

Supporting the party line has become commonplace for Ms. Alvarez - a loyal insider of the City Hall and Dick Devine who has confirmed ties to the disgraced Hispanic Democrat Organization and whose campaign finance chair is top Blagojevich fundraiser Bob Clifford.

Ms. Alvarez ran as a change agent - but continues to prove that she is merely an agent of the status quo.