Associated Press is reporting ... and we find this very, very encouraging ...or should we say interesting?
CHICAGO (AP) -- Former Chicago Public Schools chief Paul Vallas is planning a return to Illinois to run for the presidency of the Cook County Board of Commissioners.
Vallas, who currently heads the New Orleans school system, told the Chicago Sun-Times he will run as a Republican, a party that has not controlled the board since Richard Ogilvie in 1960. The current president is Todd Stroger, son of the long-time president of the board John Stroger, who died in office.
The Sun-Times reports Vallas contends Cook County government is broken, and said he likes to fix things.
Vallas lost the 2002 Democratic gubernatorial primary to Rod Blagojevich by about 25,000 votes. He then moved on to Philadelphia to head that city's public schools.
Illinois House Republican leader tom Cross said Vallas' credentials, substance and integrity would be great for the GOP.
