Dear Scott Walker, Learn To Balance Your Budget From Cook County, Illinois

Yes, you heard me. Instead of busting the unions, there is a way to balance your budget without alienating the very people who work for you. When Toni Preckwinkle took office, she had a $487 million dollar deficit. Yep, I think that's more than Wisconsin's as a state. We also have the highest sales tax in the country. Not county — in the entire United States. However, this is how Toni Preckwinkle is fixing this without ruining Cook County Illinois and without making the unions obsolete. This took place in a 19 hour meeting where they worked with the unions — not against them.

1. Thousands of county workers (about 23,000) will take 10 unpaid days off this year. As a result, 550 fewer layoffs. (About 750 layoffs are still expected). 5 of those will be unpaid selected by the workers themselves. The others would be on county “shutdown days”.

2 (aff). The commissioners will ALSO take 10 unpaid days off. This is called sharing the pain. This amounts to a 3 (aff).8% pay cut.

3 (aff). Preckwinkle herself is taking a 10% pay cut.

4. Spending cuts.

5. Department consolidations.

6. Collection of unpaid taxes.

7. Some fee increases.

8. The tapping of some surplus funds.

I keep hearing from people that busting the unions is the only way to balance the budget. Well, Toni Preckwinkle has shown you differently. This is how you get it done! (And let me add that she also dropped the sales tax a quarter of a percent so that's even less money coming into Cook County). Oh yeah, she's only been in office a little over 100 days!

Lisa Martin

In April 2006, Lisa began blogging to stay connected with distant relatives and friends. As she delved into blogging, she discovered the potential to assist others by sharing her experiences. Lisa has actively engaged in numerous exclusive media ventures. Notable among these are her participation in events such as the Sony Mommy Bloggers Event, the Pampers Mommy Bloggers Event, the Epson Event in Chicago, the Stouffers Event, a memorable yacht excursion with Lands End, collaborations with 1-800-Baskets, an exclusive tour for bloggers by Mrs. Prindable’s, partnerships with Hallmark, PopCap games, Chicago Cubs Mastercard Priceless Events, and Rug Doctor. In addition, she has collaborated with Nutrisystem on a weight loss initiative, teamed up with Buick and Chevy, and served as a brand ambassador for Sprint. Lisa's collaboration portfolio also extends to Disney, where she has participated in press trips for significant movies such as Frozen, Guardians of the Galaxy, McFarland USA, The Good Dinosaur, The BFG, and Cars 3. Notably, for projects like Frozen, The BFG, and Cars 3, she was granted the privilege of walking the red carpet and conducting interviews with celebrities. The impact of Lisa's blog has gained recognition, with The New York Times referencing her content. Moreover, she has been featured in interviews by respected publications such as the Southtown Star, The Chicago Sun Times, and inside.

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