Joe Berrios-The new Todd Stroger (job, people, family)

[Chicago60614]

Well it's not JUST like Stroger who liked to hire busboys and random relatives and put them in brand new $80K a year jobs.


At least in this case the two he's bringing over had already been working for 8 and 11 years in the Tax Appeals Office, and they're now moving from the 6th floor to the 3rd floor to work in the Assessors office. Both of them are staying at the same salary, and doing roughly what they had been doing before, just in a different department.

It still looks BAD, and he shouldn't just stack his office - but at least these people had been with the county tax relations in their previous positions for around a decade, and they're not getting paid any more to switch downstairs.

[cubssoxfan]

How Claypool did not know of this and hammer Berrios on this issue is beyond me.

Who the Tools are that are stupid* enough to vote for this clown, and others like, him is beyond me. It's as though you can take certain sections of Chicago and southern Cook County, have ANY clown run who has a D behind their name on the ballot and he or she is automatically in. Cook County is too large; time for NW suburbs to form Lincoln County.
*And maybe this constituency is stupid like a fox. They maintain their social benefits and a chance at a county job (or the illusions of these)if they follow like lemmings.

[Chi-town Native]

Originally Posted by ParkerP

Nepotism is so deep at my job that people were shocked that I was hired without knowing anybody. Unless all forms of it (ie family, friends, fraternities, alumni etc) are completely wiped out, the playing field will never be leveled.

I agree that sounds good in theory, but for many people in an age of information-overload, friends are the network you learn about job openings from. I didn't get my job due to a friend, but I did hear about it thanks to one.

What is clearly wrong is hiring unqualified people - private sector folks not getting any govt tax breaks or funding/contracts should be able to do whatever they want (their money = their risk).

[Chi-town Native]

Originally Posted by ladysovereign

I agree with your comparisons, but it seems this is how Chicago and Cook County politics are handled.

Is it really different around the country, though? Friends in Wisconsin tell me it's fairly similar in terms of "you need to know someone" to get a job - it's not as egregious in the sense of hiring incompetent do-nothings.

[chitown85]

Chicago is more out in the open because it is tolerated.

[Irishtom29]

What kind of a world would it be where a father couldn't help his son?

[ladysovereign]

Originally Posted by Chi-town Native

Is it really different around the country, though? Friends in Wisconsin tell me it's fairly similar in terms of "you need to know someone" to get a job - it's not as egregious in the sense of hiring incompetent do-nothings.

I doubt it's different anywhere else in the country. Friends of mine who work for the City and the County have told me that they only got their job because a relative gave a recommendation for them.

[lenniel]

What many of you are failing to realize is the difference between the private sector and public sector.

If you work for a private company and everyone in the founders immediate and extended family work for that company, there's nothing wrong with that because it's the founders/family's money and they'll do with it as they please. You really can't complain to anyone.

In the public sector though, it's the taxpayers money and the responsibility of a public official is first to the taxpayer.
What happens if his son or sister do something to get in trouble? Does he fire them, embarrassing him and his family? No, he probably somehow covers it us and thus, the cycle of corruption self perpetuates.

[tonythetuna]

I applaud our new board president for speaking up about this.

"Joseph Berrios is my friend. He is the chairman of the Democratic Party and I'm a Democratic committeeman. However, I think it's critically important that we bring talented, competent people into government. In the 19 years I've been aldermen, I never hired any family members, and I think it's inappropriate," Preckwinkle said.

http://www.nbcchicago.com/blogs/ward...111646209.html

[tomcho]

I'm shocked! Berrios giving his daughter a huge pay raise. I guess the furlough programs and huge budget deficits don't apply to family.

Cook County Assessor Joe Berrios' daughter Vanessa Berrios gets $10,000-a-year raise | abc7chicago.com