How does the Coca-Cola lobby at the 26th and California courthouse sound? The Kraft Kafeteria at Stroger Hospital? Or even the Bianchi Busse Woods Bike Trail in the forest preserve?
The possibilities abound, Cook County officials say, as they look to sell everything from naming rights to advertising at most of its real estate holdings — from the hospitals to forest preserve paths and nature centers to even public areas of the city and suburban courthouses as a means of generating new revenue streams.In a moribund economy, politicians are loath to raise taxes, and so County Board President Toni Preckwinkle’s staff has been looking for new ways to raise money for the cash-strapped county government, whose umbrella encompasses the vast health and hospital system as well as local courts and jails. The forest preserve — a separate taxing district — has been in the black the last few years.
How about shrinking government instead? Or better yet, abolishing county government on a scale heretofore unseen in Illinois? Cook County is the most redundant governing body in the entire United States as far as we can tell. With very few exceptions, there isn't much the county does that isn't already covered by local or state authority.