Joe Berrios, Cook County Assessor, Gets 'Valentine' For Nepotism

Cook County Assessor Joe Berrios, who has said on multiple occasions that he hires his family members and does not feel bad about doing so, received a "valentine" from a political opponent in Tuesday's Chicago Sun-Times.

The classified ad featured a photo of the smiling Berrios, along with a message from his "family":

Happy V-day

Uncle Joe,

Thank you for the jobs and promotions.

We couldn’t have gotten them without you.

With love, the Berrios family

Alonso Zaragoza, who is hoping to unseat Berrios as the 31st Ward Democratic committeeman, has taken credit for the ad, CBS Chicago reports.

“I want them to know that corruption isn’t acceptable in Chicago’s 31st Ward, nor is nepotism, nor patronage. And the community deserves a lot better,” Zaragoza told the Sun-Times.

When it comes to nepotism and patronage, few recent politicians have been as up front about hooking up family and friends as Berrios. When asked about hiring his son and sister immediately after winning the assessor seat, Berrios told "Chicago Tonight" host Phil Ponce he "still won the election," despite documented nepotism and said he was up front about hiring friends and family members to taxpayer-funded county positions.

In January of 2011, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle forced Berrios to cut his budget by 16 percent, which led to 53 layoffs in the assessor's office. Forty eight union members and five non-union employees lost their jobs--but Berrios' sister, son and daughter were spared. Berrios even managed to make a new hire--his longtime friend (and possible lover) Vicki LaCalamita, and gave his daughter a $10,000 raise. Berrios also brought LaCalamita's family on board, giving her son a $57,000-a-year job before he even graduated from college.

When asked about his daughters hefty salary, Berrios told the Sun-Times that she was "entitled" to it.

Andy Shaw of the Better Government Association previously summed up Berrios' dealings as "eminently unethical and a giant conflict of interest."

Berrios slammed Zaragoza for taking out the ad in the Sun-Times, calling him a "coward" and saying that it was "unfair" that the ad claimed to be placed by his family members.

Comments

[Aldyth]

09:19 AM on 02/16/2012

That was really clever and absolutely true. Berrios has never hesitated to make sure that his relatives all have a living on the taxpayer nickel. He goes to great lengths to flaunt it. If the voters re-elect him, they deserve exactly what they get.

[RahmCorpShill]

12:11 PM on 02/16/2012

This isn't even the half of it. Hell the family and friend salaries are nothing compared to the real estate scams he has been running for his entire career.

[Aldyth]

12:57 PM on 02/16/2012

A classic case of using your political office to your own financial advantage. No wonder Illinois has been ranked in the top three most corrupt states.

[Lisa Stone]

12:23 AM on 02/16/2012

datebi dot com

[Alonso Edgar Zaragoza]

12:17 AM on 02/16/2012

My method might have been a bit mean, but it was necessary. This isn't the way government is supposed to be. Our elected officials are supposed to work for us, but lately my family has to work harder just to pay the taxes that support conflict of interests like this. Just yesterday we were voted the # 1 city in the country when it comes to corruption! To top it off, the number of registered voters in the city is at its lowest level since at least 1942. Chicago residents can't just give up, curse politics and politicians, and stay silent. If we do, then the Berrios' and Burkes' will just continue to play their games and mishandle our hard earned taxes. Right now, I'm picturing all of them swimming around Scrooge Mcduck style in a vault in City Hall laughing at the predicted voter turnout for March 20.

It doesn't have to be this way. like Professor Dick Simpson said, we can change the culture of corruption in our city one politician at a time. We can and we should. If you have a minute, leave a comment on the article and let everyone know how you feel. And if you have another minute, visit www.new31.com and find out how we can start this change of culture.

[pmc617]

11:04 AM on 02/16/2012

Excellent ad. Good luck. It seems people are fed up with their representatives everywhere, except Chicago.

[willimemo]

01:12 PM on 02/16/2012

Loved the idea! I wish you the best of luck! Currently reading "Boss" by Mike Royko and it is amazing not only how much we've come, but how much things are still the same.

[Mary Eve]

11:13 PM on 02/15/2012

Sometimes, I don't understand. We laugh out loud at this yet we don't do anything about it as residents living in the 31st ward. If we notice all of these things happening, why aren't we standing up for change??

[INTPoet]

12:38 PM on 02/17/2012

Are you standing up for change? Lead by example. Spread knowledge. That's how change happens.

[47th]

07:57 PM on 02/15/2012

I laughed out loud when I saw that yesterday.

[Jack Barron]

06:16 PM on 02/15/2012

"Unfair"...but not untrue.

[RahmCorpShill]

12:09 PM on 02/16/2012

It's not unfair at all. Disgusting practices plain and simple.