Chicago Tribune: County officials getting tanned over Hawaii trip

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http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/chi-05062...



County officials getting tanned over Hawaii trip

'Other than printing up and shipping out thousands of adhesive "Kick Me!" labels, it's difficult to think of anything the National Association of Counties could have done that would have been more likely to bring its members under attack than scheduling its 2005 convention in Hawaii.

You've probably seen the stories about the fuss in Cook County. Critics and reformers are on their high horses because a contingent of some 20 County Board members and staffers will travel to Honolulu next month for a five-day gathering.

"The taxpayers understand what Hawaii is all about," said Republican Commissioner Tony Peraica, smiling serenely Friday afternoon as he presided over a protest "luau" in front of the Thompson Center. Peraica is among the commissioners of both parties who are pointedly, proudly declining to go on what he called "a vacation junket."

Peraica, who used the stunt to call attention to his candidacy for the County Board presidency next year, wore conservative business attire as his festively dressed assistants passed out hundreds of plastic leis, containers of pineapple juice and fliers asking, "Why is John Stroger smiling? Because he is going to Hawaii on your dime."'