County taxpayers are flat out of patience with the mismanagement, waste and corruption that has poisoned county government. It's time elect a representative to the county board who is a real advocate for taxpayers year-round, not just at election time.

We already have enough do-nothing county board members. Patrick Maher wants to stand up and end "business as usual" politics.

Patrick Maher supports legislation proposed by Illinois Sen. Dan Kotowski to lower the threshold for overriding a veto by the Cook County Board President. On two recent occasions, Todd Stroger used his veto to block the will of the voters to rollback his wildly unpopular tax increase. The proposed legislation would allow a 3/5th majority, rather than a 4/5ths majority, to override a veto. Currently 14 of the 17 members must agree for an override to pass.

Patrick Maher has reached out to local legislators to encourage them to support the measure. The incumbent Cook County Board Member from the 17th District has turned a blind eye to this important issue.

We have all heard the horror stories about rampant patronage and unqualified hires. A recent Sun-Times report revealed that dozens of Cook County employees were double-dipping their way to six-figure pensions.

It's unconscionable that so many ethical atrocities could take place and our elected officials continue to put off needed reform. It's time to hold our elected officials accountable. It's time for meaningful change on the county board.

Every night families in Cook County sit around the kitchen table, faced with tough choices about paying the mortgage, saving for college or retirement, paying for medicine or gas and a whole lot more. It's time county government sat around that same 'kitchen table' and realized that people are fed up with paying for scandal and waste.

Patrick Maher supports a rollback of the outrageous Cook County sales tax.

As President of the Orland Fire Protection District, taxpayers in Orland Township have seen the reforms initiated by Patrick Maher.

Patrick Maher and the fire protection board inherited a multi-million dollar deficit and, with a responsible spending, the district eliminated its deficit, balanced the budget, improved fire and emergency services AND saved taxpayers over $1.3 million.

Like you, Patrick Maher wants real reform in county government and he has new ideas to cut costs and wasteful spending. Maher believes that in addition to initiating administrative reforms in every county department, the Cook County Board must consider innovative ways to cut costs and save millions of dollars, such as:

• Cooperative efforts in providing health care services
• Combining the Forest Preserve Police with the County Sheriff's Office
• Joining with other counties to combine purchasing power for a variety of things from salt for roads in the winter to insurance for county employees.

Patrick Maher knows what it takes to make positive changes for our county and he needs your support to realize that change.