Dorothy Brown is a not-to-be-taken-lightly candidate for Cook County board president because she has been elected county wide three times in the past nine years.
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"Over a million people have voted for me over and over and over again. That means they trust me," said Brown.
Brown, who says she's modernized the circuit court clerk's office and saved taxpayers nearly $200 million -- wonders why the current board president, Todd Stroger, has not adopted her methods to reform the rest of county government.
"They operate in the black. We collect more money than we spend and that's what i want to bring to the entire county government," Brown said.
If elected, Brown promised to repeal the county's one percent increase in the sales tax.
"We need to make sure that we are not raising taxes on people. We need new ideas, not new taxes," said Brown.
The 55-year-old clerk described herself as a CPA with a law degree.
She joins a growing field of possible Democratic primary candidates to challenge incumbent Stroger: Chicago Alderman Toni Preckwinkle, U.S. Congressman Danny Davis, County Commissioner Larry Suffredin of Evanston and Sheriff Tom Dart.
"The taxpayers are suffering and the taxpayers want change," Brown said.
Brown lost her last race for Chicago mayor in 2007 by a wide margin to Richard M. Daley. Says she's not worried that too many African American candidates in the February primary will divide the black vote and lessen her chances.
"Barack Obama prove that. People vote across color lines if they believe in you, if they believe you can make a change," Brown said.
A spokesman for Stroger said Thursday night the incumbent president would have no comment on Brown's candidacy.
As a county wide office holder the past nine years she has some money and perhaps more important an organization ready to move.
