Mar 5, 2009 10:36 am US/Central
County Comm. Peraica Joins The Twitter World
Commissioner Tweets With Updates In Board Meetings
CHICAGO (Sun-Times Media Wire) ―
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Cook County Commissioner Tony Peraica (File)
Outspoken Republican Commissioner Tony Peraica has taken to posting a live play-by-play of County Board meetings on Twitter, the online micro-blog that's all the rage.
Peraica Twitter page
CBS 2 is on Twitter too.
Last month, Peraica started posting short messages -- called "tweets" -- during board meetings about everything from contract votes and political bickering to his opinions and wisecracks in 140 characters or less.
With a few strokes of the keyboard, he's part legislator, part reporter and part talk-show host.
"I think it's important to keep the public informed about what's going on with the board as it happens," Peraica said. "This is a wonderful technology that enables us to keep in touch with 600 to 700 people who care about what happens at the meeting."
During Wednesday's County Board meeting, Peraica posted 15 tweets, including updates on major votes, mild self-promotion and a jab at Commissioner Mike Quigley, who won the 5th Congressional District Democratic primary the night before.
Peraica said his goal is giving his constituents more details about how their tax dollars are spent than they'll find in the media.
County Board President Todd Stroger said Peraica should probably pay closer attention to what's going on during meetings rather than "twittering his thumbs."
"I think it's strange," Stroger said. "It doesn't sound kosher. He probably shouldn't be typing while we're doing business. Maybe that's why he can't remember how he voted on things two weeks ago."
Peraica, however, says he can pay attention and post his thoughts, no problem.
"I'm multitasking all the time," he said. "My entire life, I had to do two or three jobs, law school, kids, family. You get used to it after a while."
(Source: Sun-Times Media Wire © Chicago Sun-Times 2009. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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