Cook County stands with public servants as feds purge workers
Public servants are under attack. Across the country, the federal government is purging employees, dismantling long-standing institutions and turning its back on the very people who have devoted their lives to public service. Decades of progress are being unraveled under the guise of efficiency. And those who keep government running are being told their work does not matter.
That is simply not true.
The truth is, government doesn’t work without the professionals who show up every day to serve the public. Effectiveness depends on more than elected officials or public leaders. It requires the daily efforts of those working quietly behind the scenes. Their roles are rarely glamorous or celebrated, yet they perform them diligently because they believe in something bigger than themselves.
I know this because I’ve spent my life in public service. I started as a history teacher, then served in Mayor Harold Washington’s economic development department. I led the Chicago Jobs Council to expand access to employment, became an alderperson, and for over a decade now, have led Cook County as board president. In every role, I’ve worked alongside people who make government work.
Every day, I see the positive impact of their dedication: Cook County Health professionals delivering care to those most in need, regardless of their ability to pay; staff at our Department of Veterans Affairs connecting veterans to benefits they earned; public defenders safeguarding justice for those with limited means; emergency management teams coordinating rapid responses when crises strike. Each of these roles is essential. Each role makes a tangible difference in people’s lives.
These roles remind us that public service is more than just a career. It’s a calling. It’s the school nurse who comforts a sick child, the bus driver who ensures people safely get home and the sanitation worker who keeps our streets clean. They don’t just fill jobs. They sustain the fabric of our community. Their stories matter, and their dignity deserves protection.
And yet today, these essential workers face unprecedented threats. It’s easy to sit in a high office and talk about slashing government. It’s easy to fire workers en masse and call it reform. It’s much harder to build something, to solve real problems, to make government work for the people who need it most.
In Cook County, we are committed to building up, not tearing down. While some in Washington, D.C., aim to dismantle public institutions, we are strengthening them. While others undermine public servants, we are investing in them. We are creating opportunities for workers to grow in their careers, making sure they have the support they need to do their jobs well, and expanding the very services that some would like to see disappear.
We are proud to be hiring. Good government is built by good people. We are always looking for those who share our commitment to public service, who believe in the work, want to make a difference, and understand that thriving communities depend on people willing to step up.
If you’re ready to make an impact, we hope you’ll join us. Cook County is hosting a hiring fair on Thursday at the UIC Forum. It’s an opportunity for displaced federal workers and others committed to public service to continue their careers in a place where their experience and dedication are valued.
This is not the first time public servants have faced challenges, and it will not be the last. But history has shown that those who believe in the power of government to do good will always outlast those who seek to destroy it. So, to public servants across the country, I urge you to keep going. Keep showing up. Keep doing the work that makes a difference.
You are not alone. Cook County stands with you.
Toni Preckwinkle is president of the Cook County Board of Commissioners.
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