Should Minority Contractors get a predetermined share of Chicago City Favoritism abounds, children, from kindergarten through college have at one point or another claimed they were discriminated against by parents or teachers because They like the other kid better. Adults also claim that they are discriminated against because He sucks up to the boss or she only got the raise because I will not tolerate the bosss invitations to dinner These are all excuses people use to try to find a comfortable answer as to why they did not receive a specific award. These examples definitely apply to the ordeal concerning the distribution of city contracts to minorities. I believe that ALL of Chicagos public construction contracts should be awarded out of merit by a committee of Aldermen comprising whites, blacks and all other ethnicities. Whichever construction company has the best deal, quickest completion date, or does the best work should receive the contract (s) for the construction of a It seems that corruption is a serious problem in minorities getting a piece of the citys contracts. On December 30th of last year, the Chicago Tribune printed an article which showed that Mayor Daley has been favoring two construction firms which are owned by the Duff family. One of these firms, Windy City Maintenance, is allegedly owned by a female member of the Duff family.
The Essay on Substance Abuse Increasing In Inner City Minorities
Substance Abuse Increasing in Inner-City Minorities Substance abuse is an ever increasing epidemic facing America's inner-city minorities. There are several different drugs that are gaining popularity amongst inner-city youths 1. Juice, that is marijuana soaked in embalming fluid is starting to show up in more and more inner east coast cities 2. Crack or rock cocaine is by far one of the most ...
The other firm, Remedial Environmental Manpower, is allegedly run by a black man with links to the Duff family. From this articles information, it seems that the Duff family appears to have a number of construction companies owned by its family members. what most people do not know, who the Mr. Duff and his family are, and why they have been awarded these contracts. The Duff family is known to have ties with organized crime, as well as being actively involved with functions related to Mayor Daley . ( Tribune July 14) The Duff family has provided more than $30,000 to the Mayors coffers, as well as hosting fund-raisers for the Mayor, of which he attended one last February.
( Tribune July 14 1999) Mayor Daley has always spoken of his huge affirmative action program. Providing city contracts for minority owned and operated business has been one of the cornerstones of this plan. Now that there appears to be a tainting of this affirmative action plan by the mob and other corrupt organizations, the African-American community could bring about political trouble for the Mayor in Besides corruption, price fixing is also a problem. If a firm can produce a bid that is far lower than the competitions, they win the contract. Once the firm has been awarded the contract, it can go about raising the price and making a profit like the other companies would have done. For instance G.F.
Structures, a firm that deals with fences, and fence installation was a bidder on a contract to fence in a sections of Jefferson Park, and the tennis courts at Licoln Park. (Sun Times Jan. 11th 1999) The city of Chicago determined that it would need 15,000 sections of fence to get the job done. G.F. Structures, owned by a Mr. Crandall had the lowest bid, $15,000. That means that they could install the fence and pay their workers and make a profit at just one dollar a section.
The second lowest bid was $90,000. Mr. Crandall, like the Duff family has connections to the Mayor, and his family that date back over thirty years. (Tribune January 11th 2000) Crandalls grandfather was a political ally of Richard J. Daley. Currently, Crandall buys commercial insurance from John Daley, Mayor Daleys brother.
According to the Tribune, John Daley considers Crandall a friend, and Crandall is also friends with Alexander Grzyb, Chicagos On Monday, (January 10) Daley said he had no relationship with Crandall other than saying an occasional hello. (Tribune January 11 2000) How honest does this sound? To me the Mayors statement saying that he has no relationship with Mr. Crandall proves that corruptionis at the top ranks of Chicago. Crandall has known the Mayor and his family for more than 30 years. He buys insurance from the John Daley, the Mayors own brother, and Richard Daley has no relationship with him? Something just does not make sense. With all the corruption going on, Chicago police, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation have gotten involved to make Chicago corruption free. Rafael Frias, a Chicago city-council member was indicted on December 12 1999.
The Term Paper on Richard Daley Royko Political Chicago
Depraved Influence Boss, Richard J. Daley of Chicago written by Mike Royko depicts the life of Richard J. Daley and his career as the leading political influence in the city of Chicago. Considered by many as the last of the true "Bosses" Daley represented all that was considered machine politics. During his twenty-year reign as Mayor extensive urban expansion, political extortion, and a clear ...
He was charged with promising to get a dummy company set up by a contractor certified as a business owned by a woman and help it receive contracts in exchange for $500 up front, and $25,000 in donations for the Council members re-election campaign. While being questioned, Frias was asked what do you think you are a legislator for? Frias answered To make money, thats what life is about, making money. (Associated Press Dec. 17th 1999) With all of the publicity surrounding corrupt city officials, and contracts being awarded to corrupt contractors, and as personal favors of the Mayor. On January 28th, Mayor Daley announced a major overhaul of Chicagos purchasing department. This overhaul is to bring about the resignation of Alexander Grzyb, the head of the purchasing department. The city also hired the auditing firm, Altschuler, Melvoin, and Glasser to review all city contracts and bills submitted by companies currently involved in construction projects.
Daley said that the problems were with the process, a flawed system that needs fixing is what he referred to the purchasing department. ( Suntimes Dec. 29 Mayor Daleys actions seem to be the appropriate response to the solution of this major problem that Chicago faces. But I still believe that the Mayor is doing whatever he can to fool the citizens of Chicago and try to coerce the minority citizens of Chicago into thinking that they are getting the promised 25% of all contracts and that whatever happened in the past has been dealt with. I say this because The Duff family is still working on City contracts, Alexander Grzyb has nor resigned yet, and every time the Mayor has a comment about the situation, it is carefully stated so all the blame leads away from the himself and is directed at the numerous individuals involved in the purchasing department, as well as the owners of the construction companies. Another reason I believe the Mayor is honest in his vows to clean up the citys act is because he made his speech on January 29th, two days before the millennium.
The Term Paper on Contracts And Redundancy Employee Employer Work
In order to claim a redundancy payment an employee must first establish that he has been dismissed and second that the dismissal is for reasons of redundancy. This will encompass all aspects of the decision, therefore it brings in contractual issues in relation to the dismissal as well as in relation to the definition of redundancy. In Saunders v Earnest A Neale Ltd (1974) the employees conducted ...
This is important because he knew that the media would be placing an emphasis on the new year and Y2K so his speech would not be the key part of the news broadcast. Inquiring about the status of Minority contracts and if minorities should receive a predetermined amount of the contracts, I talked to Cook County Commissioner Car. Mr. Car told me that the system has to stay as it is because it will be nearly impossible to come to an the awarding of contracts according to merit because everyone would have a different opinion on how good the quality of the work is. Commissioner Car told me that the City is in the process of reforming the entire purchasing department. He told me that the Daley administration planned to question and inquire into all of the more than 2,500 firms doing business with the city.
In essence what they ( Chicago officials) are doing is asking each of the firms if they can withstand an inquiry about their eligibility by the media or a judiciary committee. On one thing that the city and I agree on is the formation of a committee to award construction projects, as is the case of the park district contract. The entire contract was to be awarded to G.F. Structure but amidst the corruption scandal. The contract was divided into three pieces. Once divided into three pieces, the city gave three different firms a piece of the contract to save money by getting low bids, and ensure that the task was completed corruption free.
The mayor, relies on fund-raisers and donations to accomplish his campaign goals, It is only logical that he helps those who help him. It is also logical for those that are being discriminated against or being deprived of something that others are receiving to campaign, criticize and protest. This behavior can always be expected. Favoritism will always exist as will those who will bend the law a little bit for some extra money. Instead of fighting the issues of discrimination, and corruption, we should instead focus on trying to come to an agreement on what is best for everyone in general rather than what is best for The thing that is best for everyone, Blacks and whites alike regarding the distribution of public construction projects is cooperation, and good work. Whichever firm can do the best job can get the contract, or numerous firms can work together on the same contract.
The Essay on African American Work Side Piece
In the Piece created by Robert Cole cott entitled the "Bilingual Cop," a cop is positioned in the center of the work standing behind a brick wall. The cop is yelling racial slurs at two men who are passed out; one man is an African American and he is leaning up against a trash can and positioned to the left of the cop, there is also a Hispanic man passed out and leaning up against a cactus which ...
For instance, if a black firm can lay an excellent foundation, but it does not do the best roof-work, then a white firm that is renown for its roof-work can be hired to complete the roof. This way everyone gets a piece of the take fair and square.
Bibliography:
Works cited Chicago Tribune. News Illinois. 23 Feb. 2000. Commissioner Carr.
Personal interview. 21 Feb. 2000. Associated Press News Service. 17 Dec. 1999. Newsbank InfoWeb.
Chicago Sun Times. 29 dec. 1999. Contract Mess will be fixed, Daley Says A3..
