Friday, June 1, 2007
News / Clout City Ethics reform
Posted by Mick Dumke on 06.01.07 at 06:22 PM
New 42nd Ward alderman Brendan Reilly sent out an e-mail to his supporters yesterday that includes the following paragraph:
"In his inaugural address, Mayor Daley expressed a sincere desire to work with the newly elected aldermen to address our top priorities. I'm pleased to point out that the Mayor has already made government ethics reform a top priority, agreeing to abide by the Shakman decree against political patronage, and pledging to work with City Clerk Miguel DelValle to open up city government by broadcasting all city council meetings via the Internet. I look forward to working with Clerk DelValle and the Mayor on this issue as a member of the City Council's Ethics Committee."
Sure, it's a press release carefully constructed to sound nice. And certainly the alderman of the central business district needs to have a sound working relationship with the mayor. But if this isn't simply ass-kissing political BS--if it's any indication of the tone, style, and political approach Reilly will bring to the council in the next four years--the mayor and the machine Democrats who keep most of the seats warm in that esteemed chamber have to be just as eager to "work" with Reilly as he is with them. That's because they're going to get all the loyalty they had from his predecessor, Burt Natarus, without the hassle of having to listen to circus-act tangents or occasionally well-informed skepticism.
For starters, the Daley inauguration speech most of us heard last week didn't express a desire to work with new aldermen as much as it chastised them in advance about engaging in "never-ending debate" and "endless politics." This from a mayor who still engages in endless politicking, as his sudden "agreeing to abide by the Shakman decree" illustrates. For years Daley fought the Shakman decree, telling voters that the city no longer engaged in patronage hiring, firing, or promoting. When federal convictions of some of his patronage organizers and the court-ordered appointment of a hiring monitor showed that he was oblivious or lying, he still resisted Shakman; the chair of the aforementioned ethics committee, Daley loyalist Richard Mell, buried a proposed resolution [PDF] introduced by aldermen Joe Moore and Ricardo Munoz that called on the administration to settle the case. Yesterday, at last, the administration was forced into an agreement by politics: not even Daley can afford to appear completely unconcerned about ongoing federal investigations, mounting legal costs, and the recent election season that sent Reilly and eight other rookies into the City Council.
Reilly didn't need to kiss Daley on the cheek in his e-mail update, any more than he needed to declare war on him. He's been in office less than two weeks. Yet he went out of his way to work in his praise of Daley.
But the alderman said in an interview this afternoon that I've got it wrong. "Some people have taken [Daley's] speech to mean, 'Don't make any waves.' But I saw it as saying, 'Let's not get into the partisan bickering you see in Washington,'" he said. "I will be the first to say that healthy debate is a good thing that leads to better government. When the mayor and I disagree, I will make my voice heard."
Still, Reilly said he sees eye to eye with the mayor on most issues. "I'm hopeful we can have a positive working relationship," he said.
Meanwhile, his e-mail avoided mention of the controversial plans to knock down the Lake Shore Center. Reilly said several public meetings on the proposal are scheduled over the next couple of weeks, and he'll be listening to resident input before making a final decision. "It is not a fait accompli," he said.
Comments (35)
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Jackson and Reilly aren't going to be the ones to watch out for. I have yet to figure out why Jackson wants to be on the city council (other than to wait for her husband to make a move) and Reilly will get his marching orders from Madigan. I just hope he isn't there as long as his predecessor. Waguespack and Dowell are the ones that publications like the Reader should watch. The machine is going to throw up every obstacle toward Waguespack, but give him a few years to get things in shape in the 32nd prior to raising concerns at the city level. Dowell has the most promise to give voice on city issues - and she will have a few allies from the South side. I wouldn't expect fireworks though, she strikes me as much more level headed than that. Both Dowell and Waguespack need to stick together, they both have a bright future. Reilly not so much.
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Poor little Mick, needing a constant Beriut on the Lake version of the City Council so that he can something to write about in the hopes of being discovered by the major networks he so despises. Classic case of cognitive dissonance, right Dr. Phil. Say Mick, not everyone thrives on controvesy and looking for a dog fight. Some of us are interested in the business of the City being done without the vitriol the media craves. Keep the potholes filled, the street swept, water running when the faucet is turned on, garbage picked up once or twice per week and its all good.
He/She thinks its all good. If only this was Pleasantville - we could elect Orion Mayor and everything would be black and white.
"Some of us are interested in the business of the City being done" "Keep the potholes filled, the street swept, water running when the faucet is turned on, garbage picked up once or twice per week and its all good." Sure it is, at the 'prices' we're being charged, it should be. No wonder orion isn't interested in Dr/ Pjil and Oprah's offer of free mental health care, orion can afford to pay for his own therapy, he's raking in plenty of taxpayer's dollars, both in government checks and under the table payola. And, he's always got this, and other, boards to express his psychotic ramblings on, so it's got to be all good ...... for him to poop on, 'cause he's an obvious scat fan.
Waguspack and dowell took over wards that were perfect examples of pay to play politics. Waguespack can't put an end to all the crap Matlak left behind, especially that system that doled out favors to politically connected developers who paid up and under for prime properties for ten years straight. Where did all the money go?? Where did all the city services go?? Where did all the taxpayers money go??? Mick should be digging around the old school folks. Until they find out the truth, these two are just keeping the wards from crashing and nothing else. Yeah, the surface looks great but the ROT people like matalk created underneath will take them years to fix. After so many years of corruption, the city is rotted underneath, and it needs people to start fixing the mess.
Whenever one encounters a structure or object which has become substantially damaged by 'rot', one's first task is to remove all 'rotten', and thus non-functional, areas, before repairs can be made. Just as in any construction or restoration project, the non-functional parts must be removed and replaced with functional ones. Anyone who has ever restored an old vehicle, rehabbed an old building or repaired a damaged machine or piece of equipment, knows that one's efforts are wasted if even a small portion of 'rot' is left in place. Like fumigating a home infested with pests, one must be thorough, and the restoration of our political/governmental systems requires the same thoroughness. The recent city elections are an example of what happens when substantial 'rotten' elements of the whole are left in place. Only a complete house cleaning will ever give the citizens a chance of being honestly represented. This means both Democrats and Republicans must be rejected as the rotten elements polluting the body politic. While these two, corrupt parties have rigged the election process to favor their established organizations, thus making it seem impossible to truly rid ourselves of their influence and control, as in any restoration project, one must begin removing the decayed areas somewhere. What better place to start than where the rot is most prevalent, most wide-spread, most easily identified? Crook county is such a place. The 'city that works' is such a place. It's dirty work, removing rotten timbers, rusted-out floor pans, corroded pipes and fittings, decades of accumulated debris, moldy plaster, decayed flooring, etc., but it must be done, if one chooses to restore anything to it's intended, functional and beneficial condition. Roll up your sleeves, fellow citizens, and let's get started on cleaning and restoring our political, social and economic houses. HAVE NO DOUBT, VOTE INCUMBENTS OUT.
I think you are underestimating Alderman Waugespack and Alderman Dowell, but I understand were you are coming from. Give them a few years to get things in order within the 32nd and 3rd wards, and they will both prove to more than just temporary keepers. Reilly on the other hand? I don't know, let's hope he is proves to be more than this generations Burt, but I'm not going to bet the farm on it. In his defense, that's a demanding ward were the interested of people other than the residence often get more attention than any other ward in the city. What should concern the Reader, and the rest of us, is that all of the important committee were filled by the old guard. The Mayor and 'leadership' in the council aren't looking like they want to play with new kids on block.
These types of maneuvers remind one of the old westerns, where the 'settlers', upon encountering 'hostile' natives, commonly 'circle the wagons', in a futile attempt to 'protect' themselves from the angry 'savages'. I guess that a handful of independent alderman must seem quite hostile to the entrenched 'powers-that-be', also quite 'alien', so it's understandable that the 'wagon-master' would react to the newcomers as 'the enemy'. Now, if only we could unite and, in the next election, turn the incumbents into the minority.
Just one typo (carried over from Alderman Reilly's newsletter): the City Clerk's name is Miguel del Valle (small 'd').
That's it, just a feeble comment unworthy of even the most anal-retentive, retarded line editor?
"Keep the potholes filled, the street swept, water running when the faucet is turned on, garbage picked up once or twice per week and its all good." No, all is NOT good. Ever heard of the school system? The CTA? The ever-shrinking "free" (ha) programming of the Park District? What a rube, but all of us didn't fall of the turnip truck here, the services you describes are the bare essentials, it's like being happy the sun rises every day.
perhaps Orion could tell us what the average amount of time is per week that the City Council and Mayor allocate towards discussions aimed at improving basic services? because last I checked Aldermen and Da Mare didn't sweep streets or fill potholes.
Also: What a pity that they stop teaching civics in the schools. Here is a primer for you: The Mayor appoints the Commissioners; The Aldermen confirm the commissioners; The commissioners hire the people who sweep the streets and fill the potholes. Got it ?
And how many times a year does the Mayor and do the Aldermen have to do this? You're describing what should take about one day a year in City Council, tops. So why you don't you tell me about their success in terms of what they are paid to do, ie, LEGISLATE. Perhaps you need to revisit the Aldermanic job description, you seem to have Aldermen confused with people much lower on the totem pole.
Finally, we've gotten some honesty out of orion, it's about time. "The Mayor appoints the Commissioners; The Aldermen confirm the commissioners; The commissioners hire the people who sweep the streets and fill the potholes." Thus, the mayor is responsible for the many slouches padding the payrolls of Streets and Sans, primarily at the TOP and MIDDLE of that particular totem pole. Daley is GUILTY, according to testimony, courtesy of orion. "So why you don't you tell me about their success in terms of what they are paid to do, ie, LEGISLATE." Let's see, ever rising taxes, on an ever increasing number of 'things' subject to taxation, (paid by the citizens directly or passed onto the citizens in the cost of goods and services) All those in-the-best-interest-of -the-community zoning variances and TIF zone creations, (which we know are being demanded by our neighbors and community leaders, 'cause nobody wants any of the higher tax revenues to go to the schools and everybody just loves having a more densely populated neighborhood) Can we say 'hired truck scandal'? Can we say 'robert sorich convictions'? Can we say 'millions of tax dollars spent to FIGHT Shakman for years, all the while blatantly violating a court order'? Can we say 'Department of Water Management'? Can we say 'Chicago Department of Buildings'? Can we say 'Hired Truck Scandal'? Can we say 'Windy City Maintenance' and Daley pal 'Jimmy Duff'? Can we say 'HDO'? Yeah, our aldermen, firmly under the thumb of the mayor, are sure doing a helluva job at 'legislating'.
I'd still like to know why exactly Orion thinks we need 50 Aldermen to apparently do nothing more than confirm the Mayor's appointments. I'm not sure what part of the phrase "rubber stamp" he missed in his civics class.
The one, essential, mistaken assumption is that "Orion thinks". To, hopefully, put a final period on any further waste of thought energy on the subject of 'orion', whatever this poster's perspective, irrelevant would be too generous a word to describe the lack of content in his comments. He'll continue to post comments, as is his freedom to do so, courtesy of the Chicago Reader's wisdom in applying only the least amount of moderation to this comment board, and we'll all have the opportunity to have a few laughs and realize that there are those who's goals are to 'stir the shit', regardless of their motives in doing so. On the bright side, whether this poster truly believes what he posts or is just being the 'devil's advocate', playing the role of the idiot, as long as we don't buy into being totally distracted from what's really going on 'behind closed doors', his postings will remain relatively harmless. It will always bear repeating, that, so long as we, the people, fail to exercise our right to voye and our responsibility to think, we'll be burdened with the antics of the many who choose to make their wealth through manipulating the giant cash cow that they see the taxpayers as. The ideals of democracy are, in fact, contrary to the motives of those who purport to be it's staunchest supporters. It's up to the mass of citizens to decide whether they are content to be controlled, or whether they will insist on being in control of their destinies. Recently, the lovely Judy Topinka was on Chicago Tonight and she made reference to the voters as 'mushrooms', apparently as a common opinion held by 'professional' politicians. How generous of her to be so honest, now that her political 'career' is over.
The Bronzeville Dream- Seen through the eyes of a resident who returned to home neighborhood to live in a upcoming Black community. Has anyone drove through the 3rd ward lately? The crime is getting as high as the weeds. The trash is out as much as the ho's. It is like the wildest of the west. Gunshots all night. old ladies robbed at knifepoint, parked luxury cars shot w/ bb guns, and no one can find the alderman or her office. A shoot out on 39th and King Drive and all these things happened in the last 24 hours. The white t shirts are out in full force with a vangaurd attitude that the own the streets. Many worked on Dowell's campaign and all the neighbors know it. We are very afraid that the days are going back to when our neighborhood got passed over and dump on. It was good when you had someone who stood up strong to city hall. I am going to rent my condo and move further north. This Bronzville dream is turning into a nightmare.
orion = southsidebetty = ???? Da 'man' of a thousand 'faces'! I'm beginning to wonder if 'orion' isn't also our ALL-CAPS-POSERS......
Oh, I forgot, in order to keep everyone here happy, the obligatory: VOTE THE RASCALS OUT ! Yeah, thats really going to accomplish something....
"Yeah, thats really going to accomplish something...." Why, yes, it will. No need for me to 'burden' orion with the long list of what 'somethings' will be accomplished......
There is hope for you yet ! You finally get that people are tired of your “If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it. " approach to posting your diatribes.
Quite possibly the biggest clown in local politics, and certainly not missed by the 35th ward. http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/415690,CST-NWS-bomb06.article
they were meeting at a Mexican restaurant on Lincoln Ave? what, not enough Mexican joints in LOGAN SQUARE for them? I always got the impression she felt she was too good for the ward.
It must be that the recent thunderstorms have had an effect on 'orion', as he's been relatively frank and polite in his posts lately, to wit: "If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it." because, earlier in this thread of comments, he posted: "Keep the potholes filled, the street swept, water running when the faucet is turned on, garbage picked up once or twice per week and its all good." And it's 'HAVE NO DOUBT, VOTE INCUMBENTS OUT', though, you've got a catchy phrase there and have displayed another burst of frankness, in using the word "RASCALS" to describe most all incumbents. Thank you for your support.
Hey..I am not Orion. I am a disgruntle resident of Bronzeville. These gangs are running things and the new alderman is their leader. They knocked on doors and put signs around for her now they operate freely. Blocks that have been drug free for years are back to being busy. The weeds are getting high and some are becoming little trees. Tillman at least had the lot clean and cut. You could walk across them. It is very scary here now and I am not the only condo owner in our assoc. that is getting out before the summer gets hot.There was another shooting last night and the guys were running up the street with there guns drawn like a movie. When I moved here it was not this wild. We have yet to even find out where Dowell office is at. If anyone knows please post. I couldn't even sell my unit now with all this trash in the lot next door. Not to mention that the hooker are using the weeds to piss in. YUCK!
Tillman had how many years to solve the problems of her now former ward? Dowell's been in office, what, 2+ months now? If 'southsidebetty' ain't orion, she's got to be 'the hat', who's now got a lot of free time on her hands, now that she's "Freeeeee!!"
