Minority Contracts In Chicago Essay, Research Paper

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Should Minority Contractors get a pre? determined portion of Chicago City

Constructing Contracts?

Favoritism abounds, kids, from kindergarten through college have at

one point or another claimed they were discriminated against by parents or

instructors because? They like the other child better. ? Adults besides claim that they

are discriminated against because? He sucks up to the foreman? or? she merely got

the rise because I will non digest the foreman? s invitations to dinner? These are all

alibis people use to seek to happen a comfy reply as to why they did non

have a specific award. These illustrations decidedly apply to the ordeal

refering the distribution of metropolis contracts to minorities. I believe that ALL of

Chicago? s public building contracts should be awarded out of virtue by a

commission of Aldermen consisting Whites, inkinesss and all other ethnicities.

Whichever building company has the best trade, quickest completion day of the month,

or does the best work should have the contract ( s ) for the building of a

specific undertaking.

It seems that corruptness is a serious job in minorities acquiring a piece

of the metropolis? s contracts. On December 30th of last twelvemonth, the Chicago Tribune

printed an article which showed that Mayor Daley has been prefering two

building houses which are owned by the Duff household. One of these houses, Windy

City Maintenance, is allegedly owned by a female member of the Duff household.

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The other house, Remedial Environmental Manpower, is allegedly run by a black

adult male with links to the Duff household.

From this articles information, it seems that the Duff household appears to

hold a figure of building companies owned by its household members. what

most people do non cognize, who the Mr. Duff and his household are, and why they

have been awarded these contracts. The Duff household is known to hold ties with

organized offense, every bit good as being actively involved with maps related to

Mayor Daley. ( Tribune July 14 ) The Duff household has provided more than

$ 30,000 to the Mayor? s caissons, every bit good as hosting fund-raisers for the Mayor, of

which he attended one last February. ( Tribune July 14 1999 )

Mayor Daley has ever spoken of his immense affirmatory action plan.

Supplying metropolis contracts for minority owned and operated concern has been one

of the basiss of this program. Now that there appears to be a tainting of this

affirmatory action program by the rabble and other corrupt organisations, the

Afro-american community could convey approximately political problem for the Mayor in

approaching elections.

Besides corruptness, monetary value repair is besides a job. If a house can bring forth a

command that is far lower than the competition? s, they win the contract. Once the house

has been awarded the contract, it can travel about raising the monetary value and doing a

net income like the other companies would hold done. For case G.F. Structures, a

house that trades with fencings, and fencing installing was a bidder on a contract to

fencing in a subdivisions of Jefferson Park, and the tennis tribunals at Licoln Park. ( Sun

Timess Jan. 11th 1999 ) The metropolis of Chicago determined that it would necessitate

15,000 subdivisions of fencing to acquire the occupation done. G.F. Structures, owned by a Mr.

Crandall had the lowest command, $ 15,000. That means that they could put in the

fencing and pay their workers and do a net income at merely one dollar a subdivision. The

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2nd lowest command was $ 90,000. Mr. Crandall, like the Duff household has

connexions to the Mayor, and his household that day of the month back over 30 old ages.

( Tribune January 11th 2000 ) Crandall? s gramps was a political ally of

Richard J. Daley. Currently, Crandall buys commercial insurance from John

Daley, Mayor Daley? s brother. Harmonizing to the Tribune, John Daley considers

Crandall a friend, and Crandall is besides friends with Alexander Grzyb, Chicago? s

moving buying agent.

? On Monday, ( January 10 ) Daley said he had no relationship with

Crandall other than stating an occasional hello. ? ( Tribune January 11 2000 )

How honest does this sound? To me the Mayor? s statement stating that he

has no relationship with Mr. Crandall proves that corruptionis at the top ranks of

Chicago. Crandall has known the Mayor and his household for more than 30 old ages.

He buys insurance from the John Daley, the Mayor? s own brother, and Richard

Daley has no relationship with him? Something merely does non do sense.

With all the corruptness traveling on, Chicago constabulary, and the Federal Bureau

of Investigation have gotten involved to do Chicago corruptness free. Rafael

Frias, a Chicago city-council member was indicted on December 12 1999. He

was charged with assuring to acquire a dummy company set up by a contractor

certified as a concern owned by a adult female and assist it receive contracts in

exchange degree Fahrenheit

or $ 500 up front, and $ 25,000 in contributions for the Council members

re-election run. While being questioned, Frias was asked? what do you

think you are a legislator for? ? Frias answered? To do money, thats what life

is about, doing money. ? ( Associated Press Dec. 17th 1999 )

With all of the promotion environing corrupt metropolis functionaries, and contracts

being awarded to pervert contractors, and as personal favours of the Mayor. On

January 28th, Mayor Daley announced a major inspection and repair of Chicago? s

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buying section. This inspection and repair is to convey about the surrender of

Alexander Grzyb, the caput of the buying section. The metropolis besides hired the

scrutinizing house, Altschuler, Melvoin, and Glasser to reexamine all metropolis contracts and

measures submitted by companies presently involved in building undertakings. Daley

said that the jobs were with the procedure, ? a blemished system that needs

repairing? is what he referred to the buying section. ( Suntimes Dec. 29

1999 )

Mayor Daleys actions seem to be the appropriate response to the solution

of this major job that Chicago faces. But I still believe that the Mayor is

making whatever he can to gull the citizens of Chicago and seek to hale the

minority citizens of Chicago into believing that they are acquiring the promised 25 %

of all contracts and that whatever happened in the yesteryear has been dealt with. I

state this because The Duff household is still working on City contracts, Alexander

Grzyb has nor resigned yet, and every clip the Mayor has a remark about the

state of affairs, it is carefully stated so all the incrimination leads off from the himself and

is directed at the legion persons involved in the buying section,

every bit good as the proprietors of the building companies. Another ground I believe

the Mayor is honest in his vows to clean up the metropolis? s act is because he made his

address on January 29th, two yearss before the millenary. This is of import

because he knew that the media would be puting an accent on the new twelvemonth

and Y2K so his address would non be the cardinal portion of the intelligence broadcast.

Asking about the position of Minority contracts and if minorities should

have a preset sum of the contracts, I talked to Cook County

Commissioner Car. Mr. Car told me that the system has to remain as it is because

it will be about impossible to come to an the awarding of contracts harmonizing to

virtue because everyone would hold a different sentiment on how good the quality

of the work is. Commissioner Car told me that the City is in the procedure of

reforming the full buying section. He told me that the Daley

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disposal planned to inquiry and inquire into all of the more than 2,500

houses making concern with the metropolis. ? In kernel what they ( Chicago functionaries ) are

making is inquiring each of the houses if they can defy an enquiry about their

eligibility by the media or a judiciary commission.

On one thing that the metropolis and I agree on is the formation of a commission

to present building undertakings, as is the instance of the park territory contract. The

full contract was to be awarded to G.F. Structure but amidst the corruptness

dirt. The contract was divided into three pieces. Once divided into three

pieces, the metropolis gave three different houses a piece of the contract to salvage money

by acquiring low commands, and guarantee that the undertaking was completed corruptness free.

The city manager, relies on fund-raisers and contributions to carry through his

run ends, It is merely logical that he helps those who help him. It is besides

logical for those that are being discriminated against or being deprived of

something that others are having to run, criticize and protest. This

behaviour can ever be expected. Favoritism will ever be as will those who

will flex the jurisprudence a small spot for some excess money. Alternatively of contending the issues

of favoritism, and corruptness, we should alternatively concentrate on seeking to come to

an understanding on what is best for everyone in general instead than what is best for

me and my family.

The thing that is best for everyone, Blacks and Whites likewise sing the

distribution of public building undertakings is cooperation, and good work.

Whichever house can make the best occupation can acquire the contract, or legion houses can

work together on the same contract. For case, if a black house can put an

first-class foundation, but it does non make the best roof-work, so a white house that

is renown for its roof-work can be hired to finish the roof. This manner everyone

gets a piece of the return carnival and square.

Chicago Tribune. News Illinois. 23 Feb. 2000. Infoweb @ newsbank.com

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.