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* Campaign money flows into 10th District races

In a congressional race Democrats believe they can win, candidate Dan Seals of Wilmette reported this week that his campaign had raised more than $613,000 from nearly 2,000 contributors during the first three months of this year, giving him an estimated $750,000 heading into the spring campaign season.

* Levine: I tipped $50,000 at Christmas

* Levine: Would you repeat that question?

* Levine: I was drunk with power

* Gavel-to-Gavel: Rezko’s lawyer chips away at Levine

* Rezko defense again trips up star witness’s memory

* Rezko Trial Highlights ‘Pay-to-Play’ Issue

* Lawyer Paints Stuart Levine As Drug-Addled Liar

* Two members of Congress have joined anti-domestic violence advocates in expressing fears federal budget cuts could inhibit aid to victims.

* Did principal steal $35K?

As the award-winning “superstar'’ principal of Chicago’s Nobel Elementary, Mirna Diaz doubled school test scores as she fought the crack houses, gangs and poverty outside her schoolhouse door.

Tuesday, she walked into court and fought a 42-count indictment, charging her with embezzling about $35,000 from the West Humboldt Park school she served as principal for 20 years. She pleaded not guilty

* Brown: How schools lost out on Midway deal

* Addolfo Davis’ Story

* Patronage monitor defends hiring criticism day before County Board testimony

“By now, there should have been a new HR chief. The new chief should be a highly-qualified politically neutral individual. By now, there should have been a list of Shakman-exempt positions and job descriptions of these positions. Finally, the county should have presented a plan to the (court) setting out its strategy to measure existing patronage practices,” Nowicki wrote.

* City may choose minority contractors over low bids

Gayles replied, “I will not argue with you. … There is a slight increase in cost relative to the administration of contracts.” But, he said, the city would ultimately save money because there would be fewer contract amendments increasing the costs.

* Press, IHSA reach deal for sports coverage

Bennett said neither the press nor the IHSA gave up anything in the deal. “What it does change,” he said, “is the ability to tell newspapers how to run their business.” Newspapers get access to the games and the IHSA can still have its own photographer.

* AG Madigan sues firm for alleged mortgage scam

* Kane County’s chief judge has been chosen to head the state disciplinary panel that investigates judicial misconduct.

* Aldermen ask circus, animal rights folks to clean up elephant ordinance

* Ringling Bros. denies tale of vicious elehant abuse

* Surgeries return to VA hospital

After a review of the Marion VA Medical Center, Dr. Ralph DePalma, the VA’s national director of surgery, recommended allowing certain surgeries. Minor outpatient procedures for low-risk patients will resume on May 8, officials said Tuesday.

* CTA riders now can Google their route

* Daley: Use TIFs to make schools accessible

* Cook County votes to demolish historic slides

* State GOP’s convention hotel site could have been worse

* Inmate escapes from Stroger Hospital

* DuPage hospital’s proton therapy center denied

* Most of East St. Louis hospital will close

* Law on Medicaid will benefit state’s hospitals

Hospitals in Rockford and around Illinois are in line for another $470 million in additional federal money, thanks to a law signed Tuesday by Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

posted by Kevin Fanning
Wednesday, Apr 9, 08 @ 8:30 am

Comments

The City of Chicago’s revised approach to procurement in construction in an effort to boost minority participation is a red herring, and a recipe for trouble.

The design/build method essentially couples the architectural and engineering project components with the construction elements into one contract. I believe this allows the city to classify the contract as a professional services contract; not subject to the requirement to accept the lowest responsive bid. The contract could be for the construction of a $8,000,000 police station, the design of which would cost say $560,000, with the construction cost representing the balance. If the “right minority” design firm submits a proposal and is chosen over all others; despite lower cost alternatives then the additional costs incurred by the tax payers could represent not only the added cost of a minority set aside program, but also include the corruption tax component as well. The “minority” design firm may employ 5 people, not all of whom would qualify for minority status, and there is no guaranty that actual construction contractors would be minorities, or would even employ them.

The approach to using a “Construction Manager at risk” is equally troublesome, because even if the Construction Manager provides a guaranteed maximum price for the project they may not be required to provide a financial guaranty bond for their successful performance, and then it is the taxpayers that remain “at risk”. The Construction Manager holding the contract fr the total project may only employ 3 people as well.

Look for a whole new set of MBE/WBE scams to unfold in this area if this approach is adopted unchecked, then prepare to pay the price going forward. A property tax increase alone may not be enough to cover the cost for this debacle and he net gain to the minority community; if any, will be consolidated in the hands of the “chosen one’s”.

Comment by Constructive Criticism Wednesday, Apr 9, 08 @ 8:58 am
I don’t know about the GOP’s hotel convention site, but the Green Party of the United States will be holding its National Convention in Chicago in 2008. This is significant because, with more than 60 candidates, the Green Party is running more candidates for elected office in Illinois than any other party, other than the Democratic and Republican parties, since 1927!

Comment by Squideshi Wednesday, Apr 9, 08 @ 9:01 am
Constructive Criticism hit it on the head. These set-aside programs do not benefit the minority community, but the select few that fit into the “minority owner” category. On the design firm side, one of the bigger names in the MBE world over the last couple of decades is currently in jail for the way in which he ran his business. These programs will only burden the taxpayers more and will provide absolutely no direct benefit to the general minority community.

Comment by BigDog Wednesday, Apr 9, 08 @ 9:57 am
The toboggan slides demise are symbolic of Cook County’s inept government. The board president spends a million on PR but can’t figure out that little things like going down a slide with your kids once a year changes peoples attitude about their corrupt politicians.

I hope Stroger’s slide continues and ends up where the toboggan slides are-right in the scrap heap.

Comment by Garp Wednesday, Apr 9, 08 @ 10:35 am
So Rezko’s lawyers believe Levine when he says he tipped 50K, but question his memory on everything else? You can’t have it both ways.

Comment by Cranky old man Wednesday, Apr 9, 08 @ 11:15 am