Minority Contracts In Chicago Essay

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Should Minority Contractors get a pre–determined share of Chicago City

Building Contracts?

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 boss’s 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

Chicago’s 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

specific project.

It seems that corruption is a serious problem in minorities getting a piece

of the city’s 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.

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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 Mayor’s 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

upcoming elections.

Besides corruption, price fixing is also a problem. If a firm can produce a

bid that is far lower than the competition’s, 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

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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) Crandall’s grandfather was a political ally of

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

Daley, Mayor Daley’s brother. According to the Tribune, John Daley considers

Crandall a friend, and Crandall is also friends with Alexander Grzyb, Chicago’s

acting purchasing agent.

“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 Mayor’s 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 Mayor’s 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. He

was charged with promising to get a dummy company set up by a contractor

certified as a business owned by a woman...

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”
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