Graceland West Community Association

Mayor Rahm Emanuel had a bad week on his choices to head up city departments. Much is to be said about choosing people from out of the city to head departments. Maybe we should have a law that says top jobs only Chicagoans needs apply. Take a look at our "immigrants."

It seems that we have two Chicago's one black and one white. The council hearings sounded like a tale of two cities. Chicago looked like a real democracy as Black Alderman spoke on behalf of the communities where the epidemic of violence is occurring. People are sick of living in fear. Hats off. Rahm Emanuel became Mayor of Chicago in 2011. He appointed Garry McCarthy to the position of Superintendent of the Police Department. Since that time there have been a total of 1,931 homicides in Chicago. To date there have been 399 homicides in Chicago in 2015. The Chicago Police Department currently has a 23.5% Clearance Rate for homicides this year. Is it time for outside help, like the Army, Marines or National Guards. If Chicago was a foreign city, we would send in the troops. And some get mad when Chicago is called Chiraq. Really.

And the next day after council hearings, we learn that Barbara Byrd-Bennett — Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s handpicked choice — becomes CPS’ first chief executive officer to face criminal charges in connection with her job. Federal authorities have been investigating the most controversial of those contracts — a $20.5 million no-bid CPS deal for principal training. U.S. Attorney Zachary Fardon said Byrd-Bennett and others “entered into a scheme to secretly profit from schools" and they have emails to prove it. Some of the emails clearly say where they should make deposits. Obvious questions arise. Who vetted her? Was the trade off closing the 50 schools? No wonder our schools are in disarray as a crook is at the helm. No wonder the pension fund is in trouble. Is the CPS board off the hook? How did she pass the deal through the board? Where is their responsibility? Only in Chicago.