Patronage Tax
Patronage politicians often say that it is OK to hire your friends as long as they are as competent as other applicants.
Makes sense, doesn’t it?
But, there is a cost to patronage hiring because the best qualified are often not hired.
Andrew Jackson is credited with starting the “spoils system.” Chicago politicians obviously have been excellent students.
Today, the Chicago Tribune starts what I hope will be a continuing series. It was written by reporters Laurie Cohen, Todd Lightly and Dan Mihalopoulos.
This a big step beyond the typical television finding of guys leaning on shovels or operating a business while on a public payroll.
It took a lot of work to see what a former legislative assistant to State Rep. Eddie Acevedo (D-Chicago) cost Chicago taxpayers because she backed a garbage truck into a pole severely injuring her helper. The article says Acevedo is a leader in HDO, the Hispanic Democratic Organization.
15 comments:
State Rep Eddie Acevedo and HDO have many such cases costing the taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars and jeopardizing safey and life. This is not the first nor the worst.
State Rep Eddie Acevedo (a former police officer that got on the Sheriffs and PO because he got it fixed by former alderman and felon Ambrosio Medrano) BROTHER and HDO member Manny Acevedo beat a young man so bad he became a parapelegic and it cost the city 28 MILLION dollars because the young man could not even get out of bed without a crane and had to sip through a straw.
The sister of Senator Antonio Munoz, with gang ties, got security sensitive positions at Aviation Police while she was socializing with gang members and even having children with gang leaders. She got numerous patronage jobs during this time despite her gang affiliations and personal problems.
The real waste of tax payer dollars is not just the 900 or so jobs going to unqualified people and gang members but the BILLIONS of no bid fraudulent contracts like the BLUE BAG, or JCDECEUAX, that VICTOR REYES (who court records state that he was associating with convicted murderers during Alderman Solis first campaign)
What happened to that woman and that former aide to that Acevedo is a damned shame.
Acevedo and HDO are DISGUSTING. How could the Mayor prop these scumbags up?
Acevedo sued the city after he was drunk, high and got into a fight with a cop, he tried to get his car out of the tow and yelled "DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM???"
Daley made this uneducated loser a state rep, How could a lowlife like this be an elected official?
Patronage, costing the taxpayers 100s of millions in dollars to promote and protect LOSERS, and SCUMBAGS is ridiculous.
My property tax dollars should not go to Acevedo, his mistress, his violent sociopathic brothers.
State Representative Eddie "the Idiot" Acevedo:
1. Has no formal education.
2. Speaks no Spanish, not one palabra, even though he is from Pilsen, represents part of Little Village, and supports all the liberal bilingual and language proposals. Hypocricy and stupidity.
3. Acevedo has gang and drug ties, including indicted Heroin trafficer George Prado. Gregg Goldsner, Tim Mitchell and Alderman Solis were in Solis's house cooking pancakes when Acevedo wanted to not shut down a drug dealer and his bar because he gave him money.
4. It is well known that Eddie Acevedo has a serious substance abuse problem. Is an alcoholic and drinks and drives. And uses COCAINE. AS A POLICE OFFICER.
BUT he wins his elections, and is supported by the Mayor.
I was a member of HDO. I turned the other way to the evil because I had a good job. I made a lot of money at the city and I didn't have to do a lot of work.
I also thought and justified it in my own mind that the Mayor was doing a good job and this was a way to empower Hispanics.
I really do feel ashamed now because of the revelations about the heroin ring and hired trucks. I have trouble sleeping at night because I know there is a lot more and I don't want the Feds to get me for something even if small or want me to testify against people who helped me even if I know what they did was wrong.
The Hispanic political community (or are they called Latino now?) is under a group delusion. They only have themselves to blame.
Dean of the Hispanic caucus Senator Miguel DelValle supported Senator Munoz (even after revelations of drug dealer George Prado and the center of the Hired Trucks--and the Sorich/Slattery connection has not even started) and the Mayor and Alderman Solis and State Rep Mendoza (who doesn't really like them. Acevedo is even the Vice Chair of the Latino/Hispanic Caucus.
Everyone knows that Acevedo is a uneducated idiot, a cad, a alcoholic and drug addict. EVERYONE. Yet the community still STILL voted for him. Don't blame racism, don't blame anyone else.
They should of voted this fool out of office. But it is like the Emporers new clothes and the serious DelValle acting like Acevedo is actually something good.
The people suffer, and the politically connected get out of trouble, get jobs they don't deserve, make money off of contracts, and hurt other people and their own community.
That poor lady who got pinned by the truck, or the cars who got hit that is a symbol of the Hispanic community and the taxpayer being pinned and lungs punctured by this Acevedo evil idiot and the rest of the criminal HDO.
Laurie Cohen, Todd Lighty, and Dan Mihalopoulos, are some of the greatest reporters in Chicago. I also like Gary Washburn. I hope the Chicago Tribune looks into the Chicago Workman's Comp program, how long it takes those with clout to get back to work. The settlement amount to those with clout and the inside lawyers that get quick settlements for those with clout. Mayor Daley's HDO has caused great trouble and embarrassment to Chicago Taxpayers. Nice post as usual Mr. Skinner. patrick McDonough
Eddie Acevedo, Victor Reyes and his HDO cohorts will burn in the lowest part of Dante's inferno because of their hurting of this woman costing 1 million dollars so their unqualified idiot could get a job. The young man who got paralyzed by Acevedos brutal cop brother who cost the city 28 million dollars. Acevedo and HDO are destroying peoples lives and health and the taxpayers are picking up the bill. It makes me want to vomit. They will BURN.
HDO really brought in some unqualified goofs. But those goofs cost people their lives.
Why does Mayor Daley allow HDO to exist????
Does Victor Reyes have something on Mayor Daley??????
There is no reason to keep the HDO around. Is the rumor that John Dorrer got a grant of immunity to testify against Reyes and Degnan true. City Hall is rats central
BUT HDO KEEPS ON WINNING ELECTIONS, HAVING POWER, AND GETTING JOBS AND GIVING CONTRACTS
SO SOMEONE MUST LIKE THEM
SICK
SICK
SICK
I used to write a column that called elected officials
GREAT GREAT GREAT
but now I must admit that they are
SICK SICK SICK
like they say above
I no get jobs for no one that was Eddie Acevedo.
I do nothing wrong, family smart in real estate and security
no clout
Me with Mayor, Hispano with Mayor
I sorry to you Mr. Burke
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