Black aldermen blast Daley aide over O'Hare project

Oct. 22, 2007
Angry only 8% of contracts given to African Americans

The gravy train of contracts tied to Mayor Daley's massive O'Hare Airport runway expansion project has left the station -- and African Americans are being left behind, aldermen complained Friday.

Black aldermen unloaded on Rosemarie Andolino, executive director of the O'Hare Modernization Project, after learning that only 8 percent -- or $96 million of the $1.2 billion in contracts awarded so far -- has gone to African Americans.

That's compared with 69 percent or $838.7 million for whites, $214 million or 17 percent for Hispanics and $60.4 million or 5 percent for Asian Americans.

Of the 20 construction contracts advertised so far, not one black firm bid to become a general contractor.

For years, black aldermen have railed about the 9 percent share of overall city spending going to African Americans. They were furious that the O'Hare project was even worse -- even though city officials said they have done everything they could to recruit minority companies.

'That's outrageous'

"I'm sitting here more angry than I've been in an incredibly long time. I've been trying to be as silent as I could, [but] 8 percent in two years? That's outrageous," said Ald. Sandi Jackson (7th).

"With all of the media outlets and publications that exist -- not only in this city but nationwide -- to reach out to African-American contractors . . . perfectly capable of placing a bid on a contract of this magnitude, are you telling this body that not one applied?"

'I'm angry as well'

Ald. Freddrenna Lyle (6th) was even more incredulous when Andolino said black participation in the biggest public works project in Chicago history had actually increased by 2 percent over the past year.

"There are [trucks] coming from Indiana and everyplace else to work on these sites every day. They're driving past communities with 60 percent unemployment," Lyle said. "Next year, we'll be saying the same thing and, if the numbers are the same, we're going to be yelling louder. . . . We cannot continue to allow our communities to go down the tubes at the expense of other communities [that] are empowering themselves through these jobs and contracts."

Ald. Anthony Beale (9th) threatened to shut down the O'Hare project as a "last resort."

"I wouldn't want to go that far because it is an important project to the region. But if something doesn't change, we have to do something drastic to get those numbers up," he said.

Andolino appeared shaken by the tirade. After leaving the City Council chambers, she needed to compose herself.

Andolino argued that she has bent over backward to reach out to African-American companies -- through advertising, open houses and Internet alerts to firms. "I'm angry as well when we do so much work in terms of outreach -- and we started 10 months before we received our record of decision -- and we still don't have the level of participation we would like to see," she said.