No Wonder Daley's Broke
One Chicago Public Schools manager must have really been jonesing for a cup of coffee when officials say she spent nearly $70,000 of the district's money to buy 30 cappuccino/espresso machines for a high school program.
But five months after the machines were purchased, 22 remained unopened, one disappeared and three were being used at two schools -- though not in the culinary arts program for which they were intended, the district's inspector general said today.
Officials in a department dealing with work-school programs allegedly separated the purchases to make them appear they came from 21 different schools and were under $10,000.
By doing so, the purchases did not have to be competitively bid or win school board approval, said Jim Sullivan, the district's inspector general.
As a result, he said, the district overpaid for the coffeemakers by more than $12,000.
And the national radio news picked up the story, hoping that Arne Duncan wasn't bringing this style of "management" to Washington DC as a member of Obama's cabinet. Once again, Chicago politics becomes a punchline for a joke.
Labels: corruption
posted by SCC at 12:05 AM
43 Comments:
Just bought a house in Garfield Ridge. I know I will catch sh*t for this but are there any good public schools in the area? I have a three year old so I am hoping I moved in a good school area. Austin and Archer area. Coffee is not a requirement just good teachers.
ATYPICAL Politician: Good "OLE" Dicky Kempthrone the appointed Sec. of the Interior spent for renovating JUST his office Bathroom at a cost to taxpayers
$235,000.00. I guess we can feel lucky he didn't redo his entire office.
Years and year and years ago (pre-police) I used to work for a home delivery company. One day I ended up inside those buildings on west Pershing road where TRU works out of. I was told that what I saw was property of the CPS. Lots and lots of office and student desks, filing cabinets, student chairs, text books and numerous other supplies. Most all in new condition and some were damaged. Just imagine how big those buildings are and what is really inside. Now, everytime I hear this city and CPS crying broke I remember what I saw. The city has numerous locations where they stash almost anything you can think of. If they were to open the doors to the public for auction or sales, I bet the budget will be more than fixed. Oh yeah, there was another one at 39th and Michigan. I think that was the old ERPS storage house. Maybe it's changed and maybe it's not.
Typical. Oh how so typical of anything to do with Chicago politics and/or the mayor.
Happens under his watch so lets promote him!!! NICE
Fuck that shit! just give me my 5% retro. NOW!
With the millions being stolen this is the best the inspector could come up with. This was a gimme for this guy to justify his existence.
$70,000 for 30 machines???
And they claim they over spent by $12,000!!!!!! I would say they over spent by 67,000!!!!
For the love of GOD, somebody needs to start eBay'ing for the city!!! Heck for that matter check out Amazon.com!!!
Or they can just get their cappuccino from the darn Speedway and earn points for every purchase.
I am sure the vendor was an authorized minority business and CPS continues to buy supplies for the coffee makers from yet another minority owned business.
So it's all OK.
/sarc off
You really have to wonder at the depths of corruption throughout the city. Was this an isolated incident? Doubtful. Peel back a layer simply to find yet another one hiding new secrets.
Anonymous said...
Just bought a house in Garfield Ridge. I know I will catch sh*t for this but are there any good public schools in the area? I have a three year old so I am hoping I moved in a good school area. Austin and Archer area. Coffee is not a requirement just good teachers.
1/08/2009 12:08:00 AM
L@@@KE HERE SAID:
Yes, do not listen to everyone who will tell you Saint Dan's....you're not getting what you pay for.
Kinzie is a very good school with good scores. keep in mind that this school would have better scores but they have a lot of Polish/Mexican kids who did not learn English first.
As far as high school...well there is not hope there. Save now for a Catholic school. You will not want your kid going to Currie or Hubbard. They will turn into a banger in no time at all...instead, go with DeLaSalle, Queen of Peace, Saint Rita or Saint Laurence.
Good luck.
Daley is spending 2.1 billion on affordable housing, but can't settle our contract. Where is this 2.1 billion coming from? Skyway? Midway? Or meters? Could it be that he's more concerned about his constituents in affordable housing, that will actually vote for him, than the police, who won't?
Maybe someone should notify Bonnie in area 5. She could use these hidden supply depots to replace all the broken chairs in 025.
Just bought a house in Garfield Ridge. I know I will catch sh*t for this but are there any good public schools in the area? I have a three year old so I am hoping I moved in a good school area. Austin and Archer area. Coffee is not a requirement just good teachers.
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Hey dumbdick, that is a question you should axe before buying a house.
To "Just bought a house in Garfield Ridge." Congratulations.
Don't bother even looking for a public school in the city. There are only a handful of High Schools that your kid won't make it into unless (s)he wins the lottery for admission, and the grade schools are pathetic all around, even the best one's pale in comparison to a private school or Catholic School. So if you ain't a Catholic, convert, join a parish, St Jane's is a darn good place btw, and know your kid will at least be able to read and do basic math by third grade.
The situation is even more dismal now that the Great Arne Duncan will be focusing on the whole country rather than the sess-pools known as the Chicago Public Schools. You know just when he had almost cleaned up the whole mess here, PEOTUS took him away. (My real opinion of him is actually not so harsh, he did better than I ever thought anyone could do).
Just bought a house in Garfield Ridge. I know I will catch sh*t for this but are there any good public schools in the area? I have a three year old so I am hoping I moved in a good school area. Austin and Archer area
---------------------------------
You fucked up, shoulda bought west of Narragansett, only good public school is there
And when King Rich was asked about this during an interview he laughed! What a fucking jagoff! Said it was "them". Hey asswipe, you are them. It is the CHICAGO Public Schools and you are the Mayor. (well at least until the next election). Is King Rich trying to throw Arne under the buss or is he just letting his teflon do what it does best... Nothing sticks to the King.
"Arne Duncan wasn't bringing this style of "management"
Arne was just a Daley puppet stooge figurehead put in place to facilitate the thieving. The Cappuccino Machines were purchased from Tony Cannoli the Vendor based in Bridgeport "cause he's our guy dats needs to bees taken cares of" Now factor in the overinflated price & the kickbacks and it's business "Da Chicagah Way".
Anonymous said...
Just bought a house in Garfield Ridge. I know I will catch sh*t for this but are there any good public schools in the area? I have a three year old so I am hoping I moved in a good school area. Austin and Archer area. Coffee is not a requirement just good teachers.
1/08/2009 12:08:00 AM
If you want public Byrne on oak Park is ok! If you have trouble getting in meet with Zalewski the alderamn he helps out! Welcome to the neighborhood brother! Archer is close,places to shop, and you can walk to transportation!
Those coffee machines are very important! Do you know a better way to train the kids for their future jobs at Starbucks??
pass the coffee, you mug!
CPS spends around $13,000 per grammar school student according to their own figures. That is what it costs us taxpayers per student. Tuition for one student at a Catholic grammar school in the city costs between $3,900 to $4,500. Of course the Catholic schools don't provide breakfast, a snack, and lunch. They also don't have a billion free programs either. F this city.
The really funny part of this, I have a small, but legit, company and I tried to sell to CPS. They sent me thru a maze on the computer, finnaly got thru, send the form in by fax ( twice ) and never got a reponse. I guess I didn't have a pols wife on my side..
Oh well, life in the big city
By the way, my prices were cheaper than what they are now buying
Arne Duncan is a tool. He does what he's told.
Lots of the women in my wife's side of the family are in CPS and they tell me about waste all the time. What's ironic is my family is white and they are endlessly irritated at the waste - their black employees, who work as little as possible and do the least possible (sometimes even less, but you can't fire them - that's racism) are ENCOURAGING everyone to steal!
WTF? How about you all work for that pay you make, and stop buying a bunch of crap you don't need? I heard also that part of this needless purchasing has to do with budgeting. Something like if they don't use what they are allocated, they get less the following year and definitely do not get an increase. Therefore they buy up whatever they can to burn all the money away, so they can get more next year. Except, we keep paying for it, and nothing ever gets done.
Socialism in action. Just wait til Osama takes office.
Kinzie Grammar School on 56th/next to Kennedy HS has a great program, and it's rated somewhere in the top 10 for public schools. Dore at 61/Natoma (use a friend or parent's address to fall into the residency B.S.) ranks (I believe) #2 in the City for public GS'S.
1/08/2009 12:34:00 AM
It hasn't. Do you think those people are going to stop pilfering from CPS?
I remember when Vallas took over he had a press conference showing all the loot behind him. Shit that was ordered for CPS but was going to lake houses of CPS employees. I recall TWO Ford Explorer's and one of their favorites: riding lawn mowers. You know, for the homes in Michigan and Indiana.
Vallas acted like he discovered something. In reality, that shit was going on for years and is still going on. Duncan just kept his mouth shut.
If you think the Schools have waste in the buildings on Pershing road, you should see what the CPD has stashed in the basement there.
No shit,hundreds, yes hundreds of boxes of police/CAPS printed materials,posters, t-shirts, rulers, pens, hats, water bottles..all of it CPD. All of it caked in dust.
The stuff was never given away and it dates back to the Rodriguez days all the way up to Weis.
I can't imagine the cost off all of this,but it made me sick to see it.
There should be an inspector for each school district and for grammar and high schools. Spend the money on the watchdogs to help curb the waste and theft. Strict enforcement on principal accountability re budget. Whoever allows the waste gets the ax. No wonder there isn't enough money to fix toilets in the schools, upgrade the plumbing or get new lockers or paint walls, textbooks, etc., Pathetic.
Kinzie Grammar School on 56th/next to Kennedy HS has a great program, and it's rated somewhere in the top 10 for public schools.
************
Is it top 10 in the city or state?
Kinzie is on academic warning status and so is Hale.
http://iirc.niu.edu/School.aspx?schoolID=150162990252299
My kids are grown but to the original poster my advice to you is private school.
Hey dumbdick, that is a question you should axe before buying a house.
1/08/2009 08:08:00 AM
Way to treat someone asking for advice. Then we wonder why people judge us so harshly.
Dore is a good school. Good luck!
Kinzie Grammar School on 56th/next to Kennedy HS has a great program, and it's rated somewhere in the top 10 for public schools. Dore at 61/Natoma (use a friend or parent's address to fall into the residency B.S.) ranks (I believe) #2 in the City for public GS'S.
1/08/2009 05:28:00 PM
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Yes, I did hear that Kinzie was a good school. Thank you for the advice as apparently I am in the boundaries of that school.
The Rumor has always been that the amount of theft of waste of products in the Chicago Public School System is crime in high order.
This issue has come up many times over the past 30 yrs.
It always gets washed away.
The Chicago Way.
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Lots of the women in my wife's side of the family are in CPS and they tell me about waste all the time. What's ironic is my family is white and they are endlessly irritated at the waste - their black employees, who work as little as possible and do the least possible (sometimes even less, but you can't fire them - that's racism) are ENCOURAGING everyone to steal!
How sad that people who are paid by taxpayers (both black and white) harbor racist feelings. I am sure this racism is transcended down to the children.
Black people work just as hard as whites. However, according to your family members, the only ones who work hard are the white teachers. What a crock.
Those who can't do ..... TEACH!!!
Well if you all are concerned about the CPS poor performance, expensive inventory, and overall corrupt management, Just wait until Chicago turns in their "shovel ready" projects for Federal funds on the US mayors plans. Not only do I expect an extreme pork farm but after they get the money, Chicago will somehow get 1/2 way through the projects and run out of money again. Leaving more of a mess than they started with.
Will a civilian uprising over extreme taxation, politicians and alderman with their hands out be on the summer park schedule?
SAD, SAD, SAD shape for such a once great city.
Mystified suburbanite
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ATYPICAL Politician: Good "OLE" Dicky Kempthrone the appointed Sec. of the Interior spent for renovating JUST his office Bathroom at a cost to taxpayers
$235,000.00. I guess we can feel lucky he didn't redo his entire office.
1/08/2009 12:34:00 AM
---------
Hey, even politicians have to poop, but the shit usually flies out the other end, like Daley!
You've gotta be KIDDING!!!!
The really funny part of this, I have a small, but legit, company and I tried to sell to CPS. They sent me thru a maze on the computer, finnaly got thru, send the form in by fax ( twice ) and never got a reponse. I guess I didn't have a pols wife on my side..
Oh well, life in the big city
By the way, my prices were cheaper than what they are now buying
1/08/2009 03:57:00 PM
But you weren't a preferred minority vendor like Corporate Express is........Want a laugh? look at one of there catalogs sometime....
Hey dumbdick, that is a question you should axe before buying a house.
1/08/2009 08:08:00 AM
That was really rude! Circumstances dictate sometimes that events happen quickly or due to finances. He has to live in the city and he's obviously not Donald Trump so cut the guy some fucking slack.
My father worked for CPS for 36 years years, as a H.S. teacher, principal, and later at HQ at 1819 W. Pershing. I remember him always telling me of the outright theft f computer equiptment and supplies that used to occur on a regular basis. Anything that was not bolted down was stolen.
We have 3 public schools in Garfield Ridge that are the best the city offers. I pulled my kids from St. Dan's in enrolled them into Byrne. The only reason for it was the education my kids received at Byrne far surpasses St. Dan's. And you would not need help from the Alderman. He isn't well liked by a alot of the coppers in the 23rd Ward.
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