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* Marni Pyke…
The tally of former Chicago Housing Authority employees in positions paying $85,000 to $195,000 at the Illinois tollway is growing, and that concerns some lawmakers given the top tollway executive also is a CHA alumnus.
Tollway leaders dismissed questions of nepotism when asked about nine ex-CHA staffers who were hired from August through December and are paid more than $1.3 million collectively, state records show. Executive Director Jose Alvarez, the former CHA chief operating officer, joined the tollway in April.
“Taken together, all nine of these employees have decades of experience at a number of different organizations in human resources, talent recruitment, procurement and compliance,” tollway spokesman Dan Rozek said. […]
Democratic state Sen. Laura Murphy of Des Plaines, a tollway reform advocate, said, “I find this information troubling. I am interested in getting a full and complete explanation.” […]
“I understand the need to hire people you trust, but I hope that Mr. Alvarez will cast a wider net when looking for employees in the future,” [Sen. Cristina Castro, D-Elgin] added.
posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Feb 10, 20 @ 11:13 am
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Inexcusable. Yes, they are not from his personal family but they are from his previous ‘employment family.’ There are no other candidates statewide who can handle these same duties?? hmmmm…happy that Sen. Murphy wants answers.
Comment by Billy Sunday Monday, Feb 10, 20 @ 11:23 am
This is case and point why you can’t attract top talent to state government. Hire an extremely qualified executive director and then have legislators questioning the team he is building. We can’t have it both ways.
Comment by Optimistic Monday, Feb 10, 20 @ 11:24 am
Pretty pathetic way to go about your business with so Macy Raunerite holdovers still working in positions in the administration, possibly because “we can’t find qualified folks”… and yet… this occurs.
Head scratcher.
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Feb 10, 20 @ 11:24 am
===… you can’t attract top talent to state government.===
Double their salaries with personal money, they won’t care who is below them at an agency.
=== Hire an extremely qualified executive director and then have legislators questioning the team he is building.===
Ya have NINE follow, and yet they can’t “find” folks to replace Raunerites?
This ain’t about building a team, lol
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Feb 10, 20 @ 11:28 am
Its hard to believe that the Tollway leaders would dismiss questions of nepotism. Right now 3 of the leaders of the most nepotistic organizations in Illinois are on the board. The heads of the Laborers, Carpenters, and Equipment Operators. IF you can’t be counted on to clean up your own house how can you be counted on to oversee someone else’s
Comment by Union Watchdog Monday, Feb 10, 20 @ 11:29 am
If this was a rockstar team, there may be an argument for this. It is not a rockstar team - just the opposite. They’re only paid like stars.
Comment by Not optimistic Monday, Feb 10, 20 @ 11:38 am
Per the link below, this is more of the same from Alvarez.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/dc-education-agency-pays-chicago-firm-nearly-90000-for-one-days-work/2013/11/04/17673bb6-4308-11e3-a624-41d661b0bb78_story.html
Comment by Say hello to the new boss...same as the old boss Monday, Feb 10, 20 @ 11:38 am
- Optomistic- confused who is the extremely qualified executive director your speaking about? Someone who comes from CHA with ZERO experience in transportation is not extremely qualified. In fact you could argue they aren’t even qualified
Comment by Hard D Monday, Feb 10, 20 @ 11:40 am
The new tollway executive director has the right and the need to develop his own trusted team. This is simply a legislator telling him he shouldn’t hire certain folks but the legislator does not have access to actual personnel information or probably experience in running such an operation. How is this much different than a legislator tell the exec who to hire? Let performance of this group be the main point to evaluate them on-not where they come from
Comment by Almost retired Monday, Feb 10, 20 @ 11:46 am
=== This is simply a legislator telling him he shouldn’t hire certain folks but the legislator does not have access to actual personnel information or probably experience in running such an operation.===
This is “I’m going to question the questioner because hiring 9 folks with no transportation experience needs that type of cover.”
=== The new tollway executive director has the right and the need to develop his own trusted team.===
While true, questioning qualifications of that team is being thoughtful to governing.
Any *with*… transportation experience? Civil engineering? Environmental scientist? Urban planning? EPA or “Green” experience in purchasing or construction?
If I tear a ligament in my knee, I hope the team tasked with its repair isn’t led by a podiatrist.
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Feb 10, 20 @ 11:52 am
J.B. Pritzker reconstituted the tollway board because there was too much nepotism and patronage. I suggested he considers cleaning the house, this is an absolute joke. It was not even this bad under Blago.
Comment by Don Monday, Feb 10, 20 @ 12:00 pm
Really concerning considering that Senator Marty & Rep Luis pushes used for this ED
Comment by Just saying Monday, Feb 10, 20 @ 12:13 pm
Many of these hires are making more than agency directors, General Counsels, CFO’s… and that is not who these people are. Not even close. And while blog readers may not know it, people throughout state government have known about it and have been wondering when it would come out.
Comment by Lincoln Lad Monday, Feb 10, 20 @ 12:14 pm
Even if this was innocent, they should know better about public image. I hope they remember who funds their paychecks. Pritzker is ultimately responsible. You know he talks a big game, but his appointees are starting to show cracks…Agriculture, Tollway, IEPA…..
Comment by whatdoesthfoxsay Monday, Feb 10, 20 @ 12:15 pm
Just waiting for the toll increase to fund this executive team.
Comment by Bruce Monday, Feb 10, 20 @ 12:18 pm
Based on the CHA’s website they had a purchasing dept of 35-40 employees in October 2018. If the top 6 just left, we’ll have to see if their department falls apart.
Comment by May soon be required Monday, Feb 10, 20 @ 12:20 pm
I don’t know who to feel most sorry for, The public who have to try and not laugh at these hires and how they get their jobs but know they are paying for excessive salaries or the poor slub spokesperson who has to respond with statements that everyone knows are full of deceit
Comment by NeverPoliticallyCorrect Monday, Feb 10, 20 @ 12:20 pm
So the Daily Herald writes a series of articles questioning purchasing practices at the Tollway, and then when they bring in new leadership in the areas that were deemed in need of reform, the Herald questions that, too.
Comment by Father Ted Monday, Feb 10, 20 @ 2:06 pm
-Father Ted- I think the Herald is questioning 9 people with big salaries with little or no experience in transportation. They also asking why are they all from CHA which itself has a reputation of corruption and incompetence. And who said the ares were in need of reform. The Daily Herald old articles centered around Patronage and Political hiring’s.
Comment by Hard D Monday, Feb 10, 20 @ 2:26 pm
===Urban planning?===
There’s a good chance that MPA barista has some urban planning coursework.
Comment by Candy Dogood Monday, Feb 10, 20 @ 2:40 pm
Defending the indefensible……sounds like he’s afraid to work with anyone who isn’t beholden to him.
Comment by Chisox Monday, Feb 10, 20 @ 2:48 pm
When thinking agencies to mine for top-notch good governance rock stars, only three letters instantly spring to mind: C-H-A
Comment by JB13 Monday, Feb 10, 20 @ 3:01 pm
Can’t wait to hear how a mid-level manager deserves to make more money than many agency directors. Set the mic up for the press conference for that one.
Comment by Lincoln Lad Monday, Feb 10, 20 @ 3:08 pm
How good of a job did this team do at CHA? What does their track record look like?
Comment by DuPage Monday, Feb 10, 20 @ 4:17 pm
They are able to bring the CHA folks into the Tollway because they are creating new positions for them. Jobs that did not exist under prior administrations.
Comment by Anonymous Monday, Feb 10, 20 @ 5:49 pm
To Anonymous @ 5:49 it looks like they added a new layer or 2 to the org structure to put in their people. (purchasing)
Comment by Anonymous Monday, Feb 10, 20 @ 7:41 pm
- Say hello to the new boss… same as the old boss- Of course Pritzker continues to lavish the Latinos with high paying jobs for delivering the Hispanic vote and assuring he will receive it next election and of course leading the pack is Gery Chico and his wife Sonny. $3 million a year from the city of Chicago isn’t enough??? SLC Consulting, Penedo Charity???? So many ATTORNEYS got to and continue becoming multi millionaires on TAXPAYERS dime.
Comment by Latina Monday, Feb 10, 20 @ 8:10 pm