New Chicago City Council Caucus Calls to Expand Powers of City of Chicago’s Inspector General

CHICAGO - March 13, 2013 - PRLog -- Contact: Kevin Lampe      (312) 617-7280  
kevin@kurthlampe.com

New Chicago City Council Caucus
Calls to Expand Powers
of City of Chicago’s Inspector General

Aldermen announce the Paul Douglas Alliance’s First Resolution

A coalition of aldermen today called for City Council hearings to examine the possibility of extending the City's Inspector General's power to include oversight of the City Council.  Under this cost-saving proposal, the office of Legislative Inspector General would be eliminated.

The resolution directs the City Council Committee on Committees, Rules, and Ethics to hold hearings to expand the jurisdiction of the Office of the Inspector General to include oversight of the City Council and its employees and eliminate the Office of the Legislative Inspector. Other major cities have one Inspector General’s office empowered to look at every level of city government.

“The Office of Inspector General is charged with fighting waste and investigating personal misconduct.” said Alderman Will Burns. “By expanding their duties to include oversight of the City Council, the people of Chicago will have an Inspector General who can look at all areas of city government including the City Council.”

“With two separate Inspectors General, its limits the abilities of the offices to look at the Chicago from top to bottom.” said Alderman Joe Moore. “To fully protect the people of Chicago, we need an Inspector General answerable to the people not the City Council.”

The resolution is the first measure introduced by the "Paul Douglas Alliance," a coalition of aldermen committed to progressive ideals and pragmatic policy solutions.

The members of the Paul Douglas Alliance share a set of progressive values and ideals, they will take a non-dogmatic, pragmatic approach to achieving those values and ideals because they want results.

The Paul Douglas Alliance is far less interested in glorious defeats than they are in addressing the concrete problems and challenges that our city faces.  

To that end, they will introduce legislative proposals for the purpose of enacting progressive changes in law and policy.

The alliance was inspired by the example of former Alderman and US Senator Paul Douglas, who achieved remarkable legislative success in the areas of civil rights, the environment and consumer protection through a combination progressive values and political pragmatism.

The alliance released a "Statement of Principles" which is attached.

The founding members are:

Proco Joe Moreno, 1st Ward

Pat Dowell, 3rd Ward

Will Burns, 4th Ward

Rey Colón, 35th Ward

Brendan Reilly, 42nd Ward

Michele Smith, 43rd Ward

James Cappleman, 46th Ward

Ameya Pawar, 47th Ward

Harry Osterman, 48th Ward

Joe Moore, 49th Ward

The citizens of Chicago can reach the Paul Douglas Alliance at pauldouglasalliance@gmail.com

The Paul Douglas Alliance continues to reach out to other alderman who share their values and encourage them to join the alliance.