Sister of Daley insider gets sweet deal

The Chicago Sun-Times ^ | January 16, 2005 | Tim Novak & Steve Warmbir

[thegreatbeast]

Virginia Reyes -- the sister of Victor Reyes, Mayor Daley's key political operative -- was on the verge of snagging a contract as a minority-owned business to supply toilets and other plumbing items at O'Hare International Airport.

But she had two problems.

She needed City Hall to quickly certify her firm, Toltec Construction, as a minority vendor of plumbing supplies.

And she needed plumbing supplies.

[thegreatbeast]

In Chicago, corruption probably approaches science more than an art but I posted this because I think something like this is taking place in nearly every borough, town and city.

It is one of the hidden costs of government. You pay for it.

[Brilliant]

"Reyes, 41, the president of Toltec, told the city she would just be reselling items bought from a suburban plumbing supply company -- a firm owned by white men."

Sounds a lot like a shakedown. Add a middlewoman profit to the cost, and you've got a minority supplier.

[DUMBGRUNT]

"These kind of pass-through arrangements are unusual, said Andrew Kennedy"

BS a minority front is sop in the big city.
Ask any of them how many NON taxpayer funded projects they are on?
Some will bid straight jobs but never seem to connect, odd?

[raybbr]

Inserting Toltec into the deal cost taxpayers more money. How much is unclear. Overall, Toltec got about $218,000 for the work on two buildings, starting in 2003, city records show. Toltec got another $480,000 for helping Cecchin with the infrastructure at O'Hare, city records show.

Cecchin's owner, Timothy Cecchin, said he could have gotten the supplies cheaper by going to Builders directly. But by allowing Toltec to place the orders and bill Cecchin Plumbing for it, Cecchin Plumbing helped meet Mayor Daley's demand to give minorities and women city business.

"Yeah, sure, it costs me more. I purchased the materials through Toltec. They can't buy it as cheap as I can," Cecchin said.

The joys of forced "diversity" in action.