Mayor Harold Washington`s bid for re-election was endorsed Tuesday by a host of independent political liberals who declared that he was committed to their agenda for reform.
Among those who announced their endorsement of him at a news conference in the Bismarck Hotel were Cook County Board President George Dunne; Ald. David Orr (49th); State Reps. Woods Bowman (D., Evanston) and Barbara Flynn Currie (D., Chicago); former Ald. Leon Despres; and Democratic committeemen Bob Remer and Alan Dobry.
”Mayor Washington has managed the affairs of city government with decency and stability, while others were opposed to him based on their greed and selfishness,” Dunne said.
Currie applauded the mayor for mandating freedom of information and for supporting an ethics ordinance which is currently before the Chicago City Council.
Washington, asked about the ethics ordinance, said he believes the council will ”rise to the occasion” and approve the measure. He agreed, however, that several amendments tacked onto the ordinance were designed to stymie it.
In declaring his full support for the ordinance, Washington said,
”Unfortunately, we didn`t have a working majority three years ago. Now is the time to support this ordinance.”
Washington said that although he doubted whether the council had the legal power to extend the ordinance to other public agencies, he would like to see it extended to include the Chicago Housing Authority, Chicago Park District and Port Authority.
While members of the endorsement group declined to answer questions on campaign issues, Washington responded to a question about the federal investigation of city government corruption by declaring: ”We brought in first-rate people, but that does not mean that individuals are not corrupt. We are satisfied that we have done well.”
Another mayoral candidate and Washington`s chief critic, Ald. Edward R. Vrdolyak (10th), said Tuesday that a study shows nearly half of the contracts awarded by the city in 1986 went to firms based outside the city limits.
He said he has sent a copy of Chicago`s Yellow Pages to Washington and has encouraged the mayor to use the book to find Chicago firms for city business.
”Over two years ago with great fanfare Harold Washington announced his
`Buy Chicago Plan` aimed at increasing the percentage of outside business done with Chicago businesses,” Vrdolyak said in a statement. ”This was another sham.”
He said Washington awarded $50.7 million in business to firms outside of Chicago in 1983, and his study shows the number jumped to $466.4 million in 1986.
Vrdolyak, who is running as the candidate of the Illinois Solidarity Party, spoke to members of the North Shore Kiwanis at Ann Sather`s Restaurant, 929 W. Belmont Ave.
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On Monday night, Jane Byrne, who was mayor during Chicago`s bitter, 23-day firefighters` strike in early 1980, was cheered repeatedly at a rally attended by some 200 firefighters and paramedics in the Home Run Inn, 4254 W. 31st St.
”Never again a strike,” said Byrne, who is challenging Washington in the Feb. 24 Democratic primary. ”If I miscommunicated to you, I am sorry.”
Fire Lt. Rich Chapello, one of the organizers of the rally, estimated that 95 percent of those in the crowd had taken part in the strike, which was touched off by Byrne`s refusal to grant firefighters a labor contract.
Asked if the firefighters forgave the former mayor, Chapello said:
”Forgive is a strong word. Let`s say we`ve accepted her.”
Byrne told the firefighters that their lack of support caused her defeat by Washington in the 1983 Democratic mayoral primary.
”I know what I lost without you; I know what I can win with you,” said Byrne.
The appearance before the firefighters was a happy ending to a busy day of campaigning for Byrne. Earlier she exchanged taunts and barbs with several hundred student supporters of Washington in an appearance at Northeastern Illinois University.