April 12, 2005
BY KATE
N. GROSSMAN AND FRAN SPIELMAN Staff Reporters
A day after it was revealed
that CHA chief Terry Peterson's old 17th Ward organization pulled in $250,000
in donations from Chicago Housing Authority contractors over the last three
years, Peterson said Monday that he may stop attending fund-raisers for the
ward group.
"That's something I'll
have to look at," he said.
Peterson was 17th Ward
alderman from 1996 until 2000, in which year he also was briefly committeeman.
For many contractors, Peterson and his ward associates are the only connection
to the South Side ward. It has no public housing projects. Peterson denies
asking CHA contractors to donate to the 17th Ward Democratic Organization and
says he doesn't decide contract awards.
A Better Government Association
and Residents' Journal investigation found 63 firms donated $250,000 to the
small 17th Ward group, helping make it one of the city's wealthiest ward
organizations. Residents' Journal launched the probe after residents complained
about service by some contractors.
Twenty-seven firms gave to
the 17th Ward Democrats within three months of receiving a CHA contract.
Mayor's position
When asked about the
donations Monday, Mayor Daley seemed uncomfortable and said repeatedly it was
up to Peterson and the 17th Ward organization to explain. Later, his
spokeswoman Jackie Heard said the mayor ''does not want, and will not accept,
contributions from developers or anyone doing business with the city because
the last thing he wants is the perception that the contribution is somehow tied
to the business."
Current Ald. Latasha Thomas
said: "I have no names of CHA contractors. . . . I don't know who does
business with the CHA."
When told that several
contractors received calls or solicitation letters from the 17th Ward
Democrats, she said they either had a relationship with the ward unrelated to
the CHA or perhaps they gave to her first, and she followed up to ask for a
second donation.
Peterson, who also goes to
CAPS meetings and sits on the ward community development corporation, made no
apologies.
"These people have
supported me for years," he said. "Because of perception, should I
leave [his office] downtown, go into my house and stay there until it's time to
come back downtown?"