By: R.A.Monaco
May 16, 2011
Today, after six terms of Daley tradition and for the first time in 22 years, Chicago will have a new mayor.
The winds of change and Emanuel's aspirations to succeed Mayor Daley were made public about a year ago on the Charlie Rose PBS talk show when he exclaimed, "it's no secret." Certainly, it was no secret that Emanuel would not have considered challenging Mayor Richard M. Daley had he decided to seek re-election, however, the proverbial cat was out of the bag at that point about Mayor Daley having a new horizon.
Significantly, in this city of tradition, today's swearing in of Mayor-elect Rahm Emanuel will also give Chicago its first Jewish mayor.
Over the past year, Chicagoans have heard plenty about Mayor-elect Rahm Emanuel's high profile legal battle over residence eligibility in his quest to become the 55th mayor of Chicago. Following an appellate court ruling that he was not eligible to run for the City's top job because of time he'd spent out of the city, the Illinois Supreme Court ended the controversy reversing the decision.
Having served as a top aide to President Obama, the former Chief of Staff and our newest mayor is not without friends in other high places, which include Vice President Joseph Biden who is expected to attend today's Millennium Park inauguration ceremony, Chinese President Hu Jintao and former President Bill Clinton each of whom made a stop to the city during Emanuel's mayoral campaign.
Determined to meet the challenges of Chicago's future head on, Mayor-elect Rahm Emanuel has tapped Jean-Claude Brizard, Rochester, N.Y. schools superintendent to run our city's massive school system and Garry McCarthy, Newark, N.J. police director as the city's new police superintendent. Chicago Fire Commissioner Robert Hoff, has been given the nod to remain at his post.
So, as we begin this new direction in Chicago's history, the Sheffield community is invited to share their thoughts, ideas, concerns and optimism here on the Sheffield Gazette and Digital Fish Wrap. It would be great to hear about the ceremony at Millennium Park and downtown from anyone attending.
Finally, our City's newest mayor has many challenges that we must now face together, let's let the city know that the Sheffield community wants to (((Be Part Of The Fix, Not The Fight)))!
