Daley floats new approach to get rid of patronage hiring

The Chicago Tribune reports:

After years of trying and failing to rid his administration of patronage scandals, Mayor Richard Daley floated another plan Thursday: bringing in an outside firm to hire many city workers.

The latest idea comes as one of Daley's top former operatives faces criminal retrial for allegedly rigging city hiring to strengthen the mayor's onetime political army and as Daley struggles to end federal court oversight of personnel decisions.

Government as racketeering enterprise