Marathon Pundit: ILL-inois: Dem lt guv candidate takes six-figure municipal consulting gig

Monday, April 07, 2014

ILL-inois: Dem lt guv candidate takes six-figure municipal consulting gig

Welcome to Palos Heights

Paul Vallas and I share the same hometown--Palos Heights, Illinois--and we graduated from the same high school, albeit we were years apart.

The similarities end there. Oh, he's the older guy.

Vallas has one up on me for sure--he figured out how to make a buck through government crony capitalism. I go through life more modestly.

From the Chicago Tribune:

Paul Vallas, who returned to Illinois last month as Gov. Pat Quinn's running mate, has been hired to a six-figure job as a municipal finance consultant by a longtime friend and political supporter of the Democratic governor.

Vallas began his position with DSI Civic, an affiliate of Chicago-based Development Specialists Inc., on April 1, said DSI CEO and President Bill Brandt, who serves as the chair of the Illinois Finance Authority – an unpaid post he was appointed to by Quinn. Brandt donated $100,000 in December to Quinn's re-election effort.

Vallas, the former CEO of Chicago Public Schools, officially moved back to Illinois following the completion of his contract as schools superintendent in Bridgeport, Connecticut. He also operates a private education consulting firm and has said he would continue that work while campaigning.

The DCI position is in addition to that and comes with a salary in the “six figures,” according to Brandt, whose firm focuses on restructuring corporate and municipal finances. Brandt said Vallas was brought on in part to help the company land a bid dealing with Detroit’s bankruptcy proceedings.