Richard M. Daley grew up in Bridgeport like his father but city was very different Immigration from south and every continent had changed Chicago by the time he was Cook County State s Attorney. In 1983 primary, he split white vote with incumbent Jane Byrne, watched Harold Washington become Chicago's first African-American mayor. He tried again in 1989 and won. He was reelected in 1991 and 1995, and in June 1996 became president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors. Hispanics may also be reported in the white or black population figures.
Federal funds are tight, hurting public transit.
Massive projects depend on alternate forms of financing. Individuals and community groups that learned hardball under Richard J. Daley have won a defined role in Chicago political, civic life. Richard M. Daley's tenure has been marked by aggressive and largely successful efforts to institute good management practices and sound fiscal policies. Like his father, Daley has promoted major civic construction projects Including a South Side airport, light-rail transit downtown and city casinos, each stymied by political or funding issues. Smaller infrastructure projects have fared better including repaving of neighborhood streets and alleys, massive tree-planting and rebuilding of industrial districts.