Circuit Court clerk shouldn’t be an elected position

The Democratic Party leadership has withdrawn its endorsement of ethically and efficiency challenged Circuit Court Clerk Dorothy Brown. Instead, it has endorsed a politician from the old Stroger machine.

This raises the question of why we should elect the court clerk. The job requires professional skills to handle a very large office with a need for major technological improvements. These are not partisan matters, nor do they require political skills. Of course, the real reason for making this an elective office is that it controls around 1,800 patronage jobs. A professional manager, rather than a politician, would be better able to deal with the inefficiency

Too few cops

The mayor and police superintendent both flaunt their intent to add 300 more police officers to the Chicago Police Department. They both act as if this will be a significant increase in police personnel, which it is not. The 300 will actually replace officers who retired or otherwise terminated their employment within the last year. The department is still understaffed. John Culloton, Norwood Park

More discrimination

The city’s efforts to increase minority police officers is another word for discrimination against potential white officers. They’re going to go out of their way to increase minorities, so possibly a more qualified white or at least someone who really wants to be a police officer may be denied. Mike Mannard,

Schaumburg

of the office.

James K. Genden, Evanston