Mayor Rahm Emanuel has appointed Juan Rangel, who was co-chairman of his election campaign, to fill a vacancy on the panel that oversees the construction of schools, libraries and other public buildings across Cook County.
A City Council committee is scheduled to consider Emanuel’s appointment of Rangel for the board of the Public Buildings Commission at a meeting Thursday morning.
Rangel is the longtime CEO of the clout-heavy United Neighborhood Organization, Chicago’s largest Latino community group and the operator of a charter school network.
He was the target of blistering criticism from some other Latino activists last year when he became an early and vocal supporter of Emanuel’s mayoral bid, scorning two high-profile Hispanic politicians who also were running to succeed retiring Mayor Richard M. Daley.
Rangel also was the subject of debate when Daley appointed him last year to the city park district board. Some black aldermen said they were concerned about comments Rangel made about African-American political leaders.
“Is this community going to see itself as another victimized minority or are they going to be the next successful immigrant group?” Rangel said of Latino immigrants in a 2009 interview with the Chicago Tribune. “There is an assumption that this community mimics the African-American community — where it’s been and where it’s going. That’s not the case at all. It has very little in common with the African-American experience.”
Rangel declined comment on his appointment Wednesday, saying he did not want to publicly address the topic until after the council’s Committee on Zoning, Landmarks and Building Standards votes on confirming Emanuel’s nomination to replace Daley on the PBC board.
The committee’s chairman — former UNO leader Daniel Solis (25th Ward) — said he thought Rangel’s experience building UNO schools made him an excellent choice for the PBC board.
“He’s a proven citywide leader, not just a Hispanic leader,” Solis said. “In every venture he has undertaken, whether it was education or just as a community leader, he has been a big success.”
Rangel would complete the unexpired PBC board term of Adela M. Cepeda, according to the committee meeting agenda. Cepeda had served on the board since 1992 and could not be reached for comment Wednesday.
If confirmed by aldermen, Rangel’s term would last until Sept. 30, 2014.
The PBC directs the renovation and construction of facilities for the city, “sister agencies” of local government like the public school and library districts and county government.