Council Votes Spur New Round of Questions in Chicago

By Ann Bradley

CHICAGO--On a street corner just outside Hefferan Elementary School here, Alex Lyons squinted against the morning sunshine as he passed out campaign literature and asked parents walking their children to school for support.

Mr. Lyons said his background made him well qualified to serve on Hefferan's local school council: He is a graduate student who lives around the corner from the school, works for a Chicago alderman, and is active in local business organizations.

"This is a black, impoverished area,'' the candidate explained of the Austin neighborhood. "People do not understand that the resources are here and that...