May 25, 2011
"MAYOR NO" DOMINATES PARK RIDGE POLITICS
In northwest suburban Park Ridge, "Mayor No" is on a tear. "Just Say No" is his mantra. Unlike IL Gov. Pat Quinn, Mayor Dave Schmidt is not dithering, deceitful or dissembling. "I'm the Taxpayer-in-Chief," he proclaims, "and my job is to streamline government and not raise taxes or spending." Schmidt's vetoes have been fast and furious. Park Ridge suffers from the malaise typical of America -- no new home sales, declining property values, foreclosures, commercial abandonment. Schmidt, a conservative Republican, has been forthright in his intentions, and 5 of 7 aldermen who opposed his policies retired in 2011. Schmidt now has a 7-0 majority. "Mayor No" is up for re-election in 2013. In Harwood Heights, it's politics -- and chaos -- as usual. Full Article...
May 18, 2011
POLITICIAN'S "SHELF LIFE" ENDANGERED BY LEGISLATIVE REMAP
"Shelf life" is not just applicable to groceries. It also applies to politicians, and it has a 10-year bar code. The decennial U.S. Census requires all congressional, state legislative and municipal ward boundaries to be redrawn to insure equal population, reflecting the prior decade's demographic changes. Chicago lost almost 200,000 in population from 2000-2010, almost entirely among blacks and Hispanics. Does this mean fewer majority-minority districts? Of course not. Minority districts will push out from central Chicago, forcing outlying white-majority districts to push out into the nearby suburbs, which means outlying Cook County suburban districts push out into the collar counties. Democrats control the remap process. On the Northwest Side, incumbents McAuliffe, D'Amico, Lyons, Lang, Mulroe and Silverstein are secure; their districts absorb more suburban terrain. But incumbents Mulligan, Kotowski, Saviano and Mell face serious difficulty, as their districts will absorb many new voters, putting them at risk. Full Article...
May 11, 2011
"OBAMA NATION" RESISTS CHANGE IN 47TH, 46TH AND 43RD WARDS
In 2008, Chicago's liberal 47th (Ravenswood-Lincoln Square), 43rd (Lincoln Park) and 46th (Uptown) wards were firmly ensconced in the "Obama Nation." They carried for Obama by 82.8%, 74.5% and 84.1%, respectively. But "change" is both fleeting and dependent on self-interest. In 2011, the wards' three aldermen, all retirees, departed amid cries of "good riddance." In the 47th Ward, Gene Schulter's deceitful ploy to palm off his job on a precinct captain backfired. An obscure 30-year old programmer, Ameya Pawar, who spent just $40,814, was elected with 50.8%. In the 43rd Ward, Vi Daley was a Tower of Jello on the Fresh Market development at Webster-Halsted, which would create 150 jobs. No-Dev Michele Smith beat Pro-Dev Tim Egan by 250 votes, largely because those nearby to the "dev" voted 706-410 for Smith. In the 46th Ward, Helen Shiller's "have-not" coalition finally crumbled, but the "Shiller Nation" still comprised 30-35% of the vote. Forced to choose between two pro-development "have" candidates, they opted for the least repugnant: James Cappleman, who won a solid 55.5% on a tide of gay and Shiller votes. The mantra of "change we need" morphed into "change is wonderful as long as it doesn't adversely affect my wallet or my lifestyle." Full Article...
May 4, 2011
"ROYALTY" PREVAILS IN 38TH, 50TH WARD ALDERMANIC RUNOFFS
Weary of all that "royal" superficiality and spectacle? The perpetual procession of princes and princesses, dukes and duchesses, lords, earls and viscounts, who enjoy a comfy and idle existence due to the quirk of birth? I'm describing Chicago politics, not British royalty or Will and Kate. There are the Princes of Bridgeport (including the Lord Mayor), Duke O'Hynes, Lord Lipinski, Lord Edward II of Burke, Prince and Princess McMadigan, Duke Dick of Mell, King Joe Berrios, Princess Marge d'Laurino, and Duke and Duchess O'Cullerton. In the April 5 aldermanic runoffs, "royalty" prevailed in the 38th and 50th wards. The Cullerton Clan's 38th Ward bloodlines date back to 1871. "Tim the Terrible" Cullerton spent $375,000, literally eviscerating and disemboweling his commoner opponent; he won with 60.4%. In the West Rogers Park 50th Ward, longtime royal pain-in-the-butt Berny Stone was burnt at the proverbial stake. Despite spending $313,000, half the Jewish vote deserted Stone. Debra Silverstein, wife of State Sen. and Democratic ward committeeman Ira Silverstein, thrashed Stone with 61.4%. The royal House of Silverstein has emerged. Full Article...
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