February 11, 2015
IT'S "WHOPPER TIME" IN 38TH WARD ALDERMANIC RACE

ANALYSIS & OPINION BY RUSS STEWART

by RUSS STEWART

In the Northwest Side 38th Ward, the political lair of the "Cullerton Clan," it's "whopper time." That doesn't mean hamburgers for all. It does mean that a "Burger Queen" franchise is thriving, and a deluge of "whoppers" -- meaning misrepresentations, resume exaggerations and plausible-sounding fibs -- are emanating from the campaign of Heather Sattler, the "Cullerton Clan's" candidate to succeed retiring Alderman Tim Cullerton.

A Cullerton or a clan member through marriage has been the alderman for 80 of the 84 years since the ward was created in 1931, and a clan member has been in the City Council for 125 of the 144 years since 1871.

Seven candidates are on the ballot, Alderman Nick Sposato, 2011 loser Tom Caravette, Sattler, Jerry Paszek, Mike Duda, Belinda Cadiz and Carmen Hernandez.

Before doing the "scouting report," this column will pinpoint the biggest "whoppers" served up by Sattler.

Number One: In her Dec. 27 campaign e-mail, which is sent to her supporters in the ward, Sattler lists 10 reasons to vote for her. Number eight is "Heather knows the 38th Ward . . . was born and raised in the ward . . . has worked tirelessly throughout her life to improve the ward." Her Web site touts her as a "pillar of civic leadership in her community" and states that she "came back to Portage Park after graduating from Georgetown University" in Washington in 1997.

Fact: That's a triple whopper. Sattler was raised in her parents' home in the 45th Ward (in Portage Park), and went to Our Lady of Victory School and Saint Ignatius High School. After college she has lived in the 26th Ward (Logan Square), in the 35th Ward, and in the 45th Ward, and she finally bought a home in the 38th Ward in 2013. When interviewed on Feb. 6, Sattler didn't deny the accuracy of her addresses, which means she's been a "tireless 38th Ward pillar" for about 2 years.

I asked her how she's a "pillar." "It's just on the Web site," she said.

Number Two: In her walk piece, the campaign brochure that is distributed door to door, Sattler states "while others running for alderman may have just moved here for political gain, Heather has been here and will continue to be here," adding that numerous articles on the race state that "Sposato moved into the 38th Ward to run."

Fact: Add some more bacon and slather on more mayonnaise. See "fact" above. I'm sure that since Sattler's mother Rita was the chief of staff to former aldermen Tom Allen and Cullerton for 21 years, Heather's "spirit" was alive and well in the 38th Ward (even though her mother still resides in the 45th Ward).

After Sposato's upset victory over appointed Alderman John Rice (and the Banks-DeLeo machine) in 2011 in the Galewood-Montclare 36th Ward, the City Council remapped the wards, put Sposato's home in the black-majority 29th Ward, and placed the predominantly Hispanic areas in the 36th and 38th in a new Hispanic-majority 36th Ward. The remap added the Cumberland Avenue corridor and the Dunning area of Sposato's ward to Cullerton's ward, seeking to bolster Cullerton. The new 38th Ward has 41 precincts and 15 partial precincts. It contains 50 percent of the old 38th Ward (24/6 precincts), 47 percent of the old 36th Ward (17/9 precincts), and 3 percent of the old 45th Ward (3 partial precincts). Sposato moved from Galewood to the Montrose-Cumberland area, part of his existing 36th Ward.

The council, in effect, "moved" the 36th Ward into the 38th Ward. Sposato didn't "move," he stayed in his ward, where he has lived his entire life.

Number Three: It's Rich Daley's fault. At various forums, Sattler has lamented "the decline in ward services and the increase in city taxes and fees." I asked her who is to blame. Wouldn't it be Cullerton and Mayor Rahm Emanuel? Her response was to blame it on Daley. "There was irresponsible spending and poor judgment" in the later years of the Daley Administration, she said. However, she said that Emanuel is "much more responsible," and she gave the mayor a grade of "B" at one forum. In her e-mail Sattler promises to be an "independent leader."

Fact: If services stink, it's the alderman's fault. Cullerton has been a pliant, unobtrusive and obedient pro-Emanuel alderman. Ward services should be superb.

"She's running for only one reason, and that's to keep all the Cullertons and their staffers on the payroll for 4 more years," Caravette said.

Number Four: In her "10 reasons" e-mail (Number 6), Sattler claims that she "created the organization 'This Is Me,' . . . dedicated to mentoring and providing positive peer relationships that help young women in the ward." Sattler has said at public forums that she "created" the entity and that she has "helped over 800 girls in 15 years," according to Sposato.

Fact: According to the Secretary of State's Office This Is Me Inc., was dissolved on Sept. 25, 2014, because, Sattler said, its president died. Sattler said she was the executive director and "earned a small stipend." The group was headquartered at 2327 W. Ohio St., not in close proximity to the 38th Ward. Sattler earned her master's degree from DePaul University in 2001, where she was an adjunct instructor of human resource management and grant writing from 2003 to 2012. She then became the $75,000-a-year chief operations officer of the 100 Club of Chicago, gives $50,000 to the spouses of first responders who die in the line of duty and $20,000 scholarships to their kids. A downgrade to a "kid's meal" whopper.

Number Five: In her walk piece (Number 10), Sattler insists that "unlike some of her opponents" she isn't a career politician tied to special interest groups.

Fact: That's beyond ridiculous. Being on some payroll somewhere is part of the DNA of the "Cullerton Clan." The clan is backing her because there are no more Cullertons to foist on the ward.

With seven candidates running, nobody will get more than 50 percent of the vote on Feb. 24, necessitating an April 7 runoff. Cullerton beat Caravette 4,761-3,119 in the 2011 runoff due to a deluge of pro-Cullerton mailings by public sector unions and Emanuel. Cullerton got 47.6 percent of the vote in the general election.

Sposato will finish first, with 45 to 48 percent, so the scramble is to grab second place, which primarily is a battle between Sattler and Caravette, although Paszek cannot be discounted. Duda, Hernandez and Cadiz are eating dust; none will crack 5 percent.

Here's my "scouting report" (cash on hand is as of Jan.1):

Sposato: An 18-year city firefighter, on leave . . . Had the guts to take on the entrenched Banks and DeLeo in 2007 and 2011 . . . Won the 2011 runoff against Rice, Banks' former driver, 5,651-4,923 (with 56.1 percent of the vote) . . . Has been anti-Emanuel, supporting teachers during strike, an elected school board, $15-per-hour minimum wage and opposing school closings and charter schools, privatization and budgets . . . Pledges that he won't vote for a property tax hike for a pension fix . . . Has multiple sclerosis, can't campaign door to door, but spends hours daily on the phone . . . Is the beneficiary of independent expenditures from unions . . . The Service Employees International Union (for city workers) already has paid for eight mailings worth $50,000, with more to come . . . "He is our top priority," an SEIU source said . . . Endorsed by teachers, police and firefighter unions . . . Will vote for Bob Fioretti for mayor . . . $97,820 on hand . . . Raised $106,837 through Feb. 5.

Sattler: Cullertons' last hurrah . . . His once powerhouse precinct organization has atrophied, with few workers . . . Says she has "knocked on thousands of doors" . . . Has had two mailers . . . Has $16,406 on hand, has raised $19,000 . . . No endorsement for mayor, but expect Emanuel's political action committee to fund her in a runoff . . . Skill as candidate mediocre . . . Will be lucky to get 20 percent of the vote . . . Says city needs a "new revenue stream" to solve pension jam, suggesting using tax increment financing district money and a "luxury tax."
Caravette: Longtime local real estate agent . . . Has 13 siblings . . . Family and friends could cover half the ward's precincts . . . His problem, as in 2011, is lack of campaign cash . . . Has raised no money . . . Says Sattler is a "bait-and-switch" candidate and that people are "sick and tired" . . . "Too many Cullertons on too many payrolls getting too much in pensions," he said . . . Said "illegal conversions" have resurfaced . . . Will be anti-Emanuel if wins . . . Wants more red light cameras and "world class" casino . . . Splits anti-Cullerton and non-Cullerton vote with Sposato.

Paszek: Lived in the 41st Ward . . . Ran for alderman in 1995 against Brian Doherty and got 19.6 percent of the vote . . . Forest preserve district police officer for 23 years . . . Appealing to ward's large Polish-American vote . . . Has $6,854 on-hand, and self-funded $10,000.

Hernandez: A member of the National Guard . . . On cusp of becoming perennial candidate . . . got 5.9 percent of the vote in 2011 . . . Has no money on hand.

Duda and Cadiz . . . Neither will exceed 5 percent of the vote . . . Duda a retired city water department worker and Banks precinct captain . . . Cadiz an aide to Dick Mell . . . No cash on hand for either.

My prediction: Sposato will win his old ward 2-1, and get close to half the vote in the old 38th Ward. That nudges him close to 50 percent. Sattler will edge Caravette, barely cracking 25 percent of the vote. In the runoff, Sposato will handily prevail.

Send e-mail to russ@russstewart. com or visit his Web site at www. russstewart.com.