Next year, the Chicago City Council will be different. Jerry Morrison, Executive Director of Service Employees International Union (SEIU), foresees a turnover of 15-20 aldermen, the largest in modern political history. New aldermen with different bases of political support will create a new council.

Already, Aldermen Vi Daley (43rd), Helen Shiller (46th) and Mary Ann Smith (48th) have announced they won’t run for reelection. Jim Balcer (11th), Frank Olivo (13th), Ginger Rugai (19th), Ed Smith (28th) and Bernie Stone (50th) are rumored to be considering retirement. Most have served at least twenty years. These open seat elections automatically bring change.

In addition, Aldermen Bob Fioretti (2nd), Leslie Hairston (5th), Scott Waguespack (32nd) and Tom Allen (38th) are seriously considering running for mayor. Others are quietly dreaming of the opportunity.

The lesson of Alderman John Hoellen of the 47th Ward, who ran against Mayor Richard J. Daley in 1975, is that you can’t run successfully for reelection as alderman and mayor at the same time. Hoellen not only lost to Mayor Daley, he also lost his aldermanic seat to Eugene Schulter, who has served as alderman of that Northwest side ward ever since.

More new aldermen will fill these seats.

If Mayor Richard M. Daley decides to retire after 21 years on the job, a revolution in Chicago politics will occur. After his father, Richard J. Daley, died with no successor the chaotic mayoralties of Bilandic, Byrne, Washington and Sawyer followed ­and major transformations transpired before the battle for power in Chicago was over.

Unions like SEIU, the Teamsters and the Chicago Federation of Labor, which played such a major role in the 2007 aldermanic elections, have already begun targeting aldermen they would like to defeat and recruiting good candidates to beat incumbents. And in this anti-incumbent fervor, a number could be tossed out. The unions believe there are better issues and that incumbents who usually get campaign contributions from developers will have less money.

Coalitions of community organizations have issued a report card on City Chicago Government, which is available at www.chicagodgap.org. They give the city grades of D or D+ for criminal justice, ethics, economic development and education; an F for housing policy. The only B was given in the area of the environment. Those organizations analyze the votes of the aldermen and provide information on conflicts of interests in their campaign contributions. Many community groups will align with the unions once again to challenge aldermen with whom they are dissatisfied.

This turmoil is also reflected in voting patterns in the Chicago City Council. There have been more divided votes, in which at least some aldermen have voted against the mayor’s administration, this summer than in previous years. The council has become restive. Long-time aldermen are calling it quits, dreaming of running for mayor or running for cover from their constituents.

As Congressman Tip O’Neil famously said, all politics is local. Two examples: in the 43rd Ward, Democratic Committeewoman Michele Smith, who almost defeated Vi Daley in the last election, is the most likely to win the seat this time. Tim Egan, Tim Balinoff, Raphael Vargos, and others are considering giving it a try. But Michele has a considerable following, a proven track record as committeeman and the resources to win. She will be a stronger and much more independent than Alderman Vi Daley.

In the 46th Ward James Cappleman, who ran a strong race for alderman in 2007 and is the leading candidate in 2010, says on his web site: “The bottom line is this: residents of this ward - whether they live in a high-rise on the lake, in a homeless shelter, or in a new condo - deserve better. It’s time for a change. As your next alderman, I will make sure your concerns about public safety will be taken seriously and addressed; be accountable and transparent…; and make sure that economic and housing development responds to the broader needs of the community.”

Cappleman’s statement pretty much sums up the rhetoric of all candidates fighting for vacant seats or challenging incumbents and through these ward by ward battles, times will be a’ changing at city hall.

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By James Burling from Lincoln Park
Posted: 08/28/2010 2:04 AM

I got a flyer for Dan Balanoff, www.DB43.com, seems like a good option.

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By Ben from Lincoln Park
Posted: 08/26/2010 10:40 PM

I don't know where to start... the bias, the misspelled names, or the grammar.