Eight more aldermen may call it quits :: CHICAGO SUN-TIMES :: City Hall

Eight more aldermen may call it quits

SHILLER EXITING | Nearly one-third of City Council might turn over

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BY FRAN SPIELMAN City Hall Reporter/fspielman@suntimes.com

Ald. Helen Shiller (46th) is the first Chicago aldermen to publicly declare her decision not to seek re-election. But, she won't be the last.

Political retirements, promotions and mayoral ambitions could cost the City Council nearly one-third of its 50 members. And that's not counting incumbent aldermen who could be tossed out by the voters.

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Mayor Daley delivers his 2010 budget to the City Council on Oct. 21, 2009. Sources say at least eight sitting aldermen may not run next year.
(Brian Jackson/Sun-Times)

Sources said at least eight more sitting aldermen may not run next year to avoid an anti-incumbent tidal wave sweeping the nation and a local electorate livid about everything from the parking meter mess, service cuts and corruption scandals to rising crime and property taxes.

The list of aldermen at least thinking about calling it quits includes such political heavyweights as: Ginger Rugai (19th), Jim Balcer (11th), Frank Olivo (13th), Ed Smith (28th), Vi Daley (43rd), Pat Levar (45th), Mary Ann Smith (48th) and Bernard Stone (50th).

Most of them aren't talking. Others are saying as little about retirement as possible.

"I'm back-and-forth, back-and-forth ... I'm really struggling with it," said Mary Ann Smith, 63.

"It's been a lot of years. I've accomplished a lot of what I felt were the critical issues ... But, I've got a couple of big projects" pending.

Stone, 82, said he hasn't "made up my mind yet," but would decide by Aug. 24, the first day to circulate nominating petitions.

"I may go again. My legs may be bad, but my mind is still good," said Stone, who was forced into a run-off in 2007.

Vi Daley would only disclose that she'll be "saying something soon" about her political future. The others could not be reached.

Balcer, who represents Mayor Daley's native 11th Ward, started contemplating retirement after a health scare. More recently, he has said he hopes to seek re-election. But, speculation persists that he could be replaced by the mayor's nephew, Patrick Thompson.

Levar, longtime chairman of the City Council's Aviation Committee, is battling prostate cancer and has told colleagues privately he may not be able to withstand the rigors of a difficult campaign. Publicly, a spokesman insisted he plans to run.

A massive federal investigation of city aviation deals continues to focus on the link between O'Hare Airport contractors and Levar's brother. Michael Levar once oversaw construction contracts at O'Hare.

Olivo has told colleagues he's ready to retire. But, his powerful ward committeeman, state House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago), is trying to talk him out of it.

Ald. Richard Mell (33rd), estranged father-in-law of Gov. Blagojevich, insisted Monday that his current plan is to seek re-election.

But, Mell has been talking openly about retirement since 2002, after getting his son-in-law elected governor.

"My political future is behind me. There's other things in life for me besides this. I'm no spring chicken anymore," Mell told reporters then.

Mell put his retirement plans on hold after his wife died in 2006. He still craves political action, but the strain of the Blagojevich trial and family turmoil appears to be weighing on him.

Two more City Council seats are expected to turn over because of incumbents changing offices.

If Ald. Toni Preckwinkle (4th) is elected County Board president in November, she's expected to pass the baton to state Rep. Will Burns (D-Chicago), a rookie rep who once served on Barack Obama's staff.

Ald. Brian Doherty (41st), the City Council's lone Republican, could claim the state Senate seat now occupied by retiring State Senator James DeLeo (D-Chicago).

Ald. Robert Fioretti (2nd) is talking about vacating his City Council seat to run for mayor. So are Aldermen Scott Waguespack (32nd) and Tom Allen (38th).

Four years ago, Daley's veto of the big-box, minimum wage ordinance prompted organized labor to spend millions to elect a more union-friendly City Council. Key mayoral allies were defeated.

This time, it looks like a lot of aldermen are thinking about jumping to avoid being pushed.

"It's a bad time for incumbents and you can't raise money anymore," one veteran alderman said Monday.

"There are ways of overcoming that. But, if your health is not right and your heart is not in it, it's a tough hill to climb."

Another source pointed to Chicago's $654.7 million budget shortfall and the tough choices that lie ahead.

"People are down about the economy and foreclosures and unemployment. It's hard to be an ombudsman for people who are so demoralized," the source said.

via suntimes.com

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