Chicago City Council
The Chicago City Council is the legislative branch of the government of the City of Chicago in Illinois. It consists of 50 aldermen elected from 50 wards to serve four-year terms. The Chicago City Council is gaveled into session regularly (usually monthly) to consider ordinances, orders, and resolutions whose subject matter includes traffic code changes, utilities, taxes, and many other issues. The council, in conjunction with the Mayor of Chicago, hears recommendations from the Commission on Chicago Landmarks and then may grant individual properties Chicago Landmark status. The presiding officer of the Chicago City Council is the Mayor of Chicago. The secretary is the City Clerk of Chicago. Both positions are popularly elected offices.
The Chicago City Council chambers are located in Chicago City Hall. Also located in the building are the downtown offices of the individual aldermen and staff.
Between 1972 and 1999, 26 current or former Chicago aldermen were convicted for official corruption.[1]
Between 1972 and 2009, a total of 30 Chicago aldermen were indicted and convicted of federal crimes such as bribery, extortion, embezzlement, conspiracy, mail fraud and income tax evasion. Three additional aldermen were indicted for similar offenses but two died before federal prosecutors could bring them to trial and one, Anthony Laurino (39th) was too sick to stand trial.[2][3]
Contents |
[edit] Chicago aldermen
The last election was held in 2011, with new members being sworn in on May 16, 2011.
| Ward | Name | First elected | Party |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Proco Joe Moreno | 2010* | Democratic |
| 2 | Robert Fioretti | 2007 | Democratic |
| 3 | Pat Dowell | 2007 | Democratic |
| 4 | Will Burns | 2011 | Democratic |
| 5 | Leslie Hairston | 1999 | Democratic |
| 6 | Roderick Sawyer | 2011 | Democratic |
| 7 | Sandi Jackson | 2007 | Democratic |
| 8 | Michelle A. Harris | 2006* | Democratic |
| 9 | Anthony Beale | 1999 | Democratic |
| 10 | John Pope | 1999 | Democratic |
| 11 | James Balcer | 1997* | Democratic |
| 12 | George Cardenas | 2003 | Democratic |
| 13 | Marty Quinn | 2011 | Democratic |
| 14 | Edward M. Burke | 1969 | Democratic |
| 15 | Toni Foulkes | 2007 | Democratic |
| 16 | Joann Thompson | 2007 | Democratic |
| 17 | Latasha Thomas | 2000* | Democratic |
| 18 | Lona Lane | 2006* | Democratic |
| 19 | Matthew O'Shea | 2011 | Democratic |
| 20 | Willie Cochran | 2007 | Democratic |
| 21 | Howard Brookins Jr. | 2003 | Democratic |
| 22 | Ricardo Muñoz | 1993* | Democratic |
| 23 | Michael Zalewski | 1995 | Democratic |
| 24 | Michael Chandler | 2011 | Democratic |
| 25 | Daniel Solis | 1996* | Democratic |
| 26 | Roberto Maldonado | 2009* | Democratic |
| 27 | Walter Burnett, Jr. | 1995 | Democratic |
| 28 | Jason Ervin | 2011* | Democratic |
| 29 | Deborah L. Graham | 2010* | Democratic |
| 30 | Ariel Reboyras | 2003 | Democratic |
| 31 | Ray Suarez | 1991 | Democratic |
| 32 | Scott Waguespack | 2007 | Democratic |
| 33 | Richard Mell | 1975 | Democratic |
| 34 | Carrie Austin | 1994* | Democratic |
| 35 | Rey Colón | 2003 | Democratic |
| 36 | Nicholas Sposato | 2011 | Democratic |
| 37 | Emma Mitts | 2000* | Democratic |
| 38 | Timothy Cullerton | 2011* | Democratic |
| 39 | Margaret Laurino | 1994* | Democratic |
| 40 | Patrick J. O'Connor | 1983 | Democratic |
| 41 | Mary O'Connor | 2011 | Democratic |
| 42 | Brendan Reilly | 2007 | Democratic |
| 43 | Michele Smith | 2011 | Democratic |
| 44 | Thomas M. Tunney | 2002* | Democratic |
| 45 | John Arena | 2011 | Democratic |
| 46 | James Cappleman | 2011 | Democratic |
| 47 | Ameya Pawar | 2011 | Democratic |
| 48 | Harry Osterman | 2011 | Democratic |
| 49 | Joe Moore | 1991 | Democratic |
| 50 | Debra Silverstein | 2011 | Democratic |
* Year of appointment, not first election
[edit] See also
- Council Wars, a period of conflict within the City Council
[edit] References
- ^ Reardon, Patrick T. (1999-01-31). "Aldermen Rogues' Gallery Opens '99 Wing; Jones Is 25th City Council Member Convicted Since 1972". Chicago Tribune. http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1999-01-31/news/9901310179_1_aldermen-operation-silver-shovel-operation-incubator.
- ^ Gradel, Thomas J.; Simpson, Dick; Zimelis, Andris (2009-02-03) (PDF). Curing Corruption In Illinois: Anti-Corruption Report #1. University of Illinois at Chicago Department of Political Science. http://www.uic.edu/depts/pols/ChicagoPolitics/Anti-corruptionReport.pdf. Retrieved 2009-02-23.
- ^ Bogira, Steve (2012-01-27). "Aldermanic rap sheet". Chicago Reader. http://www.chicagoreader.com/Bleader/archives/2012/01/27/aldermanic-rap-sheet.
[edit] External links
- City of Chicago
- Map of Chicago Wards (PDF) - City of Chicago
- Chicago City Council
- Office of the City Clerk (with links to legislative agendas and other information about the council)
- Chicago City Council Journal of Proceedings directory
- The Chicago Reader guide to the City Council, including brief biographies of all fifty aldermen
- "The Untold Stories of Alderman Don Parrillo" By Anthony DeBartolo | Hyde Park Media
- Journal of the City Council of the City of Chicago 1908
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