Minority aldermanic longevity

Russ Stewart:

There is a correlation between color and clout in Chicago’s 50-member city council. There are 23 white, 19 black, and eight Hispanic aldermen.

But it’s a matter of longevity, not race. In minority wards, political volatility prevails. Black and Hispanic aldermen serve a term or two, and lose. In white wards, permanency is the norm. White aldermen become entrenched and unbeatable by securing key committee chairmanships, controlling staff jobs, and raising substantial campaign cash from the interests that they regulate.

Chicago’s white aldermen have a combined tenure of service, through 2009, of 422 years, each averaging 18.3 years, or 4.6 terms.  The black aldermen have a combined tenure of 155 years, averaging 8.2 years, or 2.1 terms.  And the Hispanic aldermen have a combined tenure of 90 years, averaging 11.25 years, or 2.8 terms.

The chairmen of most key committees are white: Ed Burke (14th), with 40 years’ service, at Finance; Dick Mell (33rd), with 34 years, at Rules; Bill Banks (36th), with 26 years, at Zoning; Pat Levar (45th), with 22 years, at Aviation; Pat O’Connor (40th), with 26 years, at Education; Gene Schulter (47th), with 34 years, at License; Berny Stone (50th), with 36 years, at Building; Tom Allen (38th), with 16 years, at Transportation; and Marge Laurino (39th), with 15 years, at Economic and Technology.

He goes on and discusses which northside white Aldermen are likely to retire or lose their bids when 2011 rolls around. I just thought the first two paragraph of this four paragraph excerpt was interesting.

Also check out his video on the clout between white and minority aldermen courtesy of ChicagoClout