In the April 17 runoff election, 32nd Ward alderman Ted Matlak was backed by Mayor Daley, Congressman Luis Gutierrez, Congressman Rahm Emanuel, House Speaker Michael Madigan, Attorney General Lisa Madigan, and Alderman Tom Tunney, who ventured over from his adjoining Lakeview ward to walk door-to-door on Matlak’s behalf.
It was close–the election hung on a mere 121 votes. But the runoff itself was a sign of a significant rebellion growing in Bucktown, Wicker Park, Roscoe Village, Lakeview, and other 32nd Ward neighborhoods. Many voters appear to be sick and tired of lousy service and passive-aggressive indifference to their opinions on zoning proposals and development deals–enough to force the runoff, then swing an upset.
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Apparently, the lesson behind Waguespack’s upset has not gone unnoticed. For the last couple weeks 47th Ward alderman Gene Schulter has had locals in an uproar over his support for a zoning change a developer needs to erect a seven-story, 88-unit mixed-use complex at 1822 W. Irving Park. Residents have started gathering petitions demanding that Schulter oppose the change. Now he’s telling reporters he’ll do whatever the residents want.
