Ed Burke

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For other persons named Ed Burke, see Ed Burke (disambiguation).

Edward M. Burke (born December 29, 1943) is alderman of the 14th Ward (map) in Chicago. A member of the Democratic Party, he was first elected to the Chicago City Council in 1969 and represents part of the city's Southwest Side.

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[edit] Early life

Burke is a lifetime resident of Chicago. Burke's father, Joseph P. Burke, was a Cook County Sheriff's policeman[1] who worked as a court bailiff. Joseph Burke served as Committeeman from the 14 ward (a local Democratic party post), and was elected Alderman from the 14th ward on November 2, 1953.[2]

[edit] Education

Burke attended high school at Archbishop Quigley Preparatory Seminary and then went on to DePaul University where he earned his undergraduate and law degrees. Burke attended DePaul University College of Law while working as a police officer from 1965-1968. Burke graduated from the DePaul University College of Law in 1968 and was admitted to the Illinois bar in November, 1968.[3]

[edit] Election

Burke succeeded his father as both Democratic Committeeman and as Alderman from the 14th ward.

Joseph Burke died of cancer[1] in office May 11, 1968.[4] The 25-year-old Edward Burke took leave of his job as a City policeman to replace his father as Democratic committeeman.[5] Burke was elected Democratic Committeeman in the 14th ward in 1968 and retains that position. Burke's first election was his toughest. In a secret vote of 65 precinct captains, Burke won his father's committeeman's seat (and assurance of party slating for alderman) over a veteran precinct captain by 3 1/2 votes.[1]

A special election was called for March 11, 1969, to fill the 14th ward alderman's seat, as well as several City Council seats vacant for various reasons, mostly Aldermen elected to judgeships and other offices in November, 1968.[5] The 14th Ward Democrats slated their committeeman and their former alderman's son.[6] Burke faced 6 opponents.[3]

[edit] Military Service

Burke applied for and was granted draft deferment as a full-time student while a law student at DePaul. Burke graduated and married his wife, Anne Marie, in 1968. After his marriage and the death of his father, Burke applied for and was granted a hardship deferment (3-A), claiming that he was the sole support of his wife, mother, and two younger brothers, Daniel and Joseph.

The Illinois selected service board of appeals voted 4 to 0 to reclassify Burke as 1-A ("Available for unrestricted military service") on June 11, 1969.[7] At the same time, Burke was accepted into a Chicago-based United States Army Reserve unit, the 363rd civil affairs group, as a private. The 118-man unit was based at 2025 E 71st St in Chicago's southeast side. The unit was commanded by a friend, Colonel Eugene F. Welter, an attorney with offices at 33 N LaSalle St, in downtown Chicago.[8] On August 27, 1969 an officer from the army's inspector general division in Washington came to the north suburban army post Fort Sheridan to inspect documents and interview witnesses to investigate whether Burke was improperly given special consideration and allowed to enroll ahead of thousands of men who had been waiting for as long as three years.[9]

[edit] Aldermanic career

Burke has been alderman for more than three decades, first elected in 1969. He succeeded his late father in the position. He was an unsuccessful candidate for State's Attorney against the current Mayor Richard M. Daley in 1980. At the time Burke was aligned with Daley's rival, Mayor Jane Byrne. He was, along with Alderman and Cook County Democratic Party Chairman Edward Vrdolyak a leader of the "29", a faction of white, machine alderman who controlled the City Council and were in constant conflict with the minorities and white liberals known as the "21" who supported Mayor Harold Washington from 1983-1986, a period referred to as the Council Wars. Some wags referred to Vrydolyak and Burke as "Fast Eddie" and "Slow Eddie."

As alderman, he is an advocate for cutting waste from city government without raising taxes. To accomplish this he has encouraged the hiring of outside experts to monitor the city’s fiscal policies, proposed privatization of some city services, and conducting efficiency studies of city departments.

Burke has served for many years as the powerful Chairman of the Committee of Finance. Additionally, he serves on Aviation; Budget and Government Operation; Energy, Environmental Protection and Public Utilities; and Zoning.

Currently, Burke is a member of the Chicago Planning Commission and Economic Development Commission.

[edit] Personal life

Burke is a part-time alderman. He is a principle in a successful downtown Chicago law firm which specializes in property tax appeals.[10]

Alderman Burke’s wife Anne was installed as an Illinois Supreme Court Justice on July 4, 2006 and has served as an Illinois Appellate Court Justice. Their children are Jennifer, Edward, and Sarah; their son Emmett was killed in a snowmobiling accident in 2004. In February 1996, the Burkes became foster parents to a child born to a woman suffering drug addiction. The child's natural mother, Tina Olison, sued to regain custody of her child several times before the Illinois State Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Burkes in 2001.[11]

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c Fremon, David (1988). Chicago Politics Ward by Ward. Indiana University Press. ISBN 0253313449. 
  2. ^ "Burke, New Alderman, Resigns Post as Bailif", Chicago Daily Tribune, 1953-11-11, p. B12.
  3. ^ a b Schreiber, Edward. "7 Candidates in 14th Ward Race Tuesday", Chicago Daily Tribune, 1969-03-05, p. A6.
  4. ^ "ALD. J. BURKE IS HONORED BY CITY COUNCIL", Chicago Daily Tribune, 1968-05-15, p. A4.
  5. ^ a b "Democrats Move Fast to Fill Five Empty Seats in Council", Chicago Daily Tribune, 1968-11-09, p. 5.
  6. ^ "29 CANDIDATES ENTER RACES IN SIX WARDS: Democrats Will Face Stiff Competition", Chicago Daily Tribune, 1969-01-07, p. 5.
  7. ^ "Draft Board Reclassifies Burke as 1-A", Chicago Daily Tribune, 1969-06-14, p. N2.
  8. ^ "Ald. Ed Burke Joins Reserve, Avoids Draft; Enters Unit Headed by Lawyer Friend", Chicago Daily Tribune, 1969-07-25, p. 16.
  9. ^ "Probe Begins in Draft Case of Ald. Burke", Chicago Daily Tribune, 1969-08-28, p. C26.
  10. ^ Klafter and Burke.
  11. ^ Sneed, Michael. "The "Baby T" case is over", Chicago Sun-Times, 2001-10-07.

[edit] External links

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