Ed Burke

Proposal Would Limit Protests in Council Chambers
Wed, 02/15/2012
Ahead of this spring’s NATO and G8 summits, four influential aldermen on Wednesday proposed prohibiting audience members from waving signs or engaging in any “demonstration of approval or disapproval” during City Council meetings. Under the proposal, the banned conduct in the council chambers would include — but would not be limited to — “cheering...

Burke Questions Emanuel Water Fee Plan
Wed, 10/19/2011
As the City Council held its first hearing on Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s proposed 2012 budget Wednesday, its longest-serving member questioned the plan to end water fee exemptions for non-profit institutions, one of many politically-sensitive measures in the cost-cutting budget. Emanuel’s budget, which seeks to close a projected $636 million deficit,...

Changes for City Worker Drug Testing Plan
Wed, 06/22/2011
Powerful Ald. Edward Burke (14th Ward) said Wednesday he is open to reducing the scope of a proposal to mandate random drug testing for all city employees, including aldermen. Burke and Ald. Patrick O’Connor (40th) proposed the ordinance earlier this month after a Streets and Sanitation driver struck a crowd of people downtown while driving under...

Challenges to Growing Council’s Progressive Caucus
Tue, 04/26/2011
By definition, political independents are hard to organize into a bloc. And the initial attempt at expanding the self-styled progressive caucus in the new City Council reflected that challenge. Only seven of the 13 new aldermen attended an orientation organized the City Council’s progressive caucus, which has long been touted by union officials...