The city’s Black Caucus plans to hold its own special election after Chicago’s April 5 runoff election to identify a new leader following the recent resignation of its chairman.
The city’s Black Caucus plans to hold its own special election after Chicago’s April 5 runoff election to identify a new leader following the recent resignation of its chairman.
Ald. Walter Burnett Jr. (27th) was elected in 2009 by members of the City Council’s Black Caucus to a four-year term, but cut his tenure to focus more on the needs of his West Side ward.
“This was a time consuming position and at times I felt I had neglected my ward, which is my first responsibility as an elected official,” he said. “I will obviously remain a member and continue working on behalf of the caucus but in a lesser role.”
According to Burnett, he was recruited by former Black Caucus Chairman Ald. Carrie Austin (34th) to take over the post because she too felt it required more time than she could give to be an effective leader. Austin is chairman of the City Council’s Budget Committee.
In the interim Ald. Michelle Harris (8th), who is vice chairman of the Black Caucus, will be at the helm even though she is not interested in becoming the next chairman.
“I do not have time to take on another responsibility so I will not be seeking the top post,” Harris told the Defender. “We will hold off from doing anything until after the runoff. Currently the caucus is made up of 17 members.”
Burnett said he was motivated to first join the caucus after a former white alderman told him not to do so.
“That just made me more eager to join,” he said. “How are you going to tell me not to associate with my people? I could not believe what I was hearing.”
Among his proudest accomplishments as chairman was getting the Michigan Avenue Bridge downtown renamed after a Black man.
In October the city renamed it DuSable Bridge after DuSable Jean Baptiste Point du Sable, widely considered by some historians as the founder of Chicago in the 1700s.
He regrets not being able to transform the Black Caucus into a Political Action Committee, which would have allowed the caucus to raise funds more easily.
“This way those who want to support Black candidates could give the money to us and we in turn would distribute it to candidates much like what unions do,” Burnett said.
Copyright 2011 Chicago Defender