Don't Cry for Your Former Alderman

By Chuck Sudo in News on Sep 26, 2011 8:50PM

City Council received a makeover earlier this year but, as the Sun-Times shows in an article in today's paper, very few of them, if any, are crying poor.

In fact, the Sun-Times lists the number of former aldermen who went on to become lobbyists for after leaving the Council chambers. Currently seven former aldermen are registered with the city as lobbyists. The latest to join the throng is former 36th Ward Ald. William "J.P." Banks. Banks was the powerful chairman of the City Council's Zoning Committee and, when he retired in 2009, was feted by his successor John Rice with a $200-a-plate dinner. (Rice lost his seat in an April runoff with now Ald. Nicholas Sposato.)

Under city rules, an alderman has to wait a year before registering as a lobbbyist. Banks waited a year and now his knowledge of the city's zoning laws has made him a rainmaker at the law firm of Schain, Burney, Banks and Kenney. Ltd.

Banks is lobbying the city on behalf of 18 clients, more than any former alderman. A look at that gift that keeps on giving, the City Data Portal, shows Banks has lobbied City Hall on behalf of clients such as City Winery (which was looking at setting up shop downtown before opting for the low hanging fruit of the Randolph Street restaurant district), MR Properties, Gold Star Jewelry and Coin Co. and the Chicago Sport and Social Club.

The Sun-Times notes Banks draws a pension from the city of $93,831 a year. He's also still the committeeman in the 36th Ward and Treasurer of the Cook County Democratic Party.