The Cullertons had held the 38th Ward aldermanic seat for 107 of the last 139 years. So when the seat opened up after Thomas Allen was appointed a judgeship, former Mayor Richard M. Daley appointed a Cullerton. After taking Daley's appointment in January, Timothy M. Cullerton then won the seat in the April elections.
Background:
Cullerton has lived on the same block in Portage Park for over 60 years. Married with four children and three grandchildren, Cullerton is an electrician who has served as Chairman of the Chicago Electrical Commission. He currently uses the same Irving Park Road office that once belonged to his father, Ald. Tom Cullerton, and more recently belonged to Allen, his brother-in-law.
The Ward:
Winding across the city's Northwest Side, the 38th stretches west from I-90 just past Harlem Ave. Encompassing a slab of Portage Park, the ward has strong Polish and Irish roots. In fact, Cullerton can trace his heritage back to Edward and Catherine Cullerton who came to the area from Ireland in 1835, two years after the city was incorporated.
The Office:
In just his first few months in office, Cullerton has certainly picked his battles. Recently he co-sponsored an ordinance raising the wages for airport workers at O'Hare and Midway. He also pushed to reverse cuts to libraries in Mayor Rahm Emanuel's proposed budget and signed a letter to the mayor to restore budget cuts across the board.
Committees:
Aviation
Budget and Government Operations
Committees, Rules and Ethics
Economic, Capital and Technology Development
Housing and Real Estate
Transportation and Public Way
Zoning, Landmarks and Building Standards
