Aldermanic prerogative
March 16, 2009
aldermanic prerogative /(ALL dur MAN ick PER ohg ah tiv)/ n. The unwritten rule among Chicago aldermen that says: "You don't mess with my ward, I won't mess with yours." The controversial but treasured turf-protecting code deals mainly with zoning and development issues. It has been broken on rare occasions in recent years on votes to put a children's museum in Grant Park and a Wal-Mart on the South Side.