In three Northwest Side wards, too long is not long enough. In the 40th and 50th wards, having an alderman for a term or two is insufficient; voters apparently want an alderman for a generation or two. And in the 39th Ward, where the "Laurino Clan" has ruled since 1964, it looks like the status quo will continue.

The incumbents in all three wards are heavily favored to win the Feb. 25 election. In the 50th Ward (West Rogers Park), Alderman Berny Stone, age 75, first elected in a 1973 special election, is seeking another term. Stone's ties to the Daley family are ancient: He was a political ally of the late Mayor Richard J. Daley, and he is equally close to his son, the current mayor. In the 40th Ward (Budlong Woods, Peterson Park, Lincoln Village and Bowmanville), Alderman Pat O'Connor, age 49, first elected in 1983, is chairman of the City Council Education Committee and a major player in city politics. And in the 39th Ward (Albany Park, Sauganash, Mayfair, North Park Village and parts of Edgebrook), Alderman Marge Laurino, age 50, appointed in 1994 to succeed her father, Tony Laurino, and elected easily in 1995 and 1999, has entrenched herself.

Here's a look at each race:

50th Ward: Stone says that he's doing a great job and is getting better. "I'm at the peak of my career," he said. "I have a great deal of influence (in the City Council), and I can get a lot done for my ward."

The alderman cites the recent council resolution on the Iraq situation. "They (the supporters, including Alderman Joe Moore) wanted to attack the Bush Administration and claim that there is no evidence of weapons," Stone said. "But there is plenty of evidence, and Saddam Hussein must abide by the 1992 peace agreement. I support Israel and abhor war but the Chicago City Council cannot attack our president and our troops. I got the council to modify the resolution, including language to the effect that a war is acceptable if the evidence so proves." Stone also was an outspoken supporter of a council resolution for the payment of slavery reparations.

On more mundane matters, Stone cites as his local accomplishments the construction of a new city parking garage at Devon-Rockwell, on former Chicago Board of Education property; a new school being constructed at Whipple and North Shore to alleviate overcrowding in adjacent schools; and the rehabilitation of the Lincoln Village area, which suffered an economic blow when the Kmart closed. "I'm trying to lure a Target into the property," Stone said, adding, "I still have the fire. I want to continue to serve."

Stone's opponent, Tom Morris, argues that Stone "has been in office far too long and is ineffectual" in addressing ward needs. Morris, a former engineer with the city, now works as an investigator and paralegal; he also is a precinct captain in Dick Mell's 33rd Ward Democratic organization, and he has lived in the 50th Ward for more than 3 years.

Morris scoffed at Stone's self-praise. "He's known as do-nothing Stone, and he's at the plateau of his career," said Morris, who added that Stone has been "derelict in taking care of ward needs and providing ward services . . . such as regular street cleaning, trash collection and tree trimming. If I'm elected, my first task will be to fire the ward superintendent."
Morris also promised to create a ward assembly, which would meet monthly. "There are almost 60 different ethnic groups in the ward," he said. "The alderman needs to know what they think and what they need. At present, Stone hasn't a clue."

The 50th Ward once was heavily Jewish, but a huge immigrant influx of Pakistanis, Asian Indians, Russian Jews, Koreans and Vietnamese, coupled with the move to the suburbs or death of many of the ward's Jews, have changed the population mix substantially. However, many of the new arrivals are not citizens, and they can't vote, so Stone's Jewish political base, while shrinking, is still solid.

Stone was unopposed in 1999, getting 7,445 votes; in 1995 he had two opponents, got 5,676 votes, and won with 56.9 percent of the vote; and in 1991 he got 8,654 votes and rebuffed a strong bid by Hank Rubin with 56 percent of the vote.

But consider this: In 2000 Al Gore got 12,843 votes in the 50th Ward (to George Bush's 3,365), and in 2002 Rod Blagojevich got 8,971 votes for governor (to Jim Ryan's 2,960). In 1999 Mayor Rich Daley got 8,661 votes in the ward, and in 1995 he got 9,304. As of 2002, there were 21,665 registered voters in the ward.

So how does Morris beat Stone? By slicing Stone's vote to under 6,000. The Stone/Democratic base vote averages around 7,500. The past anti-Stone vote also included the Republican vote, which gives Morris a base of about 5,000. But to beat Stone, Morris needs a turnout of more than 12,000, and that won't happen. My prediction: Stone will win by better than 60-40 percent.

39th Ward: After Tony Laurino resigned as alderman in 1994 and was indicted in 1995 on eight counts in a federal ghost-payroller investigation, the "Laurino Clan's" grip on the 39th Ward appeared to be in jeopardy. But ward voters, who much revered Tony's constituent service, decided that the sins of the father do not attach to the daughter. Marge Laurino was appointed to the seat in 1994, and she won a tough 1995 runoff against Tony Fornelli by 6,882-4,982. In 1999 she beat Don Hodgkinson, who tried to run against "Laurino family corruption," by 7,410-4,397. That was almost as good as Tony himself in 1991, when he got 7,897 votes against a field of four challengers.

Does this mean Marge Laurino is now as solidly entrenched as was her dad? It looks like it. Laurino's only 2003 foe is retired Chicago police officer Bob Klich, who is running an underfunded and virtually invisible campaign. Klich's major complaint is that Laurino is "too silent" in the council. "She makes no noise, she initiates no legislation, and she just goes along," said Klich, a patrolman in the 17th District from 1979 until his retirement in 2000. Laurino dismissed Klich's charges as "ludicrous."

"I've brought millions of dollars of city funds into the ward," Laurino said. "I've supported the mayor. The mayor supports me. And I have made sure that we get our share of city services and programs."

Among the accomplishments cited by Laurino during her last term were the establishment of TIF districts for redevelopment at Peterson-Cicero and Lawrence-Pulaski and in Albany Park and Peterson Park; the scheduled construction of a new 17th District police station on Pulaski north of Wilson; the Mayfair Veterans' Memorial at Lawrence-Keeler; a health center for students at Roosevelt High School; and new green space along the North Branch of the Chicago River, including the expansion of Riverwalk. Laurino also takes credit for introducing an ordinance to donate old or obsolescent city computers to schools.

Klich rejects Laurino's claim that she brought a new police station into the 17th District. "That's been on the drawing board for decades," he said. "We are among the last stations to be replaced." Klich also blasted Laurino for her "adversarial" relationship with the local police. "She was never there for roll call. She never co-operated (with the police). She never understood what's happening on the street," charged Klich. Laurino agreed that she doesn't attend roll calls, but she said that her staff always attends CAPS meetings and that she has a "good relationship" with the commander and with tactical teams.

My prediction: Laurino's husband, Randy Barnette, is the ward Democratic committeeman, and they rank as the Northwest Side's premier "power couple." Barnette is in line to take the 15th District seat of state Representative Ralph Capparelli when he retires, but first he must produce for his wife. Laurino got 63.5 percent of the vote in 1999 against a well financed foe; if she doesn't exceed 70 percent against Klich, it will be an embarrassment. Expect a 72 percent Laurino win.

40th Ward: O'Connor's ambitions beyond his ward were permanently blunted when he lost a 1992 race for state's attorney, but he seems to have accepted his fate as alderman-for-life, and his constituents seem to feel likewise. O'Connor was unopposed in 1999, getting 7,477 votes, and in 1995, getting 6,930 votes; in 1991 he had two foes and got 7,445 votes (70 percent). Two candidates, Roosevelt Akins and Rafael Chagin, filed for Feb. 25. My prediction: O'Connor will win with more than 75 percent of the vote.