We love: Ald. Joe Moore

In 2008, lefty mag The Nation named 49th Ward Ald. Joe Moore its most valuable progressive local official in the country. Moore does show an independent streak: He was an early, vocal supporter of the big-box living-wage ordinance (passed by the City Council, vetoed by Daley); he called hearings on police conduct after mass arrests of Iraq War protesters; and he proposed legislation to expand the powers of the inspector general. But how progressive can he be when, over the last ten years—according to UIC aldermanic voting records—he’s nodded with the mayor 70 percent of the time? Sure, it’s not as bad as some of the council’s rubber-stamp lemmings, like the 14th Ward’s Ed Burke, who acquiesced more than 90 percent of the time over the same period. But Moore didn’t show backbone on critical issues—the parking-meter lease deal (“Probably the worst vote I’ve made in my 18 years in the City Council,” Moore has said) and the Olympics contract that put taxpayers on the line for potentially billions in cost overruns. So, hey, Joe, how about fewer yeas and more nays? “I take each vote on its merit,” Moore says. “To simply vote against a measure because it’s supported by the mayor is really knee-jerk and a not very well-thought-out response.”
In the meantime Lodge well-thought-out complaints with Moore’s ward office (773-338-5796) or send him an e-mail via ward49.com.

NEXT>>West Loop gallery district