Mayor Richard M. Daley has picked a state representative and a partner in a graphic arts firm to fill the City Council’s two vacant seats.
State Rep. Deborah Graham is Daley’s choice for 29th Ward alderman, a position vacated when former Alderman Isaac “Ike” Carothers pleaded guilty to bribery in February. Graham is also the 29th Ward committeewoman.
Businessman Proco “Joe” Moreno, a partner in a suburban graphic arts company, was picked to replace Manny Flores, who gave up his 1st Ward seat in January to take a position with Gov. Pat Quinn’s administration.
Both Graham and Moreno submitted applications to be named alderman. After some delay, the city finally revealed the list of applicants late Friday afternoon.
Daley conducted 44 interviews with applicants. Nearly 100 applied, but only 57 were eligible to be named alderman.
Moreno serves on several boards in the 1st Ward, and touted his background as a Latino businessman heavily involved in the community.
The Tribune gives the skinny on why the mayor picked these two:
Daley cited Graham’s legislative experience in both the city and suburbs. In Springfield, she has backed gun-control legislation favored by the mayor.
She succeeded in a career in social services and government after spending eight months in a shelter as a young woman when she fled a violent husband, Graham said. “Had I not made a decision to leave, I would probably be dead,” she added.
Daley said he picked Moreno, 37, in part because of his business experience. “What I’m going to concentrate on is public safety and constituents services in the ward," Moreno said.
UPDATE 5:36 p.m.
This just in from Andy Shaw, executive director of the Better Government Association, who last week predicted the mayor would pick from the community applicants:
"Half a loaf is better than none and that's what we're getting with one 'real' community person and one political insider, and that's not surprising from a mayor who is famous for throwing a bone to the reformers without sacrificing party discipline. But the bottom line is that step one in the quest for a more open selection process and a more representative City Council has to be considered a major success, and a harbinger of better days ahead, with fewer indictments and less corruption."