In 2011, Proco "Joe" Moreno was elected as 1st Ward alderman with 74 percent of the vote, according to his ward's website. ( Former Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley appointed Moreno to succeed Manny Flores in 2010. ) However, things may be tougher this time around, with the alderman going up against four contenders.
In a recent interview, the aldermanic incumbent and Wicker Park resident discussed everything from his past accomplishments to dealing with the Chick-fil-A controversy to his reasons for wanting to retain his post.
Windy City Times: What do you feel your biggest accomplishment has been, and what do you feel is the biggest problem is that still exists in your ward?
Proco "Joe" Moreno: Obviously, I'm very proud of the additional city services that I've brought. With the city being strapped, I've spent ( of money that I've raised, not taxpayer money ) about $150,000 on city services—cleaning lots, graffiti removal, snow removal. I know it's a small thing, but it makes a difference to tell constituents they can call and I'll have graffiti removed within 48 hours.
On a local level I'm proud of that, but on the educational level, there's Roberto Clemente High School. I can see that from my home and, for the last 14 years, Clemente's been on promotion. It had a reputation as a very violent school—as a school that wasn't very good. Long story short, I lobbied very hard for an international baccalaureate program for that school, and we got it. We got it two years, and we thought the school would be off probation in two years—but it only took one. They're level two already, and they're doubled their enrollment. I'm very proud of the small part I played in that.
As for challenges—I don't see them as problems—there's dealing with crime reduction. Things have [lessened] somewhat, but we still have a way to go. We continue the community policing, and I and my CAPS staff are at every CAPS meeting. We have to keep our eye on the ball; otherwise, crime numbers will go up again.
WCT: How do you respond to the criticism that city council is full of "yes" people? I believe DNAInfo said that 95 percent of your votes from 2011 to 2013 were in line with Mayor Emanuel's.
Proco "Joe" Moreno: Sure. I would point you to a website called Take Back Chicago, which is a coalition of progressive left-wing groups. That number—which is lower than that, but still in the 90s—came from a study Dick Simpson did. It sounds very high, but the lowest number is, like, 88 percent, which is Rick Munoz. [Editor's note: The study is available at gapersblock.com/mechanics/2013/04/10/king-of-the-rubber-stamp/ .] Take Back Chicago used that to rate aldermen in four categories: champion ( for their causes ), allied, corporate sell-out and rubber-stamp. In the "allied" categories, which Take Back Chicago describes as "showing independence at times, works with the mayor at times as well," there were three aldermen: Pat Dowell, myself and I can't recall the other one.
But that's how I'd describe the last three and a half years. I've voted against the mayor but I don't just say no. I've introduced my own citywide legislation that I've passed. I think looking at how people voted with the mayor should become less important. For instance, did they say it was a bad idea to vote with the mayor to increase the minimum wage to $13 [an hour]? I was a $15 guy, but I compromised. I think the "allied" label is correct—I got in to work with the mayor to get things done.
WCT: I have to ask about what transpired with Chick-fil-A a couple years ago when the chain wanted to open in your ward. Given what happened—and I still remember [42nd Ward] Ald. Brendan Reilly ordering Chick-fil-A sandwiches at a budget hearing—is there anything you would do differently if you had to do it over again?
Proco "Joe" Moreno: Hmmm—good question. I think one thing that didn't get out there is that I had been working behind the scenes with Chick-fil-A for eight or nine months, and no one besides them or us knew it. I may have tried to get that out in the media more. I was probably too optimistic that we'd come to an agreement.
As far as changing what we did, I wouldn't change a thing. I didn't think it would get as much national attention as it did. It was myself and my $35,000-a-year employee that does my media agains a billion-dollar company—and I think we did pretty well. Then you had Reilly and some of these other weak-kneed Democrats that called and said, "Of course I disagree but it's a free country and a free society." We weren't denying [Chick-fil-A] because of what they were saying; we were denying them because the CEO said, "We believe we do this," and those words turn into actions. It's the civil-rights fight of our time.
My dad's 100-percent Mexican and my mom's 100-percent white, and they've been married since the '60s, when it was "illegal" for their marriage to happen. [Chick-fil-A] lied to me on several occasions; they paid lip service. They would fly up from the South to my office and lie to my face; they would write these great letters, and then they'd change their tune. They'd go on Fox News and say some ignorant, hateful comment.
WCT: Let me switch gears. Talk to me about what you feel should be done regarding HIV/AIDS education and treatment in schools.
Proco "Joe" Moreno: Interestingly enough, my daughter ( who's in sixth grade ) had sex ed in public school. I'm 40, and they didn't talk about AIDS in fifth grade—but she did, and I was glad to see that. I do think that when it comes to education—and I know that PrEP [pre-exposure prophylaxis] is controversial within the gay community—I think it's important to teach about contraception. Also, it's good to talk about when to start relationships, regardless if someone's straight, gay or lesbian.
It's also good to talk, when children are sexually active, about the HISTORY of it. I think we remember the fight for AIDS funding; Ronald Reagan would even say the term "AIDS" during his presidency. It's not about what we should do today, but we should remember the history of the funding. AIDS affects everyone and, yes, there's some great medicine out there, but we should talk about what it took for the proper funding to get it out there. Magic Johnson, a straight man, is looked at as kind of a pioneer; I think the young folks don't realize this was another civil-rights fight.
WCT: What's your biggest advantage and disadvantage in this race?
Proco "Joe" Moreno: The biggest advantage is my record. I'm very proud of it. There's nothing that I'm not proud of, both on the service side and legislatively. I pride myself on being the most accessible alderman. Also, I was the lead sponsor on the transgender ordinance; I worked with Ald. Tunney and Cappleman on that. ( Ald. Mell wasn't on the council then. ) I banned on plastic bags in August. I passed a transit-[oriented] ordinance, and we've already seen development happen. Show me another alderman who's passed as many citywide ordinances as I have. That's our job—not just to say "yes" or "no" to the mayor.
I think the disadvantage is that it's not a popular time for incumbents, no matter what side you're on—left, right or center. That's why I think I should remind people what I did.
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