Joseph Moore (born 1958 Chicago) is the alderman representing the 49th Ward of the City of Chicago. He is a member of the Democratic Party. He was first elected to the City Council in 1991 and re-elected in 1995, 1999, 2003, and 2007.
The 49th ward, encompassing the eastern part of Rogers Park neighborhood, is at the far north of the city, bordered by Lake Michigan on the east, and by city of Evanston, Illinois to the north.
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Moore graduated from Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois with a B.A in 1980 and earned a J.D. in 1984 from DePaul University law school. After graduation he was an attorney for the City of Chicago from 1984 to 1991.
Moore, a former President of the Independent Network 49 political organization that supported Harold Washington and David Orr, first became known for his championing of community policing.
Moore was the chief sponsor of an ordinance banning the sale of foie gras, on the grounds that its production includes animal cruelty; after much publicity, the ordinance passed overwhelmingly but has since been repealed. Moore was honored in February, 2007 by the Humane Society of the United States for his leadership on the issue of cruelty to animals. Moore's support of this issue was the subject of many widespread and derisive comments. National news organizations covered the story from many angles, some hospitable and some hostile.
Moore was the chief sponsor of a law raising the minimum wage to $10 an hour for companies such as Wal-Mart, Target and Home Depot.[1] The ordinance was vetoed by Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley and, while still enjoying the support of most of the Council, failed to garner enough votes to override the Mayor's veto.[2] As a result of Moore's involvement with this legislation, he earned the support of labor unions and living-wage activists, but became a target of supporters of Wal-Mart.
Moore was the successful sponsor of a Whistleblower Ordinance that gave taxpayers the right to recover damages, on behalf of the city, against corrupt city contractors.
Moore was a critic of the City's unsuccessful blue-bag recycling program, and outspoken in favor of a more comprehensive recycling program.
In recent years, Moore has become known outside of Rogers Park for raising issues he believes to be of national importance in the Chicago City Hall. Moore was one of the first city council members to announce his opposition to a pre-emptive military invasion of Iraq and to the U.S. Patriot Act.
Critics suggest that Alderman Moore's priorities include issues that attract national support from activists, unions, and liberal donors, but which have less direct impact on 49th residents and their needs. Critics point to the loss of affordable housing, lack of economic development and jobs, and poor public schools in the 49th ward as issues demanding more attention from Alderman Moore. Moore also is accused of taking symbolic positions on issues which local government has no bearing or voice, while failing to pass ordinances that have the force of law. Critics also contend that community projects initiated under Moore's tenure, such as street improvement projects and a long-anticipated community park, have been slow to develop or left uncompleted altogether.
Supporters contend that Moore is one of the few real progressives in the City Council and that his policies support the kind of worker-friendly environment that the city of Chicago has traditionally been known for. Supporters also point out that Alderman Moore's stewardship of the 49th Ward has acted as a brake to unbridled development, thus mitigating the effects of gentrification. During Moore's tenure, numerous streetscape, retail development, and parks programs have been successfully completed, including a new branch of the Chicago Public Library, a new 2.5-acre (10,000 m2) park which replaced an adult bookstore and dilapidated housing, the renovation of the old Howard Theater building, Dominick's Grocery and Mall at Howard and Clark, A Community Center on Howard, a new firehouse on Clark, and the Sheridan Road and Howard Streetscape beautification projects. In 2008, The Nation named Ald. Moore its Most Valuable Local Official..."He has gotten the Chicago city council to oppose the war, defend civil liberties and take on chain-stores that batter local businesses".
In his most recent election, Alderman Moore received more than 3,600 votes (or 49.3%) in the four-way primary and so was forced into a runoff against banking executive Don Gordon, who polled 29%. Moore won the runoff, increasing his vote total to more than 4,000 and garnering approximately 51.6%.
Moore has been active in politics outside of Chicago, including on the national level. His first political work was for independent presidential candidate John Anderson. He was a delegate to the 1996 Democratic National Convention, pledged to Bill Clinton. He has served on the board of the National League of Cities, chairs the National Democratic Municipal Officials Conference, and serves on the Executive Committee of the Democratic National Committee (DNC). DNC Chairman Howard Dean recently appointed Moore to a DNC Committee on Budget and Finance. Moore ran in 2000 for Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County but lost in the primary election to eventual winner Dorothy Brown.
The Democratic ward organization in Moore's ward, the Democratic Party of the 49th Ward and its chairman, ward committeeman David Fagus, were cited in a complaint filed on August 31, 2005 with the Illinois State Board of Elections by the Cook County Republican Party. The complaint was one of sixteen city-wide complaints filed that charged that some Democratic Party ward organizations in Chicago are illegally housed in City-funded neighborhood ward offices. Moore acknowledged that his ward committeeman, Fagus, has a desk and phone line in a corner of his aldermanic office, but does not share in the payment of rent.[3] Taxpayers fund aldermanic service centers, which are open to the public. State law prohibits the use of any public funds by any candidate for political or campaign purposes.[4] The complaint was one of nine that a Hearing Officer appointed by the Board recommended proceed to the next step of the hearing process, an Open Preliminary Hearing. On October 17, 2005, at a regularly scheduled meeting, the Board entered an executive session and voted, in a 4-4 tie, along strict party lines, failing to adopt the recommendation of the Hearing Officer, and ordered the complaints dismissed.[5] The complaint against the 49th ward organization was one of eight that the Cook County Republican Party appealed[6] all the way to the Illinois Supreme Court. On January 23, 2009, the Illinois Supreme Court unanimously ordered the Illinois appellate court to conduct a judicial review of the Board's dismissals of the complaints.[7]
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   | Official Aldermanic Site - City of Chicago - Ward49 |
| | Official Biography - City of Chicago Webportal |
| | An inside look at Alderman Joe Moore - Joe Moore, Alderman of the 49th Ward, represents residents of Rogers Park, Edgewater and West Ridge. Chicago's most economically, ethnically and culturally diverse community. |
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