Three candidates in 22nd Ward keep heat on Munoz to resign
Three candidates for 22nd Ward alderman on Monday renewed their demand for the resignation of Ald. Ricardo Munoz (22nd) and said the ward needs an immediate replacement for the 25year veteran even if a mayoral appointment undermines their own campaigns.
“Domestic violence should not be tolerated under any circumstances. A public servant should be a positive role model to the community and Ald. Munoz, with his actions, is far from it,” candidate Neftalie Gonzalez told a City Hall news conference.
Candidate Richard Juarez said the 22nd Ward remains “under siege from a host of outside development” forces, with “scant information and opportunity for community input” on projects ranging from the future of the Little Village industrial corridor to implementation of an affordable housing plan for Pilsen and Little Village.
“The fact that these endeavors have been allowed to advance as far as they have without community input speaks to the longstanding negligence that the 22nd Ward has endured under Munoz and his enablers,” Juarez said.
Juarez pointed to a recent study showing that, from 2015 to 2017, Munoz attended City Council meetings only 43 percent of the time.
Last summer, Munoz became the latest in a string of City Council veterans to announce his political retirement. As his replacement, he endorsed 22nd Ward Democratic Committeeman Mike Rodriguez.
If Munoz resigned before a new City Council is inaugurated in May, Mayor Rahm Emanuel would appoint his replacement. Rodriguez would be the odds-on favorite. That would give him a leg up on his three competitors.
Even appointing Rodriguez and giving him that advantage “would be far better” than leaving Munoz in office, Juarez said Monday.
“We need someone who is in office who has the decency to take care of this community. Would we tolerate such an incident from the mayor? Would we tolerate such an incident from any other alderman? Would we tolerate it from a congressman or a senator? We would not.”
Munoz has been charged with a misdemeanor count of domestic battery after a New Year’s Eve argument with his wife. He has checked into an Indiana rehab center, where he plans to spend the next four weeks. He could not be reached for comment.
Already, Rodriquez and newly elected U.S. Rep. Jesus “Chuy” Garcia, a longtime Munoz friend and political mentor, have joined in urging the City Council’s longest-serving Hispanic alderman to cut short a term that will end in May.
But, in a text message, Munoz made it clear he has no intention of leaving the Council early.
“My office is functioning. My staff are serving the residents of the 22nd Ward,” Munoz wrote then. “And I’m going to continue my life in public service.”