Feb. 12--The Tribune offers its final endorsements today in contested races for the Chicago City Council.
47th Ward: On Thursday we lauded 32nd Ward Ald. Scott Waguespack as a model for thoughtful independence. We put freshman Ald. Ameya Pawar right up there, too. Pawar has been an energetic and creative legislator, rounding up support for measures to promote accountability in TIF spending, create an independent budget office and strengthen ethics in city government. We like his patience and persistence. Challenger Rory Fiedler says Pawar has failed to tend to his home turf, but that's a thin complaint. Pawar has results and he has ambitious plans. We can tell you Pawar has bent our ear many times about his efforts to build a K-12 school network in the ward and his campaign to restore the CTA's No. 11 bus service. Pawar is warmly endorsed.
49th Ward: Ald. Joe Moore is one of the more convincing allies of Rahm Emanuel, arguing that the mayor deserves credit for changing the culture of city government, reflected in the lifting of the Shakman decree. He says the Emanuel administration is more cooperative, cordial and professional than the Daley administration was. Of course, Moore was more in the mold of an independent in those days. Moore's opponent is Don Gordon, a lecturer at Northwestern University who forced Moore into a runoff in 2007. We endorsed Gordon then, arguing, as Gordon did, that Moore was more focused on cosmic issues than on his ward. The thing is, Moore listened. He supports the charter schools in his ward, saying public schools have been forced to "step up their game" due to the competition. Gordon opposes charter schools. Credit Moore for new restaurants, grocers, and a farmers market in Rogers Park. Crime, though still a serious problem, has declined. Moore is endorsed.
50th Ward: First-term Ald. Debra Silverstein is proud of the new streets, wider sidewalks and ornamental planters along Devon Avenue, a project that she says has improved pedestrian safety while making businesses more accessible. But banking consultant Shajan Kuriakose says the ward is "not getting better fast enough," and he's right. He says Silverstein has focused too much on the streetscape and not enough on filling empty storefronts. Kuriakose says he'd more aggressively recruit businesses, especially in the western end of the ward, which has been slow to rebound from decades of decline. Silverstein is a capable alderman, but the ward could use a jump-start and Kuriakose has the energy and ideas to make it happen. Also on the ballot is Zehra Quadri, executive director of a nonprofit. Kuriakose is endorsed.
