49th Ward candidates square off

March 15, 2007 (WLS) -- Big Box stores and fois gras have become campaign issues in the run-off election for alderman of Chicago's 49th Ward.

The lakefront ward on the Far North Side includes the Rogers Park and Edgewater communities, where Joe Moore has been its alderman for 16 years.

"I'm certainly eager for the challenge and to take my message out to the people. We're only 51 votes away so I'm very confident that we will prevail in April," said Ald. Moore.

Moore fell short in his bid to win a fifth term in February. He received 49.33-percent of the votes. Runner-up Don Gordon got 29.14 percent. Two other candidates received the remaining votes. Moore will oppose Gordon in a runoff next month.

"This alderman has decided that national issues are more important than the issues of this community," said Gordon.

"I'm interested in issues of the community and I'm interested in national issues that affect our community," said Moore.

Gordon, 57, gave up a 25 year career in the banking industry to run for alderman. He's critical of Moore's support of the Big Box Ordinance, which would have placed living wage requirements on major retailers.

"People want jobs, you want to pass an ordinance that's fine, but get me a job here in the community, and he isn't paying attention to that," said Gordon.

"There's nothing more important to our neighborhood than trying to get people a living wage," said Moore.

Moore spear-headed the successful fight for a city ban on foie gras, a French delicacy made from fatty duck liver through a process some animal rights advocates consider cruel. Gordon says that fight was misdirected.

"The suffering of ducks is more important than the suffering of human beings on the streets of our community," said Gordon.

"We are much concerned about suffering of human beings. We deal with a wide range of issues and we want to prevent cruelty in all its forms," said Moore.

Development of businesses along the Morse Avenue corridor is another issue in the 49th.

"There are vacancies but those vacancies are filling up. We've got a new restaurant opening up soon on Morse Avenue and a jazz club, a new coffee house should be opening up any day now."

"Half of the store fronts on this street are empty. It's been this way for years. This didn't happen over night."

Gordon says he's optimistic he can win the runoff. He explains how he plans to do it.

"We're going to work to continue to raise that voter turnout so that we have a groundswell on April 17th and we will win with that strategy," said Gordon.

If the 49th Ward candidates want a larger turnout in the run-off they will have to create greater interest in the aldermanic race than was shown in February's general election when only 35- percent of the ward's registered voters cast ballots.

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