A Cicero political group tapped into its traditional base of town employees and companies that do business with Town Hall en route to raising nearly $215,000 in the first half of this year.
Records filed recently with the Illinois State Board of Elections show the Cicero Good Government Group spent about $137,000 during that time. The difference increased the group’s funds from about $101,000 to $177,000 and leaves it poised to wield heavy influence on local elections in April 2005.
At the midpoint of 2003, the group had $327. That came after it took in about $325,000 during the first six months of the year, but spent about $446,000. The account already had held $121,200.
Next spring, the trustee seats occupied by Lorraine Walsh and Maria Punzo-Arias are up for grabs, as are the jobs of Town President Ramiro Gonzalez, Supervisor Joe Virruso, Collector Jan Porod and Assessor John Kociolko.
The supervisor, collector and assessor automatically are deemed board trustees. David Donahue, an adviser to the group and a consultant to Cicero, said the organization had not yet decided the extent of its support for local candidates.
Since its creation in late 2002, the Cicero group has been the financial muscle behind Gonzalez. His political fundraising committee, Friends of Ramiro Gonzalez, received $100,000 last October from the organization.
Gonzalez’s committee raised $4,050 for this year’s first half and spent close to $38,000. As a result, his funds dropped from roughly $119,000 to $85,000.
Jose Derat, who works as a special investigator for Cicero, received a consulting fee of nearly $8,400. The committee also gave about $6,200 to charities and spent more than $4,000 on travel. Gonzalez has a policy of not using taxpayer funds for trips, even when they are directly related to his role as president, spokesman Omar Duque said.
The organization’s fundraising was concentrated in May and June, including a golf tournament honoring Gonzalez on July 6 at Cog Hill in Lemont. All itemized contributions, which totaled $182,875, came during those two months.
Several companies that are consultants to Cicero contributed. Donahue said it ought to be expected that people who work in the community “are always going to be the bulk of the people who donate.”
Vendors who contributed included Frank Novotny and Associates of Willowbrook, Romano Plumbing of Cicero, Metro Paramedic Services of Elmhurst, Postl-Yore and Associates Inc. of Arlington Heights, Ram Recovery Inc. of Cicero; and Alexander J. Wayne & Associates Inc. of Chicago.
Novotny and Associates provides engineering services to Cicero and made a $7,000 contribution, compared with $6,000 last year.
Romano, which does extensive sewer work in Cicero, gave $2,500, bringing to nearly $25,000 the sum it has given the Cicero political establishment since 1999.
Metro Paramedic Services, which in July received a three-year, $6 million extension for its services to the town, gave $3,150 and has donated nearly $22,000 since 1999.
In addition, a dispatching company with the same address as Metro Paramedic, Norcomm Public Safety Communications and Security, donated $1,000, lifting its five-year total to about $7,000.
Postl-Yore contributed $2,200. Last summer, the Town Board agreed to pay Postl-Yore up to $685,000 to assess the town’s water and sewer systems.
Ram Recovery, which has had the town’s towing contract for years, gave $5,000, bringing its total donations since 1999 to $45,000.
Alexander J. Wayne & Associates Inc., the town’s insurance broker, gave $6,500, nearly matching the $7,100 it gave to the committee in the second half of 2003. Since 1999, the firm has given $32,700.
Of the $137,533 in expenses at mid-year, the Good Government Group devoted more funds to Paper and Ink, 5339 W. Lake St., Chicago, than any other entity, paying $41,900 for printing services. An additional $9,000 went to PS Graphics at the same address. Both companies are linked to Bob Burman, who also has served as broker for M & D of Chicago, a printing company whose no-bid work for the town has totaled more than $600,000 in less than two years.
