As Ramiro Gonzalez’s tenure as Cicero town president winds down, the political group that financed his failed re-election bid has built up $250,000 in its account, according to records filed with the Illinois State Board of Elections.
Meanwhile, funds also are accumulating to support Larry Dominick, the candidate who ousted Gonzalez. Citizens to Elect Larry Dominick reported raising $78,000 so far in 2005, including $15,000 in contributions last week.
The largest of the recent Dominick contributions was $5,000 from the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 150, which has fought the Gonzalez administration over unionizing the Public Works Department.
Other contributors included $2,500 from Citizens for Moreno, the fundraising arm for Joseph Mario Moreno, who ran against Gonzalez two years ago.
But Dominick could not keep pace with the Good Government Group, which backed Gonzalez. Formed in late 2002, the organization has ties to supporters of now-imprisoned former Town President Betty Loren-Maltese, and many contributors are the same.
The group raised nearly $215,000 in the three weeks leading up to the Feb. 22 election in which Gonzalez lost to Dominick by 157 votes. Around Feb. 1, JD Development Enterprises and ADP Development LLC, affiliates of DiMucci Development in Palatine, a company that has done redevelopment work in Cicero, gave $20,000 to the Good Government Group. In addition, firms and individuals associated with Pacella Trucking in Chicago gave $16,500.
Meanwhile, in its March 21 report, Gonzalez’s political fundraising committee, Friends of Ramiro Gonzalez, showed no activity, with $35,629 in the bank.
