Rogers Park Residents Vote on Ward Menu Money

By Kevin Robinson in News on Apr 13, 2010 2:00PM

49th Ward Alderman Joe Moore asked Rogers Park residents to vote on how to spend $1.3 million in funding for ward improvements, known as "menu money" over the weekend. CBS2 says that sidewalk repair, more bike lanes and a dog park were the top three items residents voted for. According to Moore's office (PDF) "Beginning April 5, 2010, with early voting, and culminating in an election held on April 10th, 2010, all 49th Ward residents age 16 and over, regardless of citizenship or voter registration status, were invited to vote for their favorite ward improvement projects. Each voter was entitled to vote for up to eight (8) projects. Ballots were cast by 1,652 ward residents."

Moore has promised to submit the projects that got the most votes to the city for final approval. While aldermen generally have broad discretion on how funding is allocated in their ward, Moore's office notes that not all projects may be approved because of "interference with previously planned projects, legal restrictions, and policy decisions of the governmental entities." He's promised to submit runner up projects in place of rejected projects until all of the menu money is spent.