Tom Tunney

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Thomas M. Tunney (born August 22, 1955) is a American entrepreneur and politician from Chicago, Illinois. Since 2003, he has served as an alderman on the Chicago City Council. He represents the prominent 44th ward of the city, which includes major tourist destinations, the Boystown and Wrigleyville neighborhoods.

Education

Tunney was born and raised in the southwest side of Chicago. After graduating from Brother Rice, a local Catholic high school, he attended the University of Illinois where he obtained his bachelor's degree in restaurant management. Tunney succeeded in obtaining a master's degree in hotel administration from Cornell University. He had hopes of following in his parents' footsteps with a career in the hospitality industry.

Entrepreneur

Returning from college, Tunney settled into the Lakeview neighborhood and worked in his family's restaurants. Hearing that Ann Sather was retiring and closing her restaurant in Lakeview in 1981, Tunney met with Sather offering a proposal to purchase her business. Tunney gained full ownership of the Ann Sather Restaurant and expanded it into a successful chain.^[1][2]

Tunney joined several prestigious entrepreneurial circles and became chairman of the Illinois Restaurant Association. He founded and led the Lakeview Center Business Association and White Crane Wellness Center. As a result of his success, Tunney was inducted into the Chicago Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame in 1995.

Public service

Tunney opened his restaurants to grassroots and nonprofit organizations as town halls, serving as free meeting places. He committed himself to helping people with HIV and AIDS through programs he created, adopted by the Illinois Masonic Hospital. With a growing business network, Tunney became a fundraiser for local gay and lesbian political advocacy groups.^{[citation needed]}

Tunney chaired the small business subcommittee of the Chicago Economic Development Committee. Mayor Richard M. Daley appointed Tunney to the mayor's Parking Task Force.^{[citation needed]}

Alderman

In 2002, just months before the 2003 municipal elections, 44th Ward Alderman Bernie Hansen announced that he would retire. Hansen resigned just months before the election so as to allow the mayor to appoint the replacement alderman. Mayor Richard M. Daley, with Hansen's consent, nominated Tunney to replace Hansen in December 2002. Tunney's nomination was confirmed by a 41–0 vote of the city council on January 16, 2003 and, with the support of the political machine of Chicago's Democratic Party,^{[citation needed]} Tunney was elected to a four-year term as alderman on February 25, 2003.

Tunney promised during his campaign for alderman that he would sell his interest in four Ann Sather's restaurants in order to serve as a full-time alderman and to eliminate a potential conflict of interest. After being elected and sworn in, Tunney decided not to sell.^[3]

As alderman, Tunney has faced criticism from some over his handling of the Chicago Cubs' demands for more night games and the expansion of Wrigley Field. Some residents expressed concern over how these issues would affect traffic and safety in the neighborhood. Some^[who?] charged that Tunney had given in too easily to the Tribune Company (which owns the Cubs) and not extracted enough concessions from the team.

Tunney introduced an ordinance repealing Chicago's ban on foie gras in July 2007, and spear-headed passage of the repeal on May 14, 2008.^[4][5]

Recently^[when?], Tunney used a parliamentary procedure to delay a vote on the raising of the minimum wage for so-called "big-box" stores. This move has angered some residents in the 44th ward leading to a potential boycott of his Ann Sather restaurant chain.

On May 11, 2009 Tunney suspended long-time aide Zodak Yonan who parked at expired parking meters using a fake "Official 44th Ward Business" placard.^[6] The placard featured the Chicago city seal. City ordinance forbids unauthorized use of the seal. Yonan was paid by the city as a contract employee, working about 100 hours a month in Tunney's office for $10 an hour. Yonan is also a voter registrar for the 44th Ward Democrats.^[7] On Friday, July 3, 2009, just about 5:30 p.m. before a holiday week-end, Tunney sent out an e-mail announcing Zodak had "retired."^[8]

References

External links

• Citizens for Tunney political action committee website
• Office of Alderman Tom Tunney
• Homepage on the City Council website
• Biography in the Chicago GLBT Hall of Fame

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