CITY HALL — The City Council's Latino Caucus urged Mayor Rahm Emanuel Thursday to pick among four aldermen to replace state Comptroller-elect Susana Mendoza as city clerk.
In a letter sent to the mayor, who traveled to Washington, D.C., Thursday, the caucus urged him to pick from among Ald. George Cardenas (12th), Ald. Raymond Lopez (15th), Ald. Ariel Reboyras (30st) and Ald. Danny Solis (25th).
On Friday, Solis said that he was asked by fellow Latino aldermen to consider the seat, but ultimately decided against it.
"They asked me if I was interested and I said I would consider it," said Solis, 67. "But I like my position as alderman.... I'm happy where I'm at."
On Thursday, Lopez said that he is "willing to answer the call if the mayor asks," adding that if tapped, he would make the effort to establish a municipal identification card for undocumented immigrants an "urgent priority" if appointed as clerk.
Mac-Z Zurawski, spokeperson for Cardenas, said that the 12th Ward alderman also hopes the new clerk will be Latino or Latina.
"He believes the government should reflect the diversity of this great city," she wrote.
Reboyras did not respond to requests for comment from DNAinfo.
The election of City Clerk Susana Mendoza as Illinois comptroller leaves a vacancy at City Hall in a $133,545-a-year position that has been held by a Latino politician since former Mayor Richard M. Daley appointed former state Sen. Miguel Del Valle in 2006.
Emanuel indicated Wednesday he would appoint a Latino to finish Mendoza's term, which ends in 2019. The appointment must be confirmed by the council, as would any replacement for an alderman.
"No one group has a hold on any seat," Emanuel said. "That said, the Hispanic community has a lot to offer."
Emanuel acknowledged he has begun thinking about who to tap, but said he had not made a decision.
Lopez praised Mendoza's tenure, saying she made the office "financially efficient" and improved the service offered to residents who go to the office to buy city stickers annually.
With a background in customer service while working for Southwest Airlines, Lopez said he qualified to continue the progress made by Mendoza.
Cardenas, chairman of the Committee on Health and Environmental Protection, was first elected to the Council in 2003.
Solis has served on the Council since 1996, when he was appointed by Daley. He has been a stalwart supporter of Emanuel, and is the chairman the Zoning Committee.
Reboyras, another close ally of the mayor, leads the Council's Public Safety Committee.
Lopez, a first-term alderman, is also a member of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Caucus.
Ald. Joe Moreno (1st) withdrew his name from consideration for the clerk's position Wednesday night.
Moreno did not respond to a message from DNAinfo about the jockeying to replace Mendoza.
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