Community Activist For Chicagoland
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Raul Montes , Jr. has been committed to improving the Chicagoland area and the lives of every citizen in our city and suburbs. In 2009, Montes was instrumental in having the Illinois Dept of Tranportation fund the $6.7 million dollar project to permanently reconstruct the 31st street bridge that separates Chicago and the Town of Cicero. Montes has been one of the most prominent voices in South Lawndale and North Lawndale advocating for "Blue Light" surveillance cameras to help deter and solve crime. Cameras is one of the tools to help curb crime. Through outreach and advocacy, we can make a difference! I have met with all levels of government to help bring more resources and service to our area which has been starved for the past twenty years. Montes has advocated for police and has fought to bring justice in our courts system against criminals. Montes has successful in demolishing the abandoned building west of 26th & Kostner that was said to contain asbestos, allow squatters to trespass and conducive to crime. Raul Montes, Jr. has fought against privatization in the City of Chicago. He has spearheaded petition drives for the revoking or renegotiating of the Parking meters lease deal, the Chicago Skyway and much more. Montes feels that selling Chicago's assets is fiscally irresponsible and have been bad deals that will affect the City of Chicago in the long run. Montes has also fought against the raising of Chicago city stickers by an enormous petition drive. Montes has embarked on a mission to advocate for the residents of the City of Chicago to help stop the bleeding of taxhikes and to tell the nothing but the truth. Our volunteer base is growing daily as citizens have found a voice and renewed sense of hope. You too can make a difference. Sign up for our newsletter, or call to volunteer for campaign. To donate, please send checks payable to Raul Montes, Jr. Send via mail to 2629 S Kolin Avenue Chicago, IL 60623.
Group Hopes Mayor Emmanuel Can Cancel, Renegotiate Parking Meter Lease Deal
May 8th, 2011
Raul Montes pushes for renegotiating meter lease deal in Wicker Park Sunday morning
Raul Montes is optimistic. He thinks with Mayor-elect Rahm Emmanuel coming into office next week, he’s the man to do something about Mayor Daley’s parking meter lease deal. Montes, a self-described community activist, held a press conference late Sunday morning at the corner of Milwaukee Ave. and Wood St. in Wicker Park to ask Emmanuel to step in and do something about the high meter prices, 75 year lease term, loss of revenue to the city and what he describes as overly aggressive meter enforcement.
“Today we ask Mayor-elect Rahm Emmanuel and the city council to cancel the contract,” Montes said speaking with a small group of protesters holding bright colored signs.
“I remember when it was 25 cents per hour,” said Alex Martinez, one of the protesting sign holders looking for meter rates to return to what the were pre-lease deal. “I’ve stopped driving period and started riding my bike.”
“Rates are too high and Morgan Stanley is making 10 times what the city is,” agrees Montes.
In addition, Montes believes the meter lease deal has had an effect on local business.
“It’s effected business on this strip of Milwaukee,” “Business owners and residents are upset. People are wary about getting a ticket. Rates are too high and Morgan Stanley is making 10 times what the city is.”While Montes was short on specifics when pressed for details on exactly how the new mayor would cancel or renegotiate the meter contract, he was optimistic Emmanuel could get it done.
“I believe if you put pressure and make your voices heard anything is possible,”
Montes explained. “There is always hope.”
“Today we ask Mayor-elect Rahm Emmanuel and the city council to cancel the contract,” Montes said speaking with a small group of protesters holding bright colored signs.
“I remember when it was 25 cents per hour,” said Alex Martinez, one of the protesting sign holders looking for meter rates to return to what the were pre-lease deal. “I’ve stopped driving period and started riding my bike.”
“Rates are too high and Morgan Stanley is making 10 times what the city is,” agrees Montes.
In addition, Montes believes the meter lease deal has had an effect on local business.
“It’s effected business on this strip of Milwaukee,” “Business owners and residents are upset. People are wary about getting a ticket. Rates are too high and Morgan Stanley is making 10 times what the city is.”While Montes was short on specifics when pressed for details on exactly how the new mayor would cancel or renegotiate the meter contract, he was optimistic Emmanuel could get it done.
“I believe if you put pressure and make your voices heard anything is possible,”
Montes explained. “There is always hope.”
Candidate: I got job offer to exit
By MARK BROWN mbrown@suntimes.com January 4, 2012 2:14PM
Updated: February 5, 2012 8:19AM
Candidate: I got job offer to exit
By MARK BROWN mbrown@suntimes.com January 4, 2012 2:14PM
State Sen. Steve Landek, who doubles as the mayor of Bridgeview, held a private meeting last week in a Toyota Park skybox suite with the man who is running to replace him, self-styled community activist Raul Montes Jr.
What Landek didn’t know, Montes says, is that he had brought along an FBI eavesdropping device, disguised as a fob on his key ring, to record what turned out to be their 2½-hour conversation.
The purpose of that Thursday afternoon conversation is not in dispute: Landek wanted to convince Montes to drop his Senate candidacy, leaving him unopposed for re-election in the upcoming Democratic primary.
What is a matter of contention is whether Landek did anything improper in his efforts to persuade Montes to withdraw from the race.
Montes told me Landek offered him $3,000 cash, a paid position with his election campaign and a job later on his Senate staff. He calls that bribery.
Landek wouldn’t comment, but his lawyer, Burt Odelson, laughed off the episode, questioning whether the FBI didn’t have better uses for its investigative manpower.
Odelson confirmed Montes’ statement that Landek called Odelson during their meeting to ask for advice on what offers he could legally make to Montes to induce his withdrawal.
Montes said Landek left the skybox, which is owned by the village of Bridgeview, during his phone chat with Odelson.
Odelson told me he advised Landek, a longtime personal friend as well as client, that he couldn’t offer Montes a job other than on his campaign or one that is under his personal control, in other words, no job with an agency like the Illinois Department of Transportation. Odelson argued Landek would have been within his legal rights to offer Montes a job on his Senate staff, but said even that was conditional.
“Steve told him: ‘We’ll see how you work out on our campaign staff’,” Odelson said.
But Montes said Landek assured him the job was his, and urged him to accompany him back to his Senate office to sign the withdrawal papers immediately to seal the deal.
Based on the FBI’s prior instructions, Montes said he tried to draw out Landek on whether he was being offered a no-show job, but Montes said he only received assurances that he wouldn’t have to go to Springfield.
As you would expect, the FBI is not confirming or denying any involvement with Montes. They don’t discuss investigations unless they reach the courts, and even then, usually leave most of the talking to the U.S. attorney.
But Montes provided me with enough detail that I have no doubt about the FBI wiring him up for the meeting.
He said he met two female FBI agents, one of whom was pregnant, at a Dunkin Donuts on Harlem Avenue for instructions before the 2 p.m. meeting with Landek, then followed them to a residential neighborhood near the stadium where they put the recording device on his keychain.
He showed me the text message the agents sent him at 4:17 p.m. when he still hadn’t returned.
“Everything OK?” they asked.
When he did return to their car shortly afterward, Montes learned there was an additional reason for their anxiety: their engine had died, and they were sitting in the cold car behind frosty windows waiting for a tow.
He said he has been given no indication whether his undercover work proved fruitful and that he went public to the news media — without consulting the FBI — out of frustration he may be removed from the ballot because of a legal challenge to his nominating petitions.
Montes, 36, who lives with his parents in Little Village and says he works as a substitute teacher, also played me a phone message Landek left for him Dec. 24 that he contends set in motion their meeting.
On the message, Landek asks Montes to call him, but is vague about his purpose. He also leaves the impression he is the one initiating the contact.
This would be at least the second time Landek found himself on the receiving end of an FBI wiretap. The Sun-Times reported in 2006 that Landek was secretly recorded by a businessman who said he was being harassed to sell a real estate parcel that Bridgeview needed to build Toyota Park for use by the Chicago Fire.
Nothing came of that. We’ll have to wait and see on this one.
Press Conference and Protest against Red-light Photo Enforced cameras in the City of Chicago.
