Highlights and Accomplishments:

• Living Wage Ordinance:  One of the original City Council sponsors of the historic Chicago Living Wage legislation.  It requires city contractors pay employees a salary high enough to support a family. He helped lead a citywide coalition to victory when on July 29, 1998 the City Council finally passed the Living Wage Ordinance. In 2002 the City Council increased the living wage by 16% and indexed the living wage so it will get adjusted every year according to federal income guidelines.
• Public Education Supporter:  Since Muñoz took office, more new public schools have been built in the 22nd Ward than in any other ward in Chicago, including construction of the first new high school built in the Little Village in over 90 years.
• Leader of the 22nd ward Independent Precinct Organization (IPO) whose roots go back to Harold Washington days.

Opinions, Rumors, and Videos:

"Alderman Ricardo Muñoz is one of the few independents on the City Council who isn't afraid to speak out against the mayor when he sees fit," Chicago Tribune endorsement of Muñoz for re-election in February 2003.

• Muñoz has challenged the city leadership to increase funding for the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), to improve response times at the 911 call center and to end ethical abuses by city officials.
• Successfully sponsored a revision to the city's ethical code that makes it illegal for high-ranking administration officials to receive favorable city contracts, while still on the city payroll.