Interview with Ald. Nicholas Sposato

Proud to Be the First Firefighter Elected to the Chicago City Council and Having Been Elected from Two Wards

Northwest Side Alderperson Nicholas Sposato is clearly proud to be the first former Chicago fireman to be elected as an alderperson. Originally elected from the 36th Ward in 2011, he found himself living outside of that district after the present ward map was adopted in 2012. He then went on to run—and win without a run-off against seven other candidates—in the new 38th Ward in 2015. 

League member Chris Ruys sat down with Ald. Sposato for the interview that premiered on April 21. Watch the interview in full above.

Here are a few highlights:

• What is the one thing Ald. Sposato would like to see? He wants to see more people engaged in politics. As Chris pointed out, that is at the core of the League mission.

• Ald. Sposato emphasized that the 38th is one of the safest wards in the city, but he laments that across the city, too many kids are involved with crime. He feels it often starts in the home with too many kids not feeling loved. He thinks that these young people need counseling and education, and that there should be consequences after the fact in order to deter crime in the first place. People see too many of those arrested back on the streets within hours, he pointed out.

• With regard to the City Council, Ald. Sposato lamented the divisions that currently exist and the overall unwillingness of alders to work together. He feels this is a change from the past, when there was more decorum and Council members paid more attention during meetings.

• The 38th Ward, which is primarily located in the Dunning and Portage Park neighborhoods, is mainly residential, but it does boast of being home to Eli’s Cheesecake Company.

• Ald. Sposato chairs the Committee on Special Events, Cultural Affairs, and Recreation, which he has dubbed the “happy committee” because few controversial matters are considered.