Ray Suarez (politician)

Regner E. (“Ray”) Suárez (born 26 October 1946) Is alderman of the 31st Ward of the City of Chicago; he was first elected in 1991. He was elected out of his seat on the city council in April 2015 and left office may of 2015. Milly Santiago was his successor.

In November 2015, he was appointed to a position on the Illinois International Port District Authority.

Personal life
Suárez was born in Yauco, Puerto Rico, and later enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. He is a Vietnam Veteran. He and his wife, Marta, live in the Cragin neighborhood.

Early career
Suárez held various city jobs before becoming alderman. He worked for Streets and Sanitation, in the mayor’s office as an Administrative Assistant working with Development Action Grants, and Assistant Commissioner of Department of Street and Sanitation.

In 1989, he was appointed to the Illinois Job Training Coordinating Council, where he advised the governor how to spend the budget for job-training.

Aldermanic career
Suárez was elected alderman in 1991. He was not re elected for his sixth term in April 2015. Milly Santiago defeated him.

He is the chairman of Housing and Real Estate, and sits on seven other committees: Aviation, Budget and Government Operations, Buildings, Finance, Transportation and the Public Way, and Zoning.

The alderman has proposed that private businesses such as bars be required to install police survelliance cameras on their premises. “If you're not doing anything wrong, what do you have to worry about?” he demanded, in response to privacy concerns.