Ruth Cruz

Ruth Cruz is the alderperson for Chicago's 30th Ward.

Contact

• Email: Ward30@cityofchicago.org
• Ward office: 5418 W. Belmont Ave, Chicago 60641, (773) 628-7874
• City Hall: 121 N. LaSalle St. Room 200, (312) 744-3304/3305
• Updates: RSS feed of votes and legislation

Voting record this term

• Attendance: 100% of 1162 key roll calls (0 absent)
• Nay votes: 7
• Voted with the majority on 93.3% of 89 divided votes
• Legislation filed as lead sponsor: 52 (47 passed)
• Most-filed topics: Alley (30), Municipal Code Amendments (6), Streets (6), Budget & Appropriations (3), Committee/Public Hearings (2)

Committees

• Pedestrian and Traffic Safety (Vice Chair)
• Committees and Rules
• Economic, Capital and Technology Development
• Environmental Protection and Energy
• Health and Human Relations
• Immigrant and Refugee Rights
• Special Events, Cultural Affairs and Recreation
• Workforce Development: Subcommittee on Youth Employment
• Zoning, Landmarks and Building Standards

AI profile

AI-written synthesis from this member's votes, legislation, and words in 78 meetings. Each claim cites its source; estimates, not statements of intent.

Alderman Ruth Cruz represents Ward 30 and holds the Vice Chair position on the Committee on Pedestrian and Traffic Safety while serving on ten other committees. She has a perfect attendance record and has filed 52 pieces of legislation, including measures on liquor licensing, alley access, and honorary street designations. Cruz consistently supports tax-increment financing projects for parks and development, and she has voted against a handful of measures such as sweepstakes machine restrictions and a curfew on mass gatherings V1 V6 V37 L1 L6.

Priorities

• Liquor Licensing: Filed a moratorium on Belmont-Laramie liquor sales and an amendment to allow additional package-goods licenses on W. Belmont Avenue L1 L2
• Alley Access: Filed multiple exemptions from physical-barrier requirements for commercial driveway alley access for Marino Properties and other developers L6 L7 L8
• Honorary Street Designations: Filed a designation naming a city street "Jennifer Zacarias-Carlson Way" L9
• Tax Increment Financing: Supported numerous TIF agreements for park improvements and development projects, including Foundry Park and Roosevelt/Clark Partners sites V1 V3 V5 V16 V19 V20 V21
• Pedestrian and Traffic Safety: Serves as Vice Chair of the committee and backed a motion to allow remote participation in committee meetings S7
• Housing Finance: Voted to authorize the Commissioner of Housing to waive debts for certain buildings, facilitating property revitalization V2

Positions

• Sweepstakes Machines: Voted no on an amendment defining and prohibiting the installation or use of sweepstakes machines V6
• Animal Care Leadership: Voted no on the appointment of Susan Cappello as Executive Director of Chicago Animal Care and Control V18
• Gratuities Allowance: Voted no on an amendment expanding hourly-wage allowance for gratuities in certain occupations V23
• Mass Gatherings Curfew: Voted no on a proposed curfew for mass gatherings V37
• Police Participation Restrictions: Voted yes on an amendment prohibiting Chicago Police Department members from participating in certain activities V10
• Housing Debt Waivers: Voted yes on authorizing the housing commissioner to waive debts for specific buildings V2
• Social Media Amusement Tax: Voted yes on an amendment to the municipal code concerning a tax on social-media amusement activities V7
• Tax Incentives: Voted yes to support a Class 6(b) tax incentive for a property on Sacramento Boulevard V17

Approach: Cruz frequently asks clarifying questions during committee meetings, such as inquiries about data-center registration and ward superintendents' data flow, and she supports procedural changes like remote participation S8 S9 S7.

What to watch: Given her recent filings, she is likely to continue pursuing alley-access exemptions and adjustments to liquor-license package-goods regulations L6 L2

Nay votes on key legislation

• Jun 17, 2026: Amendment of Municipal Code Chapter 4-156 by defining and prohibiting the installation or use of sweepstakes machines, Failed to Pass 15 yea, 33 nay, 1 absent
• Mar 18, 2026: Appointment of Susan Cappello as Executive Director of Chicago Animal Care and Control, Approved 49 yea, 1 nay
• Mar 18, 2026: Amendment of Municipal Code Section 6-105-030 entitling employers of occupations where gratuities are customary to an allowance for gratuities as part of hourly wage rate not to exceed 24 percent of minimum wage rate, Passed 30 yea, 18 nay
• Jun 18, 2025: Mass Gatherings and Curfew, Passed 27 yea, 22 nay
• Feb 26, 2025: Issuance of general obligation bonds to finance improvements to public rights-of-way, infrastructure and transportation, loans and grants, acquisition of property, construction and maintenance of public buildings, economic programs, lead service line replacements, as amended, Passed 26 yea, 23 nay
• Feb 19, 2025: Amendment of Municipal Code Section 9-12-070 establishing maximum speed limit of 25 miles per hour on streets, 15 miles per hour in alleys, and absolute statutory nonurban limit of 55 miles per hour, Failed to Pass 21 yea, 28 nay
• Feb 15, 2024: Adoption of arbitration option in certain police disciplinary cases, Failed to Pass 18 yea, 32 nay

Key legislation sponsored

• M4All Resolution (R2025-0018946), Adopted Mar 18, 2026
• W Diversey Ave - lifting liquor moratorium (O2025-0020664), Passed Dec 10, 2025
• Allow package goods - Diversey Ave (5600 block) (O2025-0018450), Passed Sep 25, 2025
• 3400 Pulaski moratorium (O2025-0016976), Passed Jun 18, 2025

In their own words

Moments from meeting recordings, summarized by AI from the transcript. Each links to the video at that point.

• Sep 23, 2026, City Council: As vice chair, reported the Pedestrian and Traffic Safety Committee's items and Smart Street pilot hearing. (watch at 4:41:50)
• Sep 23, 2026, City Council: As an immigrant, thanked the Northwest Side Rapid Response for protecting Belmont Cragin residents. (watch at 2:25:08)
• Jul 14, 2026, Committee on Health and Human Relations: Thanked the chair after speaking. (watch at 56:10)
• Jul 14, 2026, Committee on Health and Human Relations: Congratulated Dr. Walker and expressed confidence in his leadership during difficult times. (watch at 56:08)
• Jul 13, 2026, Committee on Environmental Protection and Energy: Answered a question about how many data centers are co-located versus standalone. (watch at 1:52:25)
• Jul 7, 2026, Committee on Special Events, Cultural Affairs and Recreation: Moved to recommend passage of the Garfield Park Community Orchards ordinance. (watch at 38:49)
• Jun 17, 2026, City Council: Reported the ADA transition plan order and explained the substitute's changes regarding a private right of action. (watch at 3:46:13)
• Jun 16, 2026, Committee on Zoning, Landmarks and Building Standards: Joined the meeting remotely under Rule 59. (watch at 2:01:23)
• Jun 9, 2026, Committee on Pedestrian and Traffic Safety: Participated in motion to allow remote participation. (watch at 25:03)
• Jun 9, 2026, Committee on Pedestrian and Traffic Safety: Confirmed presence of Alderman Bennett R. Lawson. (watch at 24:41)
• May 20, 2026, City Council: Recognized the 100th anniversary of Scammon Elementary School. (watch at 1:23:05)
• May 11, 2026, Committee on Environmental Protection and Energy: Asked how ward superintendents will receive real-time registry data. (watch at 38:14)