Darien Candidate Says He Has Retired To Florida

DARIEN, IL — Candidates for municipal office must live in the cities they seek to represent. But a candidate for Darien City Council appeared to indicate otherwise in a Darien Patch questionnaire this week.

Asked about his occupation in the questionnaire, Ward 5 candidate John Laratta wrote, "Retired to Florida. But this 5th Ward Aldermanic election needs to be contested. So I am doing so."

In the same document, he listed Darien as his city of residence. DuPage County property tax records show he owns a town house in the 8000 block of Barrymore Drive. Just because a candidate owns a house does not mean that it is considered his residence under election law, particularly if he lives in two homes.

In a phone interview Thursday, Laratta told Patch he was in Illinois, not Florida.

"I plan to be here for my election," Laratta said.

Laratta is perhaps best known in this election as the candidate who had an encounter with police in December 2019, which he has written much about on Patch.

When police interviewed Laratta's wife at the time, she said they soon planned to go to Florida, where she said they normally stayed from January to May. She also said her husband would be greatly disappointed if the incident prevented him from going to Florida.

If Laratta were in Florida now, he would likely find the weather enjoyable. On Saturday, the temperature in Tampa is predicted to reach 80. In Darien, the mercury is expected to plunge to 4 below. It's unclear where Laratta stays in Florida.

Laratta regularly posts to Patch criticizing its coverage of the 2019 incident.

In one post Thursday, Laratta wrote, "What you will get are selected creative writing accounts of WAY the police went to my home. Lots of them trying to make you look at the why and not forget the unspeakable crimes committed to me. All covered up and just for the benefit and safety of the Dailey Lier's David G(iuliani, Patch reporter) and the Patch."

Laratta is running against incumbent Mary Sullivan in the April 6 election.