Candidate Statement
Hi I’m Joe Duplechin and I am running for alderman in the 39th ward. I’m a lifelong Chicagoan who has grown up in many of the different neighborhoods of the 39th. I am a married father of three and we are raising our family in the ward I grew up in with hopes hope to make it better place. A little bit about me: after graduating from Lane Tech, I started an apprenticeship with the Chicago Regional Council of Carpenters and after 4 years graduated to journeyman carpenter out of Carpenters Local 58. After 9/11, I joined the Army first serving in the reserves, then on active duty stationed in Ft. Lewis as an Army engineer, during which time I served two years of combat duty in Afghanistan. After coming back home in 2008 to the great recession, I used the GI bill to get a degree in accounting from DePaul’s Driehaus School of Business. Then in 2012 I began a career in Law enforcement.
As alderman of the 39th ward, I will use the knowledge gained through my years of service to be responsive to the community’s needs. Public infrastructure is vital to our community not just by providing jobs, but also promotes business exchange, attracts customers, bridges people to their neighborhood jobs and can help facilitate additional growth to the 39th ward.
As a member of the police force and tasked with reducing crime, I understand that the resources to enforce the law are just part of public safety. It is important to have a balanced plan of action that incorporates preventions and intervention. We want to make sure that the city’s budget allocates for trained responders as well as the resources to mediate and prevent crime.
There should be an emphasis on public education because public education provides an array of amenities to our children, greater sense of diversity, a high level of commitment by welcoming all students, and are reliable and economical. If we value our children, let’s help them get them the resources they need.
As a resident who has a vested interest in improving our ward, I hope you will come out and support me in serving you.