Candidate for Chicago City Treasurer

About the Candidate

Name: Melissa Conyears-Ervin
DOB: Aug. 23, 1975
Family: Husband Jason Ervin, Jeneva my two-year-old daughter
Occupation: Illinois State Representative for the 10th District
Political Experience: Current Illinois State Representative for the 10 district, serving my first term. I was reelected to a second term during the 2018 election.
Website: melissaforchicago.com

Candidate Statement

I am State Representative Melissa Conyears-Ervin and I am running to be Chicago’s next City Treasurer. With your help, we will make a difference for the families of Chicago that need a champion watching over their tax dollars and investing them properly.

I have worked in corporate America for over 15 years, hold a degree in finance from Eastern Illinois, an MBA from Roosevelt University, and represent the people of the 10th District of the Illinois’ House of Representatives.

My two sisters and I were raised by a strong woman who was pretty sharp when it came to the family's budget. My mother Eula, a union member, worked on an assembly line at a glass manufacturer.

She brought home a good wage, but hard times struck our family just like they have to many families in every community. Her plant closed, her job left Chicago, and she had to figure out what to do next.

We didn’t have a lot, but she balanced the family’s checkbook each week and she did it all by herself.

I think about my mother when I bring my daughter, Jeneva, to work with me in Springfield, when I’m fighting for working families to have their fair share.

When I first ran for office, pregnant with my daughter, I thought about how what I did in Springfield would affect her and all children across Illinois.

That's why I fought and passed legislation in Springfield that protects child care services for all parents across the state, so that they can keep their jobs and support their families.

I sponsored legislation to provide over 221 million dollars to Chicago Public Schools, so our children will have the teachers and educational opportunities they need and deserve. The investments we make as a city pay dividends to our children in the future, and it’s our responsibility to invest wisely.

Candidate Q&A

What is your vision for this office?

My vision for this office is to focus my private-sector and financial training on ways to bring development into Chicago’s neighborhoods. Chicago’s billions of dollars of municipal deposits should be leveraged to help Chicago’s communities grow at the same rate, regardless of their zip code. I also plan to use the office to help more families become financially educated. Most importantly I'm running to protect the city of Chicago's investments and to ensure that the money Chicago invests goes to benefit all of us.

What is the most pressing issue facing constituents, and how can you help address it?

I believe that the pressing issues that my constituents face, are the same issues that my family faced growing up. Being raised by a single mother, money was always tight, like it is for so many families in Chicago today. Financial security at the city level helps ensure the entire city continues to prosper and provides opportunities to Chicago’s residents. Having sound financial practices in the city helps make our communities safer and I think that safety is a universal issue facing all of Chicagoans, but it especially affects working class families.

Chicago is a city of different neighborhoods and zip codes and where someone lives should not define how much the city invests in their community. By having the best intentions behind Chicago’s investments and ensuring that these investments benefit all zip codes in Chicago, we can provide the most benefits for all of the city’s residents while making Chicago a more prosperous and safe city for everyone who calls this great place home.