Additional Coverage from WTTW News
- Survey: Jerry Joyce on the IssuesFeb. 8, 2019
- Chicago Attorney Jerry Joyce Talks About His Bid for MayorJan. 10, 2019
About the Candidate
Name: Jerry Joyce
DOB: May 6, 1969
Family: Wife Jannine Joyce, of 19 years, and four children.
Occupation: Attorney and small business owner
Political Experience: I’ve never run for office.
Website: jerryjoyce2019.com
Candidate Statement
Hi. My name is Jerry Joyce and I'm running for mayor of Chicago.
I am a lifelong Chicagoan. My wife Jannine and I are raising our four children about a mile from the house I grew up in. We are blessed with wonderful neighbors and are grateful to being raising our children here. We love Chicago and we never wanted to live anywhere else.
I'm an attorney, small business owner, a youth mentor and a neighborhood advocate-but I've never run for elective office.
Campaigning throughout our city, I'm often asked why I am running.
Last year, I saw an interview on tv with a famous author. When the host asked him where he lived, the author responded that he was a second-generation Chicagoan and he and his wife had been raising their children in Chicago. However, conditions in Chicago had reached the point that he had to ask himself if he was doing a disservice to his family by remaining in Chicago. He answered by relocating to Nashville, Tennessee. No Chicagoan should be faced with that question. I understand that authors concerns. But rather than relocate, I want to do something about it.
That's why I'm running for mayor.
Chicago faces many challenges. Getting it right on public finances, safety and education is critical to our city's future.
I have a fresh set of ideas and I am committed to building a Chicago that gets its ideas and its strength from our neighborhoods and the people in them.
THAT's what made Chicago great to begin with. Not any one person's individual agenda or political ambition.
The number one responsibility of any government is the safety and protection of its people. As your mayor, public safety will be my number one priority.
Also we cannot solve our financial problems on the backs of our residential property owners.
I'm Jerry Joyce and I'm committed to listening, really listening, to the voices from each and every one of our city's more than 200 neighborhoods.
Candidate Q&A
What is your vision for this office?
Too many times I have met people who are asking themselves whether or not they can afford to live in Chicago, whether the question they are confronting is their safety, their finances or their child’s access to quality education. This didn’t happen overnight-it’s the end result of broken promises, bad priorities and a lack of accountability.
I envision a Chicago that is responsive to its neighborhoods and that is based on transparency and honesty and is not run based on special interests and career politicians. Where we pay our bills, protect our citizens and value neighborhood schools.
What is the most pressing issue facing constituents, and how can you help address it?
The most pressing issue facing Chicagoans is their lack of confidence in the competence of those charged with the responsibility of leading our city and solving our problems. I would solve this by leading a transparent, accountable administration that is responsive to the voices of those living in our more than 200 neighborhoods.
Jerry Joyce on the Issues
Ethics
- What type of ban on outside employment for aldermen do you support? A full ban
- What kind of mayoral term limits do you support? Two terms
- What kind of aldermanic term limits do you support? Three terms
- Should aldermen control zoning in their wards? Yes
- Who should make zoning and licensing decisions? City Council members
- Do you support a ban on Chicago politicians’ family members getting city jobs? Yes
Education
- What kind of school board do you support? Elected school board
- Are you in support of teachers getting raises in their next contract? Yes
- Do you support a longer school day? Yes
- Do you support full-day kindergarten? Yes
- What type of charter school changes would you like to see? I think the current number is about right
Pensions
- Do you support raising property taxes to help close the pension gap? No
- Do you support hikes in any other taxes/fees to help close the pension gap? No
- Do you support pension obligation bonds to help close the pension gap? No
- Do you support a change to the Illinois Constitution to end 3-percent compounded cost of living adjustments (COLAs)? No
- Do you support taxing marijuana sales to fund city pensions? Yes
- Do you support a city casino to fund city pensions? Yes
Crime
- Do you support building a new police and fire academy? Yes
- Would you hire more police officers and detectives? Yes
- Do you support raising property, real estate, or sales taxes to help hire more police officers? No
- Do you support tougher sentences for illegal possession of weapons? Yes
- Do you support tougher sentences for failure to report lost or stolen weapons? Yes
Transportation
- Do you support building more bus rapid transit lanes? Yes
- Do you support the use of Tax Increment Financing (TIFs) to fund transit upgrades? Yes
Finance
- What action will you take on TIFs? Use TIFs only in blighted areas
- What tax or taxes would you support raising to help fund city government? (Check all that apply) Other