2023 Chicago Election Voter Guide

Candidate Q&A

Why are you running?

I see daily how our local level of government and an effective and pragmatic alderman can truly affect the lives of our neighbors and community. Today, calling the alderperson's office is the go-to source for anything relating to city government. Whether a constituent has an issue with finding housing, up zoning or down zoning a parcel of property or an entire neighborhood, getting a license for a business, or even requesting your sidewalk be repaired and the graffiti removed, in short — quality constituent services decisions affect us daily. My approach to the job of Alderman of the 48th Ward would be done through careful thought (with the community) in policy, direct investment in our neighborhoods, and my pragmatic ethos of getting positive things done through compromise over conflict. Being this conduit between city government and our community is why I want to be able to serve the 48th Ward as Alderperson.

My passion for seeing our neighborhoods succeed and my background both working in Illinois and Chicago politics as well as my background as a local Chicago Realtor are heavily intertwined. Being able to work daily within our community with folks from all walks of life, backgrounds, and experiences, some with competing interests such as business and labor, allows me to listen to and see many sides of any given issue. I can bridge those divides with my pragmatic progressive approach while being a champion for our community tackling our many present and future issues coming to our city.

I have lived in our ward for just shy of 10 years. Over that time, I have spent my time actively working to improve my community by being a member of various boards and civic organizations. I have served as a member of the Friends of the Edgewater Library, as a member of the Auxiliary Board of the Lincoln Park Zoo, and currently represent Edgewater on the Chicago Association of Realtors’ Diversity Committee, known as “The 77,” tackling topics like fair housing and economic development while engaging with local chambers of commerce and quasi-governmental bodies (TIF Boards). Additionally, before Covid started, I served on 48th Ward Alderman Harry Osterman’s Citizen Housing Committee.

What does this office do well, and what needs fixing?

Constituent services out of the ward office have been great over the years with a fantastic team of professionals. Our next Alderman should host more public, and regular, town halls for updates on what is happening at city hall and developments in the ward. Year round.

What is the most pressing issue facing your constituents and how do you plan on addressing it?

Ward/Constituent Services is 80% of the job. The continuation of having these efficient services being provided while property taxes go up is a big future issue coming down the pipeline. Currently, public safety/crime and the deterioration of our local small business corridors is a huge concern. I would be fully focused on efficiently and effectively providing ward services to my neighborhoods while my team and I would be the connectors to the bureaucracy of city government and services, while pushing practical and proven policies at city hall.

What specific steps would you take to ensure your office is accessible and responsive to your constituents?

I would have my office and staff operate very similar to current Alderman Harry Osterman's office. My office would be open during normal business hours as well as I would have an "open-house" ward office night once a month.

Do you believe in the tradition of aldermanic prerogative, which gives each City Council member the final say on issues in their ward?

I believe that the Alderman should have a community process for developments and standards set to showcase to developers what our community wants to see in their neighborhoods. Having another bureaucratic office that operates downtown and doesn't know our neighborhoods needs is not the end-all solution.

Should the $1.9 billion budget for the Chicago Police Department increase, stay the same or decrease?

Honestly, I am not sure. I do believe that we need to support police with proper and modern training, technology, and accountability. CPD needs to reckon with themselves and own up to the community that public trust has been broken over the years. There is an opportunity to make it better and reform. Community policing works. Now is the time for CPD to be more involved in the community. The CAPS program is a good start but needs to be reinvented and retooled to provide more than just data statistics. I would like to have a locally-known beat office back on the street and have a face to the name.

Should the city raise the Real Estate Transfer Tax on properties sold for more than $1 million to fund programs to help unhoused Chicagoans?

I have a major concern with instituting this property tax as I don't believe that it will be earmarked specifically for housing the unhoused and instead just go into a general fund or be moved around at the discretion of any future mayor who wants to plug any gaps in their budget. Last year alone, we had $98MM unspent on housing the unhoused and another $200MM budgeted this year. It's immoral that money went unspent and just became another line item to move around in future budgets. Additionally, relying on the transfer tax year-over-year will not be predictable for future budgets as the market begins to shift over time.

Should the city open and operate mental health clinics to provide free care to Chicagoans?

Yes. However, I would like to have Cook County government be in the business of providing care to our residents rather than the city.

How should Chicago build the 120,000 homes it needs for low- and moderate-income Chicagoans?

First, we reform what our building codes look like. These were written in a different era and need to be brought up to speed of our modern times and modern needs. The ability to build on smaller lot sizes and have tiny houses are a place to start, not-for-profit affordable housing developers would be included, CHA needs to update and release the 1,000+ homes that are currently being unused, incentives could be provided to home builders who build on city and county owned land, and much more. We need to build, build, build. I am a YIMBY. (Yes In My Backyard).

What do you see as potential solutions to address the number of shootings in Chicago?

We need to get guns off the streets. I am glad that the assault weapons bill just passed but that will take time to take effect. Providing economic opportunities that aren't just minimum wage jobs, investment in historically disinvested neighborhoods, wraparound services for our students and adults, and well-funded schools are desperately needed.

Should the city do more to encourage residents to live close to where they work and shop by building dense multi-unit apartment complexes near transportation hubs?

Yes. I am a proponent of Transit Oriented Development. The city needs more housing and diversity in housing. Having more near an efficient and safe public transit hub is critical to addressing our housing shortage.

Should the city prioritize the construction of bicycle lanes and encourage people to use bicycles to commute to work?

Yes. I have signed on to the Chicago, Bike Grid Now platform and would like to see 450+mi of our city streets be bike friendly.

What steps should the city take to prevent Chicago’s shoreline from eroding further?

This is a very tough issue. It's also personal for me. I've lived in two lakefront neighborhoods for just about 10 years now. We have constant high-rise flooding, sometimes 30-foot waves, and eroding beaches. We will need to coordinate funds from the federal government and in the billions of dollars and reconstruction done by the US Army Corps of Engineers. I am considering supporting the Last Four Miles plan.