2023 Chicago Election Voter Guide

Candidate Q&A

Why are you running?

My wife and I are raising our family on the West Side of Chicago in Austin, one of the most dynamic - yet most violent - communities in the city. My three children attend Chicago Public Schools, ride the CTA and enroll in summer programs at the Chicago Park District. They need fully funded schools, safe and reliable transportation, and summertime enrichment that lasts into the evening. My neighbors in Austin need safe streets, affordable housing and access to mental health care. I am running for mayor of Chicago because I want to make these needs a reality. I want a better Chicago for my neighbors, for my family and for all residents and working families in our city.

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

It is difficult to pinpoint what the current office of the mayor does well, which is evident in the number of people running for leadership of this city. There is much that needs fixing, but at the foundation is a willingness to collaborate and dialogue respectfully around issues that matter to Chicagoans. The current administration bills itself as being “tough,” but violence, the lack of safe and reliable public transit, and life for the unhoused shows that conditions in our city are tough enough. Chicago needs leadership that is serious, and smart, and dedicated to moving past the politics of old that are leaving its residents behind.

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

Public safety is by far the most pressing issue in our city. To address it, I will chart a new strategy, rather than relying on the same failed approaches that have brought trauma to communities across the city. I will work with police and first responders to invest in community-based interventions that de-escalate conflict, reduce violence and make our neighborhoods safer. I will create an Office of Community Safety, reopen the city’s mental health clinics, fully fund year-round youth employment, and foster partnerships between communities and law enforcement to make critical investments preventing crime before it happens.

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

I am a teacher and organizer running a people-powered campaign for mayor of Chicago, so accessibility and responsiveness is the foundation of everything that I do. It's how we build coalitions. Under my administration, City Council committees will hold regular meetings and hearings, informing my office of community needs and concerns; board meetings for city agencies will be held during evening and weekend hours in the interest of convenience for residents; and the Mayor's Office will work directly with grassroots organizations and community partners in all 77 communities on improving conditions in our neighborhoods.

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

Yes, but alderpersons must also be fully committed to working and acting in the best interests of their constituents. Always.

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

Unfortunately, we don’t know the true cost of public safety because the Lightfoot administration grossly underreports spending on policing. When I am mayor, I will make clear what we spend on policing, fleet management, root cause investments, and the consent decree, so that there is full transparency for the public. I will also cut waste in the law enforcement budget so we’re spending money on actual public safety, which accounts for over 40 percent of Corporate Fund expenditures. We’re clearly not getting our money’s worth, and there are numerous steps we can take to start spending our money on actual public safety such as a comprehensive review of the Chicago Police Department – like what I will order of all City departments – which will save on inefficiency and bad policy that we can put instead into keeping residents and communities safe.

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

Yes.

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

Yes.

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

The City can start by building more affordable housing, and at lower rents, but must target affordable housing dollars more effectively, leveraging private capital and federal funds. Streamline the permitting and approval process for affordable housing developments, and get these projects completed on time for less cost. Expand opportunities for smart, sustainable housing development along transit lines, and look comprehensively at residential zoning in the city to figure out if there are opportunities for middle-income, market-rate housing that are currently restricted by zoning. Reduce the cost to develop affordable housing by waiving fees for new affordable housing construction.

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

We need a comprehensive effort to attack crime, but it needs to start with the fact that the vast majority of violent crime, and the basis for most Chicagoans’ fears for their families, comes from guns. To get violent crime off our streets, we need to get guns off our streets. As mayor, I will expand laws around safe storage of weapons in homes with real penalties if violated (especially in homes with minors); get guns out of the hands of domestic abusers; and increase resources for gun violence suppression through a special CPD division consisting mostly of detectives to handle illegal gun cases and nothing else – seizing illegal guns and building cases against illegal carriers, traffickers and sellers.