2023 Chicago Election Voter Guide

Candidate Q&A

Why are you running?

I was raised in this ward and I know what it was and what it has become under 16 years of my opponent. Our four business districts (79th Street, 87th Street, Stony Island, and Cottage Grove) have deteriorated greatly and are an embarrassment to our community. As an alderperson you are the voice of your constituents. My opponents voice is the voice of the 5th floor. In two years, our ward will be the gateway to the Obama Center. I am committed to courting well established businesses, bringing healthy eating options, family entertainment and making the gateway safe for our residents and visitors. I care enough to want to change the community that raised me.

I am running because I no longer recognize my community. The 8th Ward was once the mecca of the southside. We have blocks and blocks of vacant and boarded up businesses. It is evident our leadership does not care. I am running because I care and "We Deserve Better".

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

This office has voted 98% of the time with four mayors. This office should be the voice of the people, not the 5th floor. Our leadership is reactive, not proactive to the issues plaguing our community. The office does not communicate well with the residents and does not share pertinent information with the constituents. This office does nothing well.

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

The 8th ward faces issues of crime, economic development, and no strategic plan for our future. In two years, this once prosperous community will be the gateway to the Obama Center. Sadly, visitors will see nothing but blocks and blocks of boarded up businesses. Add an uptick in crime to the dilapidation, and they will see what we feel -- terrorized. Poor leadership and lack of effective communication have hindered economic development and a sense of community.

I am committed to creating a Leadership Council, holding regular community meetings, courting new/established businesses and making the Obama gateway safe for our residents and visitors. The council will explore and research new and innovative concepts in safety including community policing and dramatically expand the reach of drones and license plate readers which have proven to be effective tools in combating crime. This council will also create a centralized incubator where an entrepreneur wanting to do business with us can get A-Z information with a click of a button.

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

I plan to hold regularly scheduled town hall meetings with my constituents; I plan to attend block club meetings and create business, education, and safety committees consisting of residents who will be my eyes and ears in the community. All communication with my office will receive a response within 2 hours depending on the issue. I also plan to participate in the Participatory Budgeting Project.

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

No, I do not believe in aldermanic prerogative. A community/ward consist of people, not one person making decisions for a whole community. The 8th Ward is in decline because for the past 16 years one person has made poor decisions for an entire community. I also believe in term limits.

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

The budget should stay the same.

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. Bring Chicago Home estimates that the transfer tax increase could generate as much as $163 million annually to provide permanent affordable housing and related services for the homeless.

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

Yes, the city should open and operate mental health clinics to provide care for Chicagoans. I also think there should be a cost if the patient has the means.

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

The city should build affordable housing on the many vacant lots on the south and west sides of the city. Under the current law, apartments set aside for low- and moderate-income Chicagoans are still unaffordable for most Black and Latino families. The median household income of Black Chicagoans is $27,713, while the median household income of Latino Chicagoans is $40,700, according to an analysis of American Community Survey data by the Metropolitan Planning Council. That means more than six in 10 Black Chicago households and more than five in 10 Latino Chicago households could not afford a rental unit set aside as affordable under the current law. The city should also work to ensure more units set aside for low- and moderate-income Chicagoans are big enough for families. Less than 5% of the units created by the Affordable Requirements Ordinance since 2007 included three bedrooms, making them unsuitable for most Black families, which have an average of 2.7 members, as well as most Latino families, which have an average of 3.7 members.

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

Illinois needs stricter gun laws and stricter penalties for violators. The state bans the sale of firearms that have been defined as assault weapons but allows the possession of any that are registered with the state police before January 1, 2024. Education, jobs, and mental health are all connected to having a healthy society. We need resources for our youth and our formerly incarcerated. Our youth are traumatized on a daily basis with crime and violence all around them. There is crime within the schools and their respective neighborhoods. Our youth are more physical than oral.

We don’t have enough psychiatric programs where our youth can communicate their feelings and develop conflict resolution skills. These types of programs need to be in the school. We need more after school programs and youth centers in our communities. Our formerly incarcerated persons need to be trained while incarcerated and there needs to be resources to assist them in finding employment and housing once they are released. Parents should have some accountability for the actions of underage youth in their care.

What should the City Council do to stop the drop in the city’s Black population?

The Black population left the city because of crime, violence, housing and our unbalanced educational system. If the City Council wants that number to change, they need to work with the CPD to ensure that we have safe communities and more police officers in communities of color; rebuild Black communities by providing affordable housing. If you cannot get your child into one of the premier schools, i.e., Walter Payton, Northside Prep and others you don’t have many safe options and therefore the option of moving out of the city becomes your reality.

We have 11 selective enrollment schools where students are admitted based on their score on the admissions exam and their grades in seventh grade. The council and CPS need to take a hard look at the neighborhood schools especially their admissions policy and improve the neighborhood schools, so families see them as good options. We also need to put vocational training back in our schools. Many of our children aren’t opting to attend college and therefore there must be an alternative which is skill-based training.