2023 Chicago Election Voter Guide

Candidate Q&A

Why are you running?

People overwhelmingly elected me in 2019 to be their community voice and I've used the time given to me in my first term to do just that. I've made great progress on priorities decided by 49th Ward residents, and also on working for a more functional and independent City Council. I have kept all of my promises and would like another term to continue the work I'm doing on behalf of 49th Ward constituents and Chicagoans across the city.

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

I've used my first term to make this office more open and accessible to our diverse constituency. I've brought more transparency and community-centered decision-making to ward and city decisions as well. We need to build more trust in government at the local level to increase engagement from our residents and there's still a long way to go to address decades of corruption and self-centered politics, but by serving with integrity, honesty and opening our engagement processes, we're making progress.

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

Affordable housing and homelessness is the most pressing issue facing 49th Ward constituents. Like the rest of the city, we've seen the cost of housing increase. About 75% of our ward are renters and are subject to increases and displacement. In recent years, a lot of our naturally occurring affordable housing has been sold and while that change in ownership may come with capital improvements, that also means displacement of existing tenants and higher rents for those that can stay. The pandemic, economic hardship and the changes in the rental markets has also led to more people experiencing homelessness.

Creating more affordable housing and fighting for more invests in homelessness prevention programs as well as shelters and social services is key to addressing these needs. That's why I've been a lead sponsor for Bring Chicago Home which would create a dedicated source of funds for homelessness prevention in the city and a tireless advocate to increase resources for permanent supportive housing and city staffing to address the crisis of homelessness. I've also worked at the city level to lead and co-sponsor legislation to create more affordable housing around transit and am working on two new developments in the 49th Ward that will be models of equitable transit oriented development and community wealth building.

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

I keep consistent hours five days/week, offer services in English and Spanish in the office, send weekly written communications in English and Spanish, hold virtual town halls, one-on-one ward night appointments, and use three social media platforms to share council news and community events. I also hold monthly meetings with community partners and organizations, have special meetings with principals and schools, attend CAPS meetings and stay in regular contact with Parks and park Advisory Councils as well. We keep a tracking system for service requests for residents to ensure timely follow up and to keep tabs on longer, harder to resolve issues with the city. We also hold meetings around special issues or projects where we bring city officials to our residents.

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

I think the traditional practice is flawed and in my first term have advocated for changes to change it. Alderpersons are the voice of their ward residents and processes should necessarily include us for that reason. I think that there are instances where the alderperson should not have the final say particularly if the issue is one that is tied to citywide circumstances like affordable housing developments or environmental justice matters.

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

The question is really how should police time and resources be spent? The budget is significant and I think that we should be able to meet Chicago's policing needs with this amount as it represents such a large portion of the budget. I've advocated for reductions in spending by focusing police officers on duties and activities that only they can do while using lower cost and better trained civilian positions for non police duties. This could also save us money on overtime costs and reduce strain and stress on the police force.

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. I'm a lead sponsor for this ordinance and believe that it's a good way to create a dedicated source of funds to combat homelessness.

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

Yes. We desperately need the services.

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

We should address some of the need by financing and building the homes ourselves using the land we own as capital and providing low cost financing to our residents.

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

More investments in community-based violence prevention programs as well as more mental health care and social services in our schools for our youth to help them learn better conflict management skills.

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 think that the city should place higher priority on transit improvements and active transportation solutions as well as denser developments near transit to enable people to live closer to where we work and shop. We also need to make sure that accessibility is a part of the conversation as just because something is "walkable" is doesn't automatically mean it's accessible for people with disabilities.

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

Yes. We would be making progress towards our climate action goals and creating a healthier environment for all of our residents by doing so.

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

This should be a top priority for a Dept. of Environment working in lockstep with the State's Dept. of Natural Resources. The Army Corps of Engineers is working on a 3-year study to evaluate conditions, needs and solutions. I was an advocate for the winning the federal matching dollars for the study and have pledged to ensure community voice and experience in the process. We should be looking at environmentally sustainable and natural solutions to help our shoreline adapt to the drastic changes and unpredictable consequences of climate change and to prevent further erosion.