2023 Chicago Election Voter Guide

Candidate Q&A

Why are you running?

We must continue the progress our ward has made under my leadership, particularly in overcoming historic forces of disinvestment and discrimination. In four years as the voice for all 16th Ward residents in City Hall, my approach has always been community first. While I have worked tirelessly to improve lives throughout our city — providing funding for violence prevention programs and affordable housing among many other measures — the residents of my ward have always been front and center. I go to bat for ward residents every single day, from advocating for economic development projects such as the innovative Englewood Connect community hub, to sponsoring Englewood’s first music festival to building affordable housing for our seniors. We are turning the corner and we must continue our progress.

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

I am incredibly proud that my staff and I address over 15,000 city service issues every single year! We are not resting on our laurels however; we are continuing to utilize the latest technologies to make city government more accessible for 16th Ward residents.

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

Crime, particularly violent crime, is the most pressing issue facing my ward and our entire city today. There are no simple solutions that will “solve” crime overnight. We need an all-of-the-above strategy to combat the violence on our streets, in our neighborhoods, and across our city.

We need more police officers — not in five years, but now. I support providing more funding to hire more rank-and-file officers immediately; and implementing measures to incentive new officers to join CPD and current officers to stay with CPD. We also must prioritize the hiring and training of more detectives on our force to improve the city’s abysmal clearance rate on gun crimes in particular. Additionally, we must ensure that more public safety resources actually go to local police districts, instead of redirecting them from the neighborhoods they serve. Englewood is one of the busiest districts in the city, yet it remains understaffed year after year after year.

More officers, though, will only be effective if we build trust between CPD and the communities they are sworn to protect. We need to fully implement the federal consent decree and bolster civilian police oversight of our police force. I also support more funding for CAPS so that residents can participate in local public safety initiatives while also building relationships with local officers. More funding and more consistency means stronger relationships and more trust between officers and the communities they serve, which makes us all safer.

Just as important, we need to provide greater investments in programs and strategies that address the underlying economic and social issues that lead to crime in the first place, including a lack of opportunity, lack of education, lack of housing, and lack of health care and mental health services in our impoverished communities. I support more funding for violence intervention and diversion programs; and community programs and organizations that work with at-risk youth to keep them out of trouble and give them a chance at success.

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

We have increased and expanded office hours and ward nights (no appointment necessary) over what was provided by the prior Alderman and we will continue to work to meet constituents wherever and whenever they need us. In addition to, I conduct monthly IN-PERSON community meetings, every second Saturday of the month and quarterly neighborhood specific public safety meetings with the local police districts Commander and CAPS Office Communication is an absolute TOP PRIORITY.

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

I know this has been a hot topic and fodder for campaigns in the past several years. However, the issue is nuanced and there are no simple answers. The term Aldermanic Prerogative came to the forefront of public attention in the last election cycle largely because some Aldermen were blocking low-income / affordable housing without any justifiable reason beyond the fact that they and their constituents did not want low-income people, and particularly people of color, coming into a given area. Of course that is an abuse of aldermanic prerogative and discriminatory policies are never justified — regardless of which layer of government or which elected official is making the decision. However, there are certainly areas of city policy where the local ward Alderman is going to have more knowledge on a certain local issue than the Mayor or the Mayor’s staff in City Hall. Our goal as elected officials in the City of Chicago is to strike the right governing balance.

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

We need more funds for local violence prevention — URGENTLY.

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 support the Bring Chicago Home ordinance and I was disappointed it will not be on the ballot this year. Homelessness is a crisis in this city; the ranks of the homeless are growing daily and it is inhuman to allow people to live on the streets, particularly in bitter cold Chicago weather. I thought the Bring Chicago Home ordinance proposal was a measured, reasonable way of generating important revenue for homelessness programs.

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

Yes, provided the level of quality and care is as high — or higher — as the level of quality and care being provided under the current system.

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

We simply must make this investment. Housing is a human right and if Chicago can, as it has in the past, found money for massive development complexes in wealthy north side areas — such as Lincoln Yards — we can surely find the funds to build housing for lower-income Chicagoans, in neighborhoods like Englewood, Roseland, North Lawndale and Austin.

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

As stated above, I think it is vital to improve the clearance rate — i.e. the rate at which crimes actually get solved. It is abysmal and studies have proven that higher clearance rates reduce crime and, in particular, violent crime. We need to hire more detectives — filling vacancies and increasing the overall percentage of the police force which is detectives. CPD has a lower rate of detectives in the force than other major cities. We need to provide incentives, assistance with housing, and better working conditions to recruit more good people from local community in to the police force to reduce shootings.

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

As a lifelong 16th Ward resident, I have seen firsthand the devastating impact on black communities of disinvestment and neglect. That’s why I’ve been calling attention to the issue, particularly here on the South side, for years, even before I was elected to represent my community as an alderman four years ago. Celebrating, supporting, and strengthening small businesses has been my mission from Day One. With a thriving business community, will then spark NEW affordable housing for homeowners and investments back into our neighborhood schools.

I support the use of tax increment financing to spark development — but on a case-by-case basis that doesn’t put corporations before taxpayers. I also support more funding for the INVEST South/West initiative, which has brought much needed development to Englewood already, but has yet to reach its full potential, and is just one piece of the puzzle in strengthening these communities. That’s why I just helped create the first Special Service Area (SSA) for Englewood – because communities like mine should have the same opportunities, resources, and investment as wealthier parts of the city.