IVI-IPO Endorsements for February 27, 2007
CANDIDATE RESPONSES TO IVI-IPO QUESTIONNAIRES
Candidates
endorsed by IVI-IPO are in bold red typeface
* indicates candidates who are no longer on the ballot
Chicago has too long been plagued by government
corruption – patronage,
nepotism, sweetheart deals and ghost payrollers – that
can not be glossed over by boosterism, bluster, and the planting
of flowers in street medians. We need a new leader who
will put an end to the corruption, cut the bloated bureaucracy
and put the government to work for all the residents of our
city.
Dorothy Brown is smart and honest, with a wealth of management
experience in both the private and public sectors. She
is compassionate and visionary, supportive of affordable housing
and a living wage, and proposing innovative solutions for
the problems that beset our public schools. Brown will
work to implement the Shakman decree banning patronage in
government employment, unlike the current mayor who continues
to fight in court to vacate the consent decree, even as federal
indictments rain down upon his corrupt administration.
Brown pledges the creation of an economic development plan
focused on neighborhood businesses, and a Master City Development
Plan overseeing equitable distribution of infrastructure improvements
and city services in all communities. She also supports
a rational TIF policy that would be limited to truly blighted
areas, with revenue dedicated to improvements in the TIF district,
and an end to the TIF when the objectives have been realized.
Chicago voters have a golden opportunity next month to elect
a bright and able reformer as mayor, who will champion good
government, social justice and citywide economic development. IVI-IPO
heartily endorses Dorothy Brown.
William Walls
Mayor of Chicago
Park Forest Mayor John Ostenburg
Park
Forest Mayor Paul Jasinevicius
One of the most honest, incorruptible public officials in
Illinois, Miguel del Valle is the perfect choice to fill the
office of Clerk, with its sad history of bribery, kickbacks
and other official misconduct. With twenty years of
legislative efforts to reduce the influence of money in politics,
and his pledge not to accept contributions from city vendors
or employees of the office, del Valle will be an official
who uses his position for the public good, and not for
private gain. He has already begun the effort to transform
the clerk’s website into a better information source
for city services and city council legislation and promises
to continue to make the city council workings more transparent
and city services more accessible to the public.
A civil rights attorney, Bob Fioretti has been an advocate
for those who did not have a voice. He is running to
give the residents of the 2nd ward, one of the most economically,
ethnically and geographically diverse wards in the city, a
voice in the decisions that affect them. Fioretti will
set up community advisory councils to consult on local issues
and will work with neighborhood and business groups to generate
new ideas for economic development that go beyond high-end
residential construction. He has pledged not to accept
campaign contributions from developers, and to introduce an
ordinance that bans Pay to Play politics in the City Council.
Larry Doody
Alderman 2nd Ward
David Askew
Alderman 2nd Ward
Madeline Haithcock
Alderman 2nd Ward
Urban planner and community activist Pat Dowell’s main
goal for the aldermanic office is to restore the people’s
confidence by providing an accessible and courteous office
and focusing on the ward’s need for better public safety,
education, retail opportunities, job growth and consistent,
high quality city services. She would create a community
accountability council to furnish residents and community
organizations input into the larger decisions affecting the
ward. Dowell has several innovative ideas for securing
business support for local schools, including asking developers
in TIF districts to adopt a school and provide funds for special
projects to offset the revenue that the school will not be
receiving due to the TIF.
Benjamin Harris
Alderman 3rd Ward
Mell Monroe
Alderman 3rd Ward
One of the leading independents on the City Council, Toni
Preckwinkle has proven that it is possible to be both an advocate
for her ward and a leader on citywide issues. For sixteen
years, Preckwinkle has been the driving force behind new residential
and commercial development in the ward, while also supporting
the Big Box Living Wage Ordinance and leading efforts in the
City Council to guarantee affordable housing set-asides in
new and rehabbed residential construction. Her tenure
demonstrates that with intelligent, compassionate leadership,
economic development does not have to result in indiscriminate
displacement of the poor, and that aldermen can oppose the
mayor without losing credibility or effectiveness in their
wards.
Leslie A. Hairston
Alderman 5th Ward
Working with business and community leaders, Leslie Hairston
has spearheaded commercial investment in the ward that had
been lacking for many years. Through her leadership,
90% or more of the newly created jobs have gone to local residents,
exemplifying the manner in which economic development is supposed
to work for a community. In addition to expanding commercial
investment, Hairston’s main priorities for her next
term include improving housing conditions and providing social
services to the many former CHA residents who moved to private
sector housing in the ward.
Housing, education and commercial revitalization have been
the main priorities of Freddrenna Lyle’s tenure and
residents of her ward have benefitted from her leadership
in all three areas. One city service that Lyle cites
as needing improvement is 911 response time and she continues
to press for reallocation of Police forces to better address
the needs of communities in her ward. Lyle served as
Council liason in the police contract negotiations and has
developed an expert understanding of the city budget. She
was also a chief sponsor of the Big Box Living Wage Ordinance,
declaring that “corporate America should honor the social
contract between the community and business and provide the
necessary wage and benefit packages that move their employees
off welfare.”
Karin Norrington-Reeves
Alderman 6th Ward
Political activist Sandi Jackson would be an independent voice
on the City Council, and an outspoken advocate of cleaning
up the city’s minority contracting process, as well
as other forms of corruption. In the ward, she plans
to bring together community and business leaders to create
a balanced development plan for the underserved neighborhoods
that she will represent. Citing its abundance of affordable
housing stock, Jackson seeks to attract not only renters,
but new home owners to the ward. She is also a strong
supporter of utilizing the USX site as an Olympic venue, to
act as a catalyst for future development.
Eric Brown
Alderman 7th Ward
Ron David
Alderman 7th Ward
Michelle A. Harris
Alderman 8th Ward
As Chief of Staff for Alderman Lorraine Dixon, Michelle Harris
learned first hand the details of the job of Alderman. Her
experience analyzing and drafting legislation, monitoring
cases in Housing Court, and working with City departments
to provide services to the community gave her a head start
that most new alderman lack. Her tenure as Superintendent
for 8th Ward Streets and Sanitation endowed her with a working
geographical knowledge of the ward, and established rapport
with many of the residents. Harris regularly attends
block club and community meetings to get input from her constituents
and plans to work to improve communications between her office
and city departments.
Clifton Underwood
Alderman 8th Ward
Sharon Adams
Alderman 8th Ward
Joseph McAfee
Alderman 8th Ward
Derrick Prince
Alderman 8th Ward
Economic development is the chief priority for Anthony Beale,
who was the first alderman to implement two Special Service
Area programs at the same time for the ward’s primary
business districts. He continues to work to bring new
commercial development to the ward, as well as focusing on
upgrading the standards of businesses, from complying with
building codes to providing quality service to customers. Beale
also calls for more attention to be paid to how development
relates to the city as a whole, the need for zoning to be
consistent along ward boundaries and the benefit of implementing
buffer zones between residential and industrial areas.
Earick Rayburn
Alderman 9th Ward
Attorney Jesus Salazar wants to reform the TIF process to
ensure that revenue is spent only in the community where it
is obtained, and not used as a slush fund for pet projects
in other areas of the city. He would create local zoning
and advisory committees to make recommendations on the establishment
of TIFs and how the funds are to be used. Salazar is
also a strong supporter of affordable housing initiatives
and the Big Box Living Wage Ordinance, and calls for more
equitable distribution of education funding throughout the
city.
Alberto Bocanegra
Alderman 12th Ward
Carina Sanchez
Alderman 12th Ward
A sharp critic of Renaissance 2010, attorney Felicia Simmons-Stovall
presents thoughtful and realistic alternatives for dealing
with the problem of failing schools. She suggests state
certification for teachers as a condition for tenure and endorsement
in the subject they teach. Reconstitution, as a last
resort, would involve only teachers and administrators under
Simmons-Stovall’s plan, and students would not have
to leave their neighborhood schools. She also supports
all-day kindergarden, more local control over school spending,
and an elected School Board.
Denise Dixon
Alderman 15th Ward
Janice Jeffries
Alderman 15th Ward
William Burch
Alderman 15th Ward
Latasha R. Thomas
Alderman 17th Ward
Improving schools and recreational activities has been a top
priority for Latasha Thomas. She worked to acquire funding
which allowed many of the schools in the 17th Ward to be renovated
and added a number of campus park facilities throughout the
ward. Thomas has continued to push for redevelopment
and job creation and seeks to compliment the commercial development
currently underway with residential development in order to
revitalize the community. She has involved neighborhood
and business groups, as well as individual residents, in creating
these plans and maintains a highly accessible service office
for her constituents.
Charles Partlow
Alderman 17th Ward
Urban Planner Paul Stewart is already working with community
organizations in the Ashburn neighborhood to develop a direct
marketing plan to attract new retail and commercial development
to the business areas of the ward. He also intends to
create advisory councils to provide residents with input in
planning and to hold monthly accountability sessions with
his constituents. Stewart’s top priority is to
end the overcrowding at Bogan High School through construction
of a new high school which has been long-promised, but not
yet built. He also calls for realignment of Police
Districts to better serve all neighborhoods and supplementing
beat officers with specialized units that would be deployed
as needed to address specific instances of crime patterns.
John Somerville points to his experience as a prosecutor as
teaching him not only about fighting crime, but understanding
the workings of government bureaucracy. He pledges to
act on behalf of his ward to unravel that bureaucracy, to
open up the public debate and let all of the ward’s
diverse voices be heard. He will maintain weekend and
evening hours in his service office so constituents will not
need to miss work in order to meet with their alderman or
request help with city services. Somerville will focus
on commercial revitalization, easing school overcrowding,
and capital improvements for neighborhood parks.
Timothy Sheehan
Alderman 19th Ward
Retired police sergeant Willie Cochran is also a Local School
Council member, community organizer and owner of a neighborhood
business. It is not surprising that his number one priority
as alderman is to strengthen relations and communication between
the alderman and residents, businesses, schools, police and
community institutions. Second, he aspires to rebuild
public faith in government and trust in their elected officials. Cochran
plans to engage all the stakeholders in the ward in planning
and decision-making, with no favoritism or secret deals. The
residents of the 20th ward are entitled to honest, accessible
government and we endorse Willie Cochran in hopes he will
restore it to them.
Union organizer Leroy Jones will be a strong voice for social
and economic justice in the City Council, supporting
the Big Box Living Wage Ordinance and affordable housing set-asides. He
pledges to fight predatory lenders, banks that redline and
landlords who illegally refuse to accept Section 8 vouchers. Jones
also wants to increase home ownership by expanding programs
that offer low interest mortgages and help lower-income people
make downpayments on a home. His other priorities include
providing more “feet on the street” and bringing
the police and the community together to better address the
crime problems in the neighborhoods.
Ricardo Muñoz
Alderman 22nd Ward
Since his election to the City Council in 1995, Ric Muñoz
has been one of the Council's shining stars ‑ an independent
leader for government reform and community empowerment. Locally,
he led the successful campaign to build a new high school
and five elementary schools to reduce overcrowding in neighborhood
schools. In the Council, he is not afraid to criticize
the administration or stand up to the mayor. Muñoz
has been a leader in the fight for a living wage, for affordable
housing, and against the abuse of TIFs. He introduced
legislation to prohibit outside income for alderman and supports
an ordinance directing the corporation counsel to stop fighting
the Shakman decree. Most recently, Muñoz has
called for City Council hearings to investigate frequent failures
of the rapid transit system.
Michael D. Chandler
Alderman 24th Ward
Through three terms, Michael Chandler has worked to bridge
the gaps between residents, local businesses, social services
and city government. His chief priorities are fighting
for education and against gangs and drugs, fighting for employment
programs to help ex-offenders get a fresh start and fighting
for homeownership and entrepreneurial opportunities for the
residents of his ward. Chandler is justly proud of the
residential development that he has helped bring to Lawndale,
both private sector market rate housing, and affordable home
ownership through non-profit developers. He would like
to see greater commercial development and suggests that siting
the Olympic Stadium on vacant land on the west side could
serve as an economic engine in a neighborhood that sorely
needs it.
James John Cicenia, Jr.
Alderman 24th Ward
Businessman and community activist Cuahutémoc Morfin
believes that the office of alderman should be conducted in
an atmosphere of complete transparency, without any influences
from outside special interests. He pledges to adhere to a
value system of strong ethics and exemplary behavior and not
to condone or ignore corruption in city government or political
favoritism for special interests. This would be a welcome
change. Morfin is also a Local School Council member
and supports reducing class size, expansion of after-school
programs and demolition of aging schools and replacement with
new energy-efficient buildings. He opposes Renaissance
2010 and No Child Left Behind because they undermine local
control and self determination and redirect desperately needed
financial resources to the privately controlled charter schools
and other corporate profiteers.
When he first became Alderman fourteen years ago, Billy Ocasio
convened a community summit that was attended by over 1,000
residents who designed a neighborhood development plan that
is still followed today. Under this plan, he has facilitated
the creation of hundreds of new, affordable housing units,
building of new schools and upgraded educational facilities,
and establishment of a vocational training center. Ocasio
has promoted health education campaigns that provide life-saving
information for neighborhood residents and worked to establish
housing for HIV/AIDS patients in the ward. He has been
a leading advocate of immigrants’ rights and a champion
of the working poor. Ocasio has utilized TIF districts
as they were intended, leveraging funds to improve the aging
commercial district and encourage increased privately-funded
economic development.
For twenty four years, Ed Smith has served the 28th ward,
engaging his constituents in community planning and problem-solving. His
top priorities are combating drug use, improving local schools,
creating a mix of upscale, moderate and low income housing
and aiding in the alleviation of the extremely high recidivism
rate in the community. Smith also would like to secure
an Olympic venue in his ward, to help spur greater economic
development.
Four years ago, IVI-IPO endorsed Ariel Reboyras for his first
term, based on his promise to engage the community in the
decision-making process, and we have not been disappointed. Reboyras
has created an advisory council and formed excellent working
relationships with established community groups to plan for
development. His service office maintains evening and
weekend hours and he holds regular town hall meetings to obtain
feedback from his constituents. Reboyras is a staunch
supporter of social and economic justice, championing the
fight for affordable housing, and withstanding incredible
mayoral pressure to change his vote for the Big Box Living
Wage Ordinance. IVI-IPO endorses Reboyras for his support
of our legislative agenda, and for his political courage.
Scott
Waguespack
Alderman 32nd Ward
Attorney Catherine Zaryczny is a life-long resident of the
32nd ward and is critical of the lack of community involvement
in aldermanic decisions affecting development and quality
of life issues in the ward. She pledges to institute
two-way communication with residents, through block-by-block
surveys of their opinions and needs, an aldermanic hotline,
public meetings to discuss development proposals, a regularly
published aldermanic newsletter and a comprehensive website. Zaryczny
will end “ad hoc” development decisions, seemingly
made with no consideration for underlying transportation,
traffic, congestion and other basic concerns, and will seek
coordination with other wards on developments which will necessarily
impact one other.
Raul Molina
Alderman 33th Ward
Rey
Colón
Alderman 35th Ward
Endorsed by IVI-IPO and elected four years
ago in the most stunning electoral upset of the year, Rey
Colón has
become a leader for social and economic justice in the City
Council. A chief sponsor of the Big Box Living Wage
Ordinance, he worked tirelessly lobbying his colleagues to
support the bill, and to defeat the Mayoral veto. Undaunted
by the successful override, he pledges to support a new, more
comprehensive ordinance and secure a veto-proof majority. Colón
is also a co-sponsor of the inclusionary zoning ordinance
requiring set-asides for affordable housing and has already
instituted a set-aside requirement for developments in his
ward.
Esteban Burgoa
Alderman 35th Ward
Miguel Sotomayor
Alderman 35th Ward
Vilma Colom
Alderman 35th Ward
Tommy Abina believes that we need to improve the accessibility
and responsiveness of local government and pledges to include
the residents and community organizations in any development
planning. He identifies the need for commercial development,
decent, affordable housing, and rodent control as the top
issues facing the ward. With a Masters degree in Public
Administration and professional experience in both the private
and public sectors, Abina has the background and knowledge
to tackle these serious problems. His perspective as
a community activist will ensure that the ward residents are
part of crafting the solutions.
Arlene Jones
Alderman 37th Ward
Christopher Belz’s campaign platform is to provide the
39th ward with honesty, integrity and fairness in city council
representation and city service delivery. Calling for
an end to corruption, favoritism and back room deals, he pledges
equal representation for all residents, and special outreach
to those geographic areas of the ward that have been less
favored politically. Belz would focus his efforts initially
on infrastructure improvements in the south and east ends
of the ward, beautification of the Lawrence Avenue business
district, activities for youth to entice them away from gang
activities, and developing day care options for working parents.
Brendan Reilly’s top priority will be to provide frequent
information updates and solicit constituent input on local
issues through regular community meetings, constituent surveys,
newsletters and e-mail updates. Identifying traffic
congestion and lack of parking for residents as the main problems
facing the ward, he plans to work with developers to provide
more parking spaces in new developments and with city engineers,
area residents and businesses to develop a comprehensive transportation
plan that alleviates congestion, particularly in the Streeterville
and New Eastside neighborhoods.
Burton Natarus
Alderman 42nd Ward
Vi Daley
Alderman 43rd Ward
Michelle Smith
Alderman 43rd Ward
Peter Zelchenko
Alderman 43rd Ward
Rachel Goodstein
Alderman 43rd Ward
Community activist Robert Bank is running for alderman to
bring honesty and integrity to local government and to empower
citizens to form a development plan for the ward. He
cites reining in out-of-control development, revitalizing
the business district, and creating an “inclusive culture” as
his top priorities if elected alderman. Bank plans to
hold monthly town-hall meetings where residents can review
development plans and TIF proposals and share their concerns
and ideas. He pledges to walk at least one precinct
a week during his term of office to create a visible and welcoming
presence.
For twenty years, Helen Shiller has served as alderman of
the 46th ward, successfully balancing the competing needs
and desires of one of the most diverse neighborhoods in Chicago. Unquestionably
one of the foremost leaders for affordable housing, Shiller
also has led the drive for commercial development, establishing
numerous retail corridors, and securing a major retail/residential
project at Wilson Yards. She involves the community
in every step of the planning process and brings together
all parties to air their opinions and craft a successful project
or program. Community service is her trademark and Shiller
has established a ward service office which is a model of
efficiency and constituent satisfaction.
The relationship of alderman, residents and businesses in
the 47th ward is the embodiment of community empowerment,
thanks to Gene Schulter’s dedication to inclusion and
participation. He has worked with the advise and consent
of ward stakeholders to develop Lincoln Square as a successful,
pedestrian-oriented, independently owned and operated business
environment. To inhibit the out of control development
which plagues neighboring wards, Schulter downzoned all residential
property in the ward from R4 to R3. If a developer requests
a zoning change, the proposal is submitted to residents
for their approval at a public meeting, and Schulter abides
by the people’s decision. In the City Council,
he has been a staunch supporter of affordable housing, a living
wage, and government reform. Gene Schulter is a model
alderman who we wish could be replicated throughout the city.
Christopher Persons
Alderman 48th Ward
Mary Ann Smith
Alderman 48th Ward
Joe Moore
Alderman 49th Ward
Few alderman ever exhibit any independence from the Mayor;
Joe Moore speaks out frequently and assertively against patronage,
corruption, government waste and inefficiency. He has
introduced the Accountability in Privatization Ordinance,
to examine whether public funds paid to private contractors
are being properly spent, and is chief sponsor of an ordinance
requiring the City to cease fighting the Shakman decree. Moore
is also a leader for social and economic justice, as co-sponsor
of the Big Box Living Wage and Affordable Housing Set-aside
ordinances, and resolutions condemning the Patriot Act and
calling for withdrawal of US troops from Iraq. In his
ward, he has initiated and presided over a dramatic revival
of several neighborhood commercial districts, while being
vigilant in preserving the diverse ethnic and economic character
of Rogers Park. Moore is a diligent representative and
trustworthy leader of his community, and the independent conscience
of the City Council.
Chris Adams
Alderman 49th Ward
Donald Gordon
Alderman 49th Ward
Jim Ginderske
Alderman 49th Ward
Community and political activist Naisy Dolar promises energetic
leadership and true participatory democracy in the 50th ward. She
has already established a Residents’ Action and Advisory
Council and will support creation of Community Planning and
TIF Oversight boards whose recommendations she pledges to
follow. Her priorities for the development of the ward
include enabling Devon Avenue to realize its full potential
as a thriving international marketplace, revitalizing the
Touhy Avenue business district, and ensuring that housing
remains affordable to renters as well as homeowners. Dolar
also will establish a service office with staff that is efficient
and responsive to the multi-lingual population of the ward.
Greg Brewer
Alderman 50th Ward
Salman Aftab
Alderman 50th Ward
Referenda
12th & 49th Wards – Living Wage – YES
42nd Ward – Stem Cell Research - YES
