Essie Hall
Essie Hall ran for election to the Chicago City Council to represent Ward 9 in Illinois. Hall lost in the general election on February 26, 2019.
Hall completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2019. Click here to read the survey answers.
Hall responded to Ballotpedia's unique candidate survey for 2019 Chicago candidates. The survey questions were developed with input from more than 100 Chicagoans in the months preceding the 2019 election. Here is one selected response:
"We are experiencing a cultural breakdown of traditional American families and schools are structured to that tradition. When planning educational programs we must consider the environments that ALL of our students are coming from, ie. divorce, blended families, absent fathers, absent mothers. That changes the educational dynamic and it must be considered in all that we do to create successful educational outcomes."
Click here to read more of Hall's responses.
Elections
2019
See also: City elections in Chicago, Illinois (2019)
General election
General election for Chicago City Council Ward 9
Incumbent Anthony Beale defeated Cleopatra Draper, Paul Collins, and Essie Hall in the general election for Chicago City Council Ward 9 on February 26, 2019.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Anthony Beale (Nonpartisan) | 59.3 | 6,773 |
 | Cleopatra Draper (Nonpartisan)  | 25.8 | 2,949 | |
| Paul Collins (Nonpartisan) | 8.2 | 938 | ||
 | Essie Hall (Nonpartisan) | 6.7 | 763 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.1 | 8 | ||
| Total votes: 11,431 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Marcia Brown-Williams (Nonpartisan)
- Rachel Williams (Nonpartisan)
Campaign themes
2019
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Chicago 2019 Candidate Survey
Essie Hall completed Ballotpedia's Chicago candidates survey for 2019. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Hall's responses.
Low-income families do not have the same choices, options, or alternatives when it comes to public school. How can this be addressed?
By appropriately prioritizing education and an equitable distribution of funding for All schools.
How would you address inequality within and between schools?
By insuring that all students have an equal opportunity to benefit from an well invested and equitable education. Proper development of programming and the employment of professionals that deal not only with finance in leadership, but those that are qualified in the fields of human development such as psychology and social sciences.
How can public schools better support their teachers and work more productively with the teachers’ union, parents, and the community?
By respecting and valuing the roles and sacrifices of the profession of teachers and compensating them appropriately for their investment in our children and young people.
What do you believe are the greatest needs of kids in school today? How would you prioritize these needs and address them?
We are experiencing a cultural breakdown of traditional American families and schools are structured to that tradition. When planning educational programs we must consider the environments that ALL of our students are coming from, ie. divorce, blended families, absent fathers, absent mothers. That changes the educational dynamic and it must be considered in all that we do to create successful educational outcomes.
What are your proposals for supporting children before and after school? What would be your ideal afterschool programs?
The creating of a sociological environment where one parent ,of two could be with the parent at alternating times if divorce, blended families, or careers are a part of family life. For example, employers that would be sensitive to staggered work shifts to benefit parents and children so that one parent or another can be available to their children. The best after school programs may be those which include parents on a volunteer basis, allowing the parents hours volunteered to serve as pay for services.
Do you believe that there is corruption in Chicago politics, such as pay-to-play practices when the city awards bids? If so, how would you address it?
There is clear evidence to us all that "pay for play" exists because of people being shut out of economic opportunity if they do not meet certain " criteria". A sure example is our political leaders ended up in investigations and criminal charges to the extent of serving sentences. One can only bring their own integrity to that environment and be prepared to face the corruption even if it means loss of political alliances for telling and exposing the truth of sociopolitical circumstances.
How would you make the city’s policies more responsive to community input instead of donors or special interests?
By alway providing opportunities for the input of citizens. For example, have a situation in ALL public libraries where citizens can raise questions for the city council at any given time and those questions and concerns reviewed on a consistent basis while the council was in session and raised to All the elected officials which would become a part of the minutes for council meetings.
How would you handle the “recurrence of unaddressed racially discriminatory conduct by officers” identified in the U.S. Justice Department’s investigative report of the Chicago PD published in 2017?
Bring to the forefront of city business the recurrences and introducing an ordinance that would protect the victims of discrimination and the police officers that are NOT racist that have to work under such conditions. Follow through until it passes the council.
What sort of proposals would help reduce police shootings and fatalities?
Proper vetting of officers in training, time off for officers at meaningful intervals, and ongoing scrutiny of police behaviors and practices while on the job. Real justice for wrong-doing.
What ideas do you have to reduce the availability of illegal or unregistered guns in Chicago?
We must know where they come from. There are so many, somebody knows where they come from. We can start by proper registration of ALL firearms. Free training for purpose, use, storage of arms. There was a time when Americans used guns to hunt for food to feed families, which is purposeful enough, but the high powered weapons we understand being used today are unnecessary except for causing major harm to many innocent people.
How will you help to rebuild trust in the police department and to encourage the community to work with police?
One would have to review the professional practices of individual officers record by record. What has happened in one's career is a matter of record for most professionals. If an officers file reveals that he or she has been overly aggressive or unnecessarily abusive, they should receive the help and support they need to police appropriately.
How would you address criminal justice issues such as prison reform and the reintegration of formerly incarcerated persons into city life?
In the regard to reintegration of incarcerated individuals into society, something must be done as many of these individuals have had minor infractions against the law and deserve the right of full opportunity for acceptable and purposeful citizenship. The first and larger issue appears to be housing and employment to "jump start" the individuals to an socially acceptable lifestyle. In addition, it appears that some judges need cultural and sensitivity training for the sentences that they wield to some and not others.
How would you address the displacement of people of color and long-term residents from their neighborhoods?
This has caused a major problem with families and their communities as well as their cultural heritage. It almost to late for minorities to benefit from addressing this matter because have economical and socially "evacuated" from their communities. However, if one really cared, for the small numbers left behind now one could develop programs that would allow families communities to remain where they are and properly service that community to a better standard and quality of life as new neighbors move in.
How would you care for the most vulnerable Chicagoans?
Restore social service programs (that left with President Clinton) and create agencies that would monitor and support the appropriate use of the same.
How would you ensure that development benefits residents in their neighborhoods and not solely the developers and other interests?
Preliminary screening of both residents and developers seeking a cohesiveness for the neighborhood that both were aligned to and desired for the best of both, especially for families and the economic foundation of that community.
How would you distribute revenue fairly between neighborhoods?
We are all in this together. Yes, it is true, " we are our brothers keeper". If we do not share the responsibility of the well being of others that have less opportunity, then we have failed ourselves and others. Their problems will eventually become the problems of those that have.
How do you propose to resolve the city’s underfunded pension plan for city employees?
The city pension funding has been so misused and abused. I believe we would have to ask those on pension now to give a small portion of theirs, while our new professionals put in more that would be considered normal. Match the two sets of figures over time and we may have a program that could protect those currently living on pensions and provide a future for those retiring in the future.
What’s your opinion on tax increment financing (a program that funds development using any additional property tax revenue that results from an increase in appraised property values)? What, if any, changes would you make to the use of TIF?
Firstly, TIF funds must address the equitability of the formula for assigning the taxes. Thereafter, those being tax should have a right to benefit from their tax contributions with consideration being given to those who are automatically excluded from the benefits of TIF funding. Secondly, the needs of EACH community should be addressed, if a community has lead pipe issues another just wants a new housing development one would think that the funds should be used to correct the lead pipe issue for health reasons.
How would you assess the city's finances, and if your proposals would require new spending, how would you pay for them?
Taxes are ALWAYS collected, in fact we have new taxes on water, and sodas, etc. There is money, but it must be respected and used appropriately and dispersed in a manner that demonstrates a regard for ALL taxpayers not just some. One can reprioritize and reapportion funds based on need.
Would you be in favor of freezing property taxes, at least for low-income households, so that people can stay where they are living?
Freezing taxes may present a budgetary problem for the city, however low income families may be able to survive the year with lower increments of payments throughout the year. Given the current technologies it may not be overly costly to implement such a plan for families that would desire to remain in their homes and would stabilize tax-paying communities.
How would you increase access to quality food and urgent care in all parts of the city?
One can work with national grocery chains and work out incentives that would encourage them locating and servicing particular communities.
How will you address public health concerns such as contaminated drinking water, rat infestation, and lead poisoning?
This is of course is a priority and is an immediate health issue for the entire city. If these problems are not addressed in one community they spread to another. One can support hospital initiatives to place urgent care facilities in communities and community agencies can provide educational services to inform citizens about preventive measures to protect themselves and their community.
How would you make Chicago a cleaner city with less waste and pollution?
Focus on community pride and self-help skills for neighborhoods. If necessary sponsoring events and competitions for those that would participate in taking care of whatever they owned or rented.
What would be your first steps for improving the transit system in terms of affordability, accessibility, and safety?
Would implement special fares for low-income users, and train and hire neighborhood residents to provide transportation services so that they could appreciate and respect the value of the services provided.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
See also
2019 Elections
External links
Footnotes
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