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Education
Corruption and sexual assault scandals, school closings and labor unrest have created terrible headlines for Chicago Public Schools and terrible outcomes for its students. We have to get back to the basics and ensure that parents can trust their child’s school can provide an effective education in a clean, safe and responsive learning environment. This means a focus on transparency, accountability and neighborhood schools.
Neighborhood Schools
- Strong schools attract families, drive population growth and boost the local economy. Many of the neighborhoods facing severe enrollment decline are also the neighborhoods that have failing economies, rampant crime and low numbers of homeowners. An emphasis on reinvesting in the neighborhood school as an anchor of the community will help confront these critical issues..
- Chicago Public Schools need a long-term model that takes into account projected demographics and other trends when considering new school construction, consolidations or closings. Chicago needs a 10 – and 20-year citywide school plan.
- Every neighborhood should have a viable public school option. With more than 130 charter schools in Chicago and roughly 75,000 students enrolled, charters have become the neighborhood school option for many communities. Because of this, charter schools should be required to abide by the same residency requirements and administrative pay regulations as traditional Chicago Public Schools.
School Board Reform
- Chicago remains one of the only big cities in the country without elected representation on its school board. This must change. Parents and students deserve to have their voices heard in the decision-making process for initiatives and financial choices that directly impact students’ education and, ultimately, their future as productive Chicagoans.
- I propose a 7-member board, constituted of one member elected from one of each six districts, and one member appointed by the mayor. The mayoral appointee must be a parent or guardian of a student that is enrolled in CPS at the time of the appointment.
- A hybrid school board retains the benefits of both elected and appointed boards. Elected boards ensure the community has a voice at the table while an appointed board typically has a more conservative fiscal approach to decisions. Implementing a hybrid board will maintain accountability while ensuring transparency.
Student Safety
- I would work with Springfield to enact legislation that mandates a sentence of no less than 20 years in prison for convictions of sexual assault of children by a person in a position of trust. I would also seek to remove the statute of limitation on sexual assault of children cases.
- CPS must ensure that the process for reporting, investigating, and adjudicating claims of misconduct are free from conflicts of interest so that a fair process is maintained for CPS students, parents and staff.
Opportunity Classrooms
- I propose establishing an opportunity classroom pilot program with students from Kindergarten through 3rd Grade divided in class sizes of eight. Students would remain in the same classroom with the same students and the same teacher during these years. This program will allow the teachers, students and parents to build a trusting relationship. With small class sizes the teacher will be better able to give the students the individualized support they need.
Vocational and Technical Education
- Chicago must invest in the future of its students by creating diverse paths to success. CPS must be equipped to adequately prepare all students for their next step after school. As a city, we need to get back to the basics and provide students with the option to learn a trade or skill as a potential career after high school.
- A sizable percentage of CPS students enter into careers after graduation that did not require a 4-year college degree, and with the current demand for skilled labor, Chicago must re-emphasize the importance of technical and vocational training. These training programs, in partnership with professional and trade unions, will help supply the next generation of workers that are needed to the fill current and future employment demands.
Extracurricular Activities
- Chicago cannot continue to eliminate extracurricular activities. All Chicago students should be exposed to a variety of choices, from sports like rugby, wrestling, volleyball, football, basketball, soccer, hockey, boxing — to music, theater, coding, debate and speech, chess, Model U.N. and student government. Extracurricular activities provide a balance to a student’s education and are directly linked to improved academic performance and attendance. To give Chicago public school students the opportunity to choose from a wide range of extracurricular activities, we must build upon partnerships with other city agencies, like the Park District and community non-profit organizations
Municipal Finances
Chicago’s finances are broken. An honest conversation about fixing our finances has to include new sources of revenue. We also must recognize that we cannot tax our way out of this problem. Burdensome fines, fees and taxes are contributing to a cycle of relocation from our city. New sources of revenue will provide some breathing room to allow us to govern and grow our way out of this.
Pension Governance
- The pension crisis has two related components:There are insufficient assets available and liabilities are increasing. Without a solution, the pension fund liabilities will continue to increase at a greater pace than their assets. Educating the public about the problem and the potential solutions, as well as complete transparency in implementing solutions, are the cornerstone of my campaign’s plan to face this crisis.
- Using the City’s own numbers, the required combined pension contributions to the City’s four retirement funds (excluding CPS) grows from $1.184 billion in 2019 to $2.130 billion in Fiscal Year 2023. Our priority needs to be paying down these obligations to lower the cost of borrowing and to give Chicago breathing room to govern and grow our way out of this financial crisis.
Generating Revenue
- We must recognize that we cannot solve our financial problems on the backs of residential property owners. Chicago needs to think iidentify new sources of revenue and potential creative financing solutions.
- Efforts to generate additional revenue toward the unfunded pension liabilities should include the following proposals:
Marijuana Legalization
- The inevitability of recreational marijuana legalization is an opportunity for a new stream of revenue. It is important for the City of Chicago to have a seat at the negotiation table to ensure the City gets its fair share of the revenue. The Governor and the State Legislature have made it clear they will legalize recreational marijuana. I would direct any portion of the revenue generated by the tax dedicated to unfunded pension liabilities.
Publicly Owned Casino
- A publicly-owned casino has the potential to bring in more than a billion dollars to the City in annual revenue. This would allow Chicago to capture revenue that currently accrue to nearby states and locales.
- Establishing a Chicago casino would require State legislation, putting the City in a position to earmark all revenue generated by the casino entirely to paying down the unfunded pension liability.
- The casino should be sited in an area that could support an entire entertainment district — potentially, the South Works Steel property. The redevelopment of the South Works site could include a sport complex, a concert venue, a water park and hotels, with the capability of future expansion. Additionally, as part of the larger development, the entertainment complex could partner with the Great Lakes Cruising Coalition to take advantage of cruising on the Great Lakes.
Sport Betting
- The U.S. Supreme Court recently decided that sports betting is permitted in all 50 states. Chicago must take advantage of this ruling and be at the forefront of this new venture.
Passenger Facility Charge
- Increasing the cap on the passenger facility charge at Chicago airports will allow us to dedicate the additional revenue to paying down the pension obligations. This increase would sunset after a time certain and would require amending federal legislation.
Third Airport
- Supporting the proposed third airport should be considered, given the revenues it could generate for the City.
Fire and Police Academy
- The current proposal for the new Police and Fire Academy completely ignores the fiscal health of the City. At this time, the City should explore repurposing existing buildings for police training and the academy. We should wait until the City is on more stable financial footing before revisiting the prospect of constructing and opening a new facility
- Rather than construct the proposed $100 million new police and fire academy, five of the remaining 37 vacant Chicago Public School buildings should be repurposed and retrofitted for the new police and fire training academies. This proposal will spur economic development and is fiscally responsible.
- If implemented, the City could save up to $100 million from construction costs and an estimated $400,000 in annual costs currently associated with maintaining these buildings. The proposed school sites were selected because they are located within the newly-established Federal Opportunity Zones — a federal program that provides tax incentives to spur investment. This plan will benefit public safety, serve as a catalyst for additional investment and spark revitalization efforts in historically economically-depressed and neglected communities.
Inventory City Assets
- An inventory of all City-owned assets should be conducted and an analysis of the possible non-permanent transfer of any of those assets into the pension funds or into an entity established for the benefit of the pension funds.
TIF Reform
- TIFs can be a valuable tool in funding construction or development projects – and to this end, they should continue to be used. The use of TIF revenues for specific projects which, in turn, increase property tax receipts is smart fiscal policy. However, if TIF districts are used to hijack money from other revenue-strapped arms of the government and under the radar of most taxpayers, the program becomes unfair and unwise.
- The City has not published a comprehensive policy that would govern the establishment of TIF districts and oversight of TIF expenditures. Moreover, taxpayers have not been provided with an easy means to access information about the TIF process or to evaluate the performance of the City’s TIF investment.
- The City’s TIF program needs to be reviewed from top-to-bottom to ensure affected communities are properly involved, appropriate controls are in place and money from taxing bodies are properly being diverted to help under-served constituents and communities.
- Currently, one in four Chicago properties are located within a TIF district. Due to the lack of transparency surrounding the TIF program, a moratorium should be placed on all TIF-related matters until this review has occurred and new rules have been promulgated that ensure transparency and accountability.
Public Safety
The Number One responsibility of any government is the protection and safety of its people. Chicago is failing at this job. We have to get back to the basics and address the problem of violence that is destroying our neighborhoods, starting by cracking down on repeat gun offenders, restoring staffing levels to solve crimes and employing an all-hands-on-deck brand of community policing.
Rebuilding and Restoring Staffing
- The police department has been severely depleted — costing the department millions of dollars in overtime, money that could be better spent on technical resources and training to help Chicago officers effectively carry out their jobs. City budgeting must prioritize hiring more officers to build a more responsive and accountable CPD.
- In addition to the severe financial consequences of having an under-staffed police department, without a substantial increase in the number of sworn officers CPD will continue to be unable to effectively serve and protect Chicagoans. Chicago lags the nation in clearance rates for homicides and shootings. All Chicagoans are put at risk by the city’s failure to prioritize investigation of these crimes. Too many cases are languishing because of the manpower shortage. The CPD detective division must be restored to full capacity to ensure violent crime is investigated in a timely manner.
- To supplement the detective division, the position of “detective emeritus” would be created to allow recently retired detectives to be called back on a case-by-case basis and paid on an hourly basis. This additional pool of detectives would help combat potential staffing shortages
Youth Engagement
- Law enforcement is but one component of public safety. Positive, effective programs need to be developed for youth in our neighborhoods that focus on underlying causes of crime, including youth unemployment, lack of educational opportunity, and lack of hope. Programs must be developed and resourced to provide summer and part-time public service jobs to help shape the next generation of leaders. To help create a pipeline to success, youth that successfully participate in these city job programs will be given course credit at Chicago City Colleges and state universities, preference for grants and scholarships for higher education, and/or receive credit towards applications for City jobs.
- Additionally, existing programs that build interaction and engagement between Chicago’s youth and CPD need to be enhanced. I propose new programs such as one-on-one mentoring with CPD officers; increased CPD-Community teams working together at schools, parks, community gardens; sports leagues and tourneys; and other programs that facilitate positive interaction and engagement.
Community Engagement
- Building trust between CPD and the various communities in Chicago is vital. To establish more authentic community policing, I propose a Neighborhood Immersion Pilot Program. This pilot program would create teams of sergeants and beat officers that remain on the same beat for a period of 30 months. Having the same team in the same neighborhood for an extended period of time will foster consistency and familiarity that is currently lacking. With this immersion, officers will be better able to gather intelligence for solving crimes. By increasing the clearance rates and establishing a stable presence in these communities, the relationship and trust between officers and the communities they serve will improve.
New Training Facilities
- Significant funds must be devoted to the needs of our first responder training, but the current proposal for constructing a new police and fire academy completely ignores the fiscal health of the city. The city should wait until it is on more stable financial footing before revisiting the costly construction of a new facility.
- My proposed plan ensures that public safety, economic development and fiscal responsibility go hand-in-hand. We will repurpose five of the remaining vacant Chicago Public School buildings that were closed in 2013 to house the city’s new fire and police training academies. This plan could save the city more than $100 million and serve as a catalyst for additional investment in the surrounding communities. The schools chosen for this plan were strategically selected because they are located within the boundaries of one of the newly-established Federal Opportunity Zones — a federal program that provides tax incentives to help spur investment in economically-depressed communities. This plan will save the city an additional $400,000 annually in costs currently associated with maintaining the vacant buildings.
Gun Violence
- Chicago does not have a gun problem; it has a gun EPIDEMIC. And it’s an epidemic that has been stealing innocent lives and destroying Chicago communities for decades. Between 2013 and 2016, Chicago Police seized almost 7,000 illegal guns each year, In 2017 that number jumped to more than 8,600. The amount of illegal guns coming into the city through illegal trafficking from neighboring states continues to exacerbate the problem.
- Addressing Chicago’s gun epidemic requires a coordinated effort. Every level of government must be brought to the table — federal, state, county and city agencies — to coordinate a response that shares strategic and financial resources and utilizes the best tools available to law enforcement. I would seek more assistance from the federal government and the U.S. Attorney’s Office and work with the ATF on a pilot program focused exclusively on removing guns from our streets.
Pretrial Concerns
- Protecting our neighborhoods. Under current policy, violent offenders and individuals with multiple felony convictions or bond-related violations are being released in high volumes on “I”-Bonds or placed on electronic monitoring. Without adequate supervision or monitoring, many of these individuals fail to appear for court and return to criminal activity.
- Monitoring criminal defendants. Many defendants placed on electronic monitoring disable their ankle bracelet, violating their bail conditions, and roam our streets with no accountability or restrictions. While an arrest warrant may be issued, apprehending these defendants has not been made a priority in Chicago and Cook County. Catching these defendant who have violated their bail conditions and are a public danger must be a priority. Let’s get back to the basics and form a Chicago Police Department, Cook County Sheriff’s Department and Illinois State Police task force to locate and apprehend defendants who remove their electronic monitoring bracelet.
- Safety and well-being of crime victims. Just as victims of crime should be notified when a convicted felon is released from prison, victims have the right to be notified immediately that a criminal defendant has violated conditions of bail and/or escaped from their electronic monitoring ankle bracelets. It is common sense, but it does not occur. The rights of victims of crimes must be given the attention and protections they deserve.
Veterans
Veterans served our country and Chicago has to give back to them. This means coordinating assistance, providing for those experiencing homelessness, increasing educational opportunities and facilitating employment.
Agency Coordination
- Chicago must work more closely with state, federal and local agencies to coordinate the delivery of health services, particularly AODA and mental health services.
- City resources should be used to ensure that data on services for veterans is tracked and shared, to help enhance opportunities in housing, jobs and health.
- The city must work to enforce federal preferential hiring guidelines for veterans and their families.
- The city should partner with and leverage existing, effective programs like A Safe Haven. Experienced professional organizations that have been serving the needs of veterans will be able to better serve the population with coordinated support of city resources.
Veterans Village
- A Veterans Village would be an investment in veterans currently experiencing homelessness and would provide housing, employment and health services on an interim basis, en route to stable employment and stable housing.
Better Government
Anything that results in greater transparency and accountability is better for the city and its people. Chicagoans deserve a fair and honest government.
Transparent and Accountable Government
To enhance transparency and accountability throughout city government, I will implement the following policies:
- Term limits for elected officials — two terms for Mayor and three terms for City Council members.
- Reduce the size of the City Council to 25 members or less.
- Establish rotating committee chairs that are elected by board members, rather than appointed by the Mayor.
- Require Aldermen and their staff to maintain a record of all contacts and communications regarding zoning decisions.
- Ban outside employment for elected officials.
- Expand the Inspector General’s authority to include oversight of the City Council.
Equality
The LGBTQ Community in Chicago is an important part of our diverse city. The next mayor of Chicago has to be committed to addressing the unique challenges this community faces, especially when it comes to the safety of their persons. Chicago deserves an advocate, not just an ally.
Public Safety
- With hate crimes on the rise, Chicago needs to recommit to public safety. Restoring the city’s Detective Division and putting more officers on the streets will lead to the clearance of more crimes overall and serve as a deterrent for hate crimes.
Inclusiveness
- We need to make sure that city government is a safe and inclusive space for LGBTQ workers. This means more than relying on the work of the Commission on Human Relations or various liaisons and top-level advisers. At every level of government, we need to ensure real diversity, representation and voice.
Affordability
- With LBGTQ individuals much more likely to live in poverty or face homelessness at higher rates than the public at large, our campaign’s broader focus on affordability will provide relief. This starts with paying down our bills and NOT raising taxes, licenses and fees. Meeting our unfunded pension obligations will in turn free up revenue for critical investments in safety, education and core services.
Health Care
- The alarming rise in STDs such as hepatitis and syphilis within some communities and the encouraging value of PrEP medication means the need for continued intervention by the public health community, as well as continued investment. The Healthy Chicago databook is a good guide to confronting these challenges.[1]
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