To inform voters and to help the baiduhai Editorial Board make endorsements, the board posed a series of questions to the candidates running for alderman. See their answers below. See how other candidates answered here.
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Name: Byron Sigcho Lopez
Ward: 25th
Current job: Alderperson, 25th Ward, City of Chicago
Previous political experience: I was elected Alderperson in 2019. In 2020, I was elected 25th Ward Democratic Committeeperson.
Education: Mathematics and Business Administration BA, Cumberland University; Economics MA, University of Illinois at Chicago; Urban Education Policy PhD candidate at UIC.
Spouse’s occupation: Physical Scientist at the United States Environmental Protection Agency
Sources of outside income: Spouse owns one rental unit that has a tenant. No other outside income for our household.
The rise in violent crime remains a top priority for City Hall. Homicides, shootings and carjackings are all unacceptably high. Tell us how city government can be innovative in combating crime, and explain what measures you would propose if elected.
Our city must invest in intervening in the root causes of violence.
In the 25th Ward, we’ve gone block by block to address the root causes together with neighbors who were deeply invested in an immediate and sustained resolution to recurring issues of violence on their blocks. In some cases, we worked together with the troubled person, the family, teachers and school counselors, police, and were able to identify and bring resources to address tragic circumstances causing distress for the entire family. In other cases, our office worked hard with family to address an ignored mental health issue with a family member that was triggering distressing and dangerous incidents for neighbors.
We have also worked with residents, street vendors, and brick and mortar business owners concerned with increasing crime and slow police response times. We must prioritize police responding to, for example gun violence, and not mental health crises on the same 911 emergency line.
For over a year now we have convened community public safety meetings to have in depth discussions with community residents and have convened stakeholder calls with residents from across the ward. One of the initiatives that emerged was the Luv City program at the Rudy Lozano alternative high school, a program that involves young people in opportunities to express their creativity and talent as filmmakers and actors, in digital media and art. In a short time, the program has doubled in size and is continuing the scale up with the help of 25th Ward residents who have come together and began a non-profit organization called 2532 to expand these violence prevention efforts.
Chicago must bring trades back to our high schools and be a leader in promoting local hiring. In some areas of our city, the unemployment rate among young men can reach as high as 50%. We have worked hard to bring employment opportunities to our communities but continue to see too little political willingness to bring Chicago’s forgotten young people together with opportunities for success. I expand on addressing this question in other relevant questions in this questionnaire.
The CTA, one of the nation’s largest transit systems, remains a troubled agency grappling with issues ranging from violent crime and ghost buses and trains, to flagging ridership. Give us your thoughts on what specific measures CTA should take to make train and bus service safer, more reliable and more equitable for Chicagoans.
CTA must improve reliability, frequency, safety and quality of their services. We must invest in our infrastructure, shifting CTA busses from diesel to electric. Our city must call on our federal representatives to grow opportunities for strategic investments to manufacture our electric fleets here in Chicago, putting people to work to make our transit system more reliable and ultimately increase ridership. I support the expansion of the red line on the south side, a critical step to improve equity on the CTA, and also would create 6000 jobs.
It is clear that accountability is sorely needed. Efforts must be assessed for a strong return on investment. City Council must convene quarterly hearings with the CEO to perform audits, discuss goals and progress made towards reaching increased ridership, reliability, quality, and safety for riders and workers.
Ten years ago, enrollment at Chicago Public Schools was 403,000 students. In September, enrollment stood at 322,000 students. Enrollment at CPS has dropped for 11 consecutive years. What specific measures should CPS undertake to reverse the trend of ever-dwindling enrollment?
Chicago is facing a shortfall of over 100,000 units of housing affordable for city residents and families. In the 25th Ward, the city purchased the largest lot of vacant land at 18th and Peoria in order to prioritize building family size affordable housing units.
We also must demand the state invest equitably in per student funding. With needed investment in more support for diverse learners, ESL, and wrap around services, schools can again become community anchors where students and their families feel welcome and safe. In the 25th Ward, we successfully lobbied the board of education to create the first dual language program on the south side at Whittier Elementary, which has helped enrollment. CPS must make every effort to increase enrollment in every school.
Finally, Chicago needs an elected school board now, where members prioritize the needs of students and not of special interest groups who profit off of our schools.
Disinvestment on the South and West sides is a decades-long problem with myriad causes. Give us at least one innovative idea that you believe could play a role in reversing South and West side disinvestment, and explain why the idea is realistic and feasible.
End poverty. A war on poverty has become a war on the poor. Crime, disinvestment, segregation, racism, and dehumanization all plague our policies and norms, helping to perpetuate our city’s problems.
Take crime for example. If it is predictable, it is also preventable. We know, and CPS knows, that 90% of the young people involved in gun violence in our city are students who left Chicago Public Schools. Of those students, many try to return to alternative high schools, but often times find themselves in a system facing obstacles that fail to provide a real path out of poverty, a path out of mental health problems, a path out of substance abuse and other systemic issues. Chicago Public Schools has started some early intervention programs. We must invest to expand those, expand parent engagement programs, provide adequate childcare to families, expand after school programming, park district programs so every interested family can attend, invest in public health/mental health.
The average age for a person committing car jackings in our city is 16 years old. There are researched based solutions that we know can divert crime-involved young people to a better path and can reduce violent crime by up to 75% – we target the zip codes most affected, target CPS kids who need help, and most importantly, the difference is made when we have the political willingness to implement solutions that will actually deliver results.
By implementing the solutions described above to address violence in our communities most affected by it, we eliminate a key barrier to investment and poverty alleviation in our communities that most need it, and also alleviate some of the sources of the anxiety and despair of the residents of those communities, and give firmer ground for growth and investment.
Do you support giving Chicagoans property tax relief? If yes, please explain how you would accomplish it. If no, please explain why not.
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Yes. My district has been the most affected ward in the city with an average increase of 46% – an increase that should be illegal, like it is in the state of Michigan. We cannot continue with regressive tax structures written by indicted politicians like Michael Madigan and a pay to play culture that subsidizes the rich by taxing and exploiting the poor. We must demand collaboration between the Treasurer, Assessor, and the Board of Review to advocate for a stable property tax system that is centered around ability to pay. The city also has a responsibility to look for alternative sources of revenue that do not put burden on small homeowners while big financial interests receive subsidies or cuts, for example corporations like Blackstone in 25th ward with profits of $18 million dollars a year, yet received an 80% property tax reduction by the outgoing Board of Review while long time residents of my ward in century-old buildings have had their taxes double or triple. The property tax appear business is a $500 million dollar a year business. Assessor Kaegi promised to address this. We must make appeals easier and fair and that can be achieved by bringing the decision makers together with state legislators to implement solutions so that never again are communities like Pilsen and Little Village threatened with total erasure despite being one of the most vibrant cultural centers in the state of Illinois. 18th Street and 26th Street are essential commercial corridors in Chicago. We must protect and expand these economic engines with fair taxation and alternative sources of revenue.
Give us your take on the city’s use of tax increment financing districts. Do you feel they have been useful, or do you feel that the problems associated with them outweigh their usefulness? What if any reforms would you want to apply to the city’s usage of TIFs?
TIF funding has been used as a political tool in every administration following Mayor Washington. We must create a democratic and transparent system to honor the mission of lifting truly blighted communities and prioritize based on needs for our communities. If a solution cannot be found, then we have a duty to declare a TIF surplus. To date, TIFs have been used as a subsidy for corporations and developers while small homeowners and local businesses who actually funded the TIFs have little support in return from our city. With a declared surplus, we can return the funds to fund our public schools and address our pension obligations to stop the bleeding and stop kicking the can down the road.
Lead in drinking water is a major health concern for the city. It is estimated that in Chicago there are roughly 400,000 homes and small apartment buildings with lead service lines. So far, the city has replaced less than 300 lead service lines. Do you feel the pace of lead service line replacement should be expedited, and if yes, what is the best, most feasible way to accomplish that?
Yes. Public health is an absolute priority with unaffordable interests costs when delayed. We must pressure our federal representatives to expedite funding to fully and expeditiously replace lead pipes. TIF funding could be explored to expedite a partnership to demonstrate our city making this issue a priority. When maintenance is scheduled for our infrastructure, we must begin to include lead service line replacement to reduce costs in the long run, even if the costs are borne in part through TIF.
If you are an incumbent, please explain what is it about your service on the City Council that makes you most qualified for the job. If you have never served on the council, please explain what is it about your background that makes you most qualified.
I am one of the most independent voices in City Council and a much needed voice for my constituents. I am accountable to them. I do not accept contributions from developers, corporate PACs, polluters, or charter school PACs.
My independence has not stopped me from successfully advocating for my constituents. As a first term Alderperson, I was a co-chair of the Affordable Requirements Ordinance task force that changed ARO policy to increase the percentage of affordable units in private development projects in Chicago. I have created and preserved over 800 units of truly affordable housing in the 25th Ward – one of the highest in the city – many of them family size units. We have a goal of 1000 affordable units by mid 2023, we I believe we will achieve. I passed legislation to stop predatory harassment of homeowners, which is now also being considered in the municipality of Evanston to protect their community members as Chicagoans have been. We have been proactive in fighting for solutions for violent crime. We have canvassed blocks following violent incidents to collect witness statements to bridge the lack of trust that often leaves critical witness statements out of evidence needed for justice for survivors and families. I was the only council member speaking forcefully on why a Proud Boy was allowed to remain employed by CPD. I was a leading voice to make sure we have an independent inspector general that does not “stay in their lane” as our Mayor fought to achieve. I was also a leading voice in sunsetting the Mayor’s “emergency powers” during the pandemic, which was critical to maintain democracy in our city. As Alderperson, I have challenged the corruption of my predecessor Alderman Solis, Alderman Burke and Speaker Madigan.
When the Hilco implosion endangered the well being of residents of the south west side during a global pandemic, I initiated an investigation with the inspector general’s office. I have been a strong advocate on behalf of our small businesses. During the pandemic, we encouraged Chicagoans to continue to support Chinatown as business dwindled in December of 2019. Today, Chicago’s Chinatown is the only one in the nation that continues to grow as Chinatowns across the country suffer from displacement and other challenges. We have supported our small businesses in recouping unused licensing fees during the mandatory shut downs and cut red tape for restaurants to be able to offer creative solutions for outdoor dining as their businesses were in crisis in 2020. We have prevented the Discount Mall – a critical hub of 200 small businesses on the vibrant 26th Street economic corridor – and are optimistic that this critical economic hub can be preserved and even expanded. I am grateful for the strong support I have from local businesses across the 25th Ward because I understand that our city’s economy is rooted in our neighborhoods.
I have reformed our zoning decision making process in the 25th Ward with all zoning decisions going through our zoning advisory board with adjoining public meetings that strive towards consensus and true democratic decision making. Our community has been able to continue growing while supporting the efforts of our community to maintain our culture, identity, and quality of life. I am in a tough re-election in part because of my refusal to play along with fraternity politics in Chicago city government. I have always acted with integrity and been accessible and welcomed discussions with journalists looking to bring important stories to their readers and audiences.
When in challenging circumstances, I have had the maturity and capability to seek community engagement as a guide for my decision making and I am deeply appreciative of my constituents for participating and leading in our collaborative effort to bring democracy and self determination back to the residents of the 25th ward. If I have the honor of being reelected by my constituents, we will continue to explore what a community united in a clear democratic process and vision for safety and stability can create.
What is the most pressing issue facing the people of your ward, and how would you address it?
Displacement and violence are the most critical issues facing my constituents. I have explained in the preceding answers how I have approached those two issues. We have passed legislation and expanded affordable housing. We are fighting increases in property taxes. We have convened stakeholders from across the 25th Ward to be just as invested in the safety of their neighboring communities as they are in their own, and the results that have begun to emerge give me a great deal of hope for what we can continue to build together.
Sum up why should voters elect you and not your opponent(s)? (Please limit this to policy and approach, not a biography recitation.)
My approach always includes my community with a goal of reaching a reasoned consensus. When critics have claimed “I don’t compromise,” they may have that perception because our community decided together, democratically, on what concessions are and are not reasonable or acceptable – for example on the Pilsen Landmark effort that would have obligated every single of the 900 homeowners in the proposed district with expensive potentially 6-figure renovation obligations during a global pandemic – would be devastating for our quality of life and our ability to remain a healthy community. We stood strong together. What puts me apart from my opponents is that I am not interested in advancing my career or pleasing traditional political power players – I am interested in advancing the aspirations of my community to preserve our culture and quality of life for our next generation. I was fighting for our communities as a teacher and organizer, long before I had the honor to be elected as our community’s representative in City Council. I have not seen that track record from either of my opponents.
One of my opponents, Aida Flores, was endorsed by disgraced former Alderman Danny Solis when she unsuccessfully ran for this same office in 2019. Ms Flores was in favor of the Landmark – something over 700 of the 900 property owners in the proposed district submitted signed affidavits opposing but was strongly favored by the Mayor, developers, and the Department of Planning and Development. It is unclear how she would have been able to protect the residents who would be unable to afford the required upgrades to their century-old buildings had she gotten her way. In 2022, when I challenged Mayor Lightfoot and Superintendent Brown on the tolerance of Proud Boys – a white supremacist insurrectionist violent hate group – in our police department – Ms. Flores held a press conference denouncing my actions to hold our leaders accountable, but failed to share any concerns about a white supremacist hate group being integrated into our Police Department. Her silence on that issue speaks volumes. I continue to concur with Chicago’s office of Inspector General that our police department is better capable of protecting Chicagoans by terminating Proud Boys in our CPD ranks. I have received praise for speaking out about this critical public safety issue by members of our community, faith leaders across our city, members of the NAACP, and the Southern Poverty Law Center.
My other opponent has the support of another disgraced politician, Alexander Acevedo, and has appeared publicly touting the endorsement. He has publicly doubted if displacement is a true problem facing our constituents, being quoted in late 2022 as saying “When we’re looking at gentrification, I mean, we need to look at it from a broad spectrum. People are going to say, ‘people are coming in, moving in and kicking them out.’ Right? But are they really kicking them out? Or are they kicking themselves out? Because, what does it mean? Is it that you can’t afford it?” Over 10,000 Mexican Americans did not “kick themselves out” and Mr. Montes’s comments demonstrate that he is ill-prepared to advocate on behalf of a community that faces tremendous challenges to overcome the systemic threat of displacement.
I, on the other hand, took my ethics case against former Alderman Solis all the way to the Illinois Supreme Court with my attorney Aldofo Mondragon. In that case, the Supreme Court clarified that indicted politicians should not use campaign funds for legal defense against public corruption charges and that every case should be evaluated on an individual basis, an important change from past precedent in Illinois politics. I have successfully pushed back against displacement, fought to bring real solutions to the problems of violence we face in our city, and united our community around solutions that benefit us all, bringing all stakeholders to the table to take part in the decisions that will impact our community. It is clear from their actions that my two opponents are indebted to the interests that proceeded my administration in a way that I have demonstrated I am not. We cannot afford more backroom politics on Chicago’s southwest side.