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.
Name: Felix Cardona Jr.
Ward: 31st
Current job: Alderperson of 31st Ward
Previous political experience: None
Education: B/A in political science and criminal justice
Spouse’s occupation: Not answered
Sources of outside income: None
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.
First and foremost, I would like to thank the brave officers who work tirelessly to protect our city, our first responders keep our city running . City government can combat crime in multiple ways. One proposal I have offered in my discussions with the Chicago Park District is offering free after school and summer programming for youth and teens that extends into the evening (9:00 pm). I firmly believe that adequate programming and a stable space for those under eighteen can deter them from crime and provide them a positive outlet. I plan on working with the Mayor’s office and other members from city council to allocate funding in next year’s budget so we can fund these critically important programs.
Another approach to combating crime is working with the Police Superintendent to ensure that police officers are getting the time off they need. We need the police department to be fully staffed, but equally important we need officers’ health and well-being to be at its best, and that is challenging when you’ve been working weeks without a day off.
Lastly, it is important that both officers and residents affected by trauma are able to see a mental health specialist. During budget hearings, I was shocked that mental health professionals compensation is so low when compared to other cities. I will work with the city and my federal counterparts to provide funding to encourage more individuals obtain the degrees and certification they need to practice, so that each individual can access the mental health support they need.
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.
The CTA service can provide additional security to ease the burden of Chicago Police Officers working at transit stations. One measure CTA can take is working with the Chicago Police Department, and with members of the City Council in the wards where transit stations are experiencing significant crime to analyze data on a weekly basis and implement evidence-based approaches to diminish and eliminate crime in these areas. The eventual removal of officers should be done gradually and should be rooted in data. In terms of making the best more reliable and equitable, the Active Transportation Alliance, a transportation nonprofit, has provided tangible solutions to increase bus service such as pre-boarding, and free fares for youth. I fully support both these measures. Our youth should ride to school for free; paying for a bus to get to school should be the last thing a student worries about. I want them to focus on getting a 100 score on their test. I will work with CDOT to advocate for funding for traffic light signaling so buses can advance ahead of normal traffic and work with the community to implement bus lanes, when it makes sense, and does not adversely hurt businesses.
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?
One of the items that Chicago Public Schools can do to increase enrollment is implement the Community School Initiative to bring critical resources to communities and families. The Community School model pairs public schools with strong community partners to increase the socioemotional and professional development of students and families . In Belmont Cragin, the Northwest Center has partnered with Steinmetz High School as a Community School community based organization and it has provided additional resources to students. I will work with the City to allocate funding to CPS to bring this program to the schools in my ward. Furthermore, I will work with CPS to increase access to STEM programs, which can also help with attracting more students and increasing enrollment.
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.
One strategy to increase investment and create generational wealth for families is a multi-pronged approach to creating a local ecosystem of small businesses. Often, there are small businesses that pop up, and as the son of parents who owned a small business, I know what it is like when you don’t even break even. My recommendation for investing in our communities is supporting new small business owners and working with established owners to expand their business as additional locations to foster a cluster of 6-10 businesses along a disinvested corridor. Thereafter work with nonprofits such as Neighborhood Housing Services (NHS) to create homeownership opportunities for prospective residents and help preserve and rehab the homes of existing homeowners. This will result in creating foot traffic for the small businesses and help provide essential amenities to residents.
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Do you support giving Chicagoans property tax relief? If yes, please explain how you would accomplish it. If no, please explain why not.
Yes, I absolutely support property tax relief, in fact, I introduced an ordinance in 2019 to exempt senior citizens who own 2-4 units from property tax increases for homes assessed at $250,000 in value. I will be working with the committee where this bill stands to bring the item to a vote . It is critical we try to provide relief to residents as quickly as possible. Throughout the year I collaborate with nonprofits and the assessors office to host property tax appeal workshops.
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?
Tax Increment Financing (TIF’s) can be useful, the recent expansion of the long awaited redline is a prime example of how TIFs can work for everyday people. Another great example of a robust program within the TIF is the Small Business Improvement Fund (SBIF), it provides small business owners with funds to improve the physical space of their storefront. I think the TIF can be expanded to support other initiatives to reduce displacement and improve the built environment. An idea for some of these initiatives in the TIF is using funds to help small business owners purchase their own store front, and providing rehab funds to mixed unit and residential homes to improve the habitability of their homes in exchange for their units being rented at an affordable rate. I do believe we need to expand the use of eligible funds outside of the TIF within a 3 mile radius. There are amazing parks that could greatly benefit from TIF dollars, parks such as Kelyvn Park, and Kenwell Park. I will work with the city council to explore these options.
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?
The pace of installing water lines should be expedited, but we need to loop in key players in this process such as our unions, Peoples Gas, and Comed. We want to make sure we’re working efficiently and can tackle issues that come up as they arise . I will also work with other members from city council to reach out to other cities which have been successful in replacing lead pipes at a faster pace.
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’ve had the privilege of serving as alderman for nearly four years . During that time I have stood in solidarity with my residents by not taking a pay raise, walking the ward nearly daily, and working to improve the quality of life for residents through increased public safety and supporting economic development projects such as the Fields on Diversey and Pulaski. My goal, if re-elected, is to bring more resources to the community, such as: a new field house at Cragin Park, new businesses along Cicero Avenue, a corridor in need of more businesses, and help our youth have a positive space to have fun in their community. As a basketball and baseball coach in my younger days, I see the value in organized sports. Many of the young people I coached now live in the ward and thank me for supporting them in their youth.
What is the most pressing issue facing the people of your ward, and how would you address it?
The most pressing issue in my ward is crime. I am and will continue to address the 25th and 16th district to strategically deploy officers to hot spots, and also analyze 911 calls to determine if there are calls that can be referred to other specialists, so as to not tie up officers for nonviolent situations. I will also work with the District Coordinating Officers (DCOs) so residents who don’t know about this special group of officers working with the community can become aware and work together to eradicate crime.
Sum up why should voters elect you and not your opponent(s)? (Please limit this to policy and approach, not a biography recitation.)
Thank you to all those who voted for me and I am asking for residents to vote for me because: My commitment to the community
During the pandemic my office stepped up and helped distribute over 4,000 boxes of food and 40,000 PPE masks, and if we had access to more supplies, we would have distributed even more
Working with city council to pass legislation for the Fair Work Week, increasing the minimum wage to $15 per hour, not taking a pay raise in three years.
My current opponent, to my knowledge, does not have much policy experience, while I have a proven track record of showing up; I am proud to say my city council attendance is over 90% and I only missed one city council monthly meeting due to illness. I ask voters to vote for me so I can continue to show up to city council for committee hearings, critical votes, and meet with them in my office or at a community event to hear their concerns so we can make the 31st ward the best ward to live in the city.