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: Stephen “Andy” Schneider
Ward: 1st
Current job: Editor, Writer, Real Estate Broker
Previous political experience: Logan Square Preservation – President
Education: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Spouse’s occupation: Community Engagement Coordinator for the Village of Niles
Sources of outside income: Property Rentals
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.
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If elected, I would take a holistic approach to tackling crime in the city. It is important to consider both preventative and reactive measures in order to address root issues such as poverty, housing insecurity, and limited access to trauma-informed care services. To ensure community resilience, we need a joint effort along with meaningful engagement of all stakeholders. This could take the form of safety meetings between neighborhood associations, extensive police training and supervision programs, mentoring opportunities for at-risk youth, and even creating a ‘safety toolkit’ containing tips on how citizens can protect themselves from crime. Leaders at City Hall must prioritize safety with an emphasis on equity–building better communities means implementing initiatives that are not just directed at punishing offenses after they occur but that actively create healthier environments for all.
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 faces a unique challenge in ensuring that its train and bus systems are safe, efficient, and equitable. However, by engaging the community through community forums and surveys to identify the community’s specific needs and challenges, they can more effectively allocate resources to address these issues. Further accountability can be provided through transparent budgeting processes; developing metrics and goals to monitor service quality; and investing in community organizations working on violence prevention initiatives. Doing so will provide residents with a reliable resource for transportation while promoting safety, equity, and economic access — all things at the heart of what it means to be a Chicagoan. To ensure these goals are achieved, additional funding is essential as it should prioritize both long-term investments as well as targeted measures at particularly violent crime hotspots. Additionally, CTA should strive towards being accountable and transparent by creating measurable goals linked to performance metrics, while providing detailed reports on funding expenditures and having representatives regularly attend city council meetings to ensure accountability. By taking these steps, CTA can create ride experiences that are safe and reliable while contributing positively to the community at large.
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?
With enrollment at Chicago Public Schools (CPS) having declined for 11 consecutive years, it is critical that the district institute specific measures to stem the tide of this downward trend. While equity and funding are key to any solution, additional factors such as housing insecurity, mental health resources, teacher-student support networks and community engagement must be addressed in order to better serve students and families. In addition to fostering greater collaboration between school officials, teachers and the teacher’s union, it is important to promote equity through increased investments in social services across the district; equity should be a cornerstone of recruitment efforts at all CPS schools. Further, strategic outreach partnerships with city health officials should be pursued in order to provide more comprehensive mental health resources for students. Lastly, CPS should strive for strong collaborations with local communities through programs such as mentor matching. By centering equity throughout implementations of its new policies and improved spending initiatives, CPS can make meaningful strides in reversing this troubling enrollment decline.
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.
It has become increasingly evident over the past several decades that unbalanced disinvestment on the South and West sides of big cities has perpetuated deep economic disparity in these communities. To help reverse this systemic struggle, community engagement through locally-focused community development is a realistic and feasible solution that should be prioritized. By organizing community members to come together to discuss common interests and short and long term goals, community leaders can obtain valuable feedback on what sort of solutions should be funded and implemented in order to achieve progress. These conversations can draw attention to potential community partnerships, helping bring new revenue into the community that can provide essential services like health care or fund special programs geared towards youth development or other key indicators of community success. Development policies that incentivize investment in areas with expensive infrastructure and declining populations is crucial, where we would be able to leverage what we’re already maintaining while raising property values, revenue and stemming population decline. When combined with community engagement focused on local needs and unified goals, these strategies have great potential for achieving success in reversing decades-long patterns of disinvestment.
Do you support giving Chicagoans property tax relief? If yes, please explain how you would accomplish it. If no, please explain why not.
As a Chicagoan, I believe property tax relief is essential for our city to ensure residents can continue to affordably live here. To accomplish this, abatements should be given based on income level so that those most vulnerable in our community are given the most relief. Additionally, there should be a cap on how much taxes can increase annually rather than handing out substantial increases on individual owner-occupied properties. We need to also provide greater access to programs that can help homeowners better prepare and manage their bills. All of these initiatives would provide economic freedom to many Chicagoans and take much needed pressure off of our individual financial situations.
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?
While Tax Increment Financing (TIF) districts can be incredibly useful tools to draw development, they should be seen as part of a larger whole. TIFs can often help encourage investment in areas that may otherwise not be seen as desirable, while also potentially funneling a portion of the increased tax revenue into infrastructure development and other public projects. However, TIFs are also rife with potential problems if not used correctly: TIFs can take away money that might otherwise be used for public services and instead re-channel it into private entities while also effectively balkanizing tax revenue. To ensure TIFs are actually an effective tool that does not deviate from its intended purpose, cities should define specific goals for such districts and move to terminate them once their goals are accomplished in a timely manner. Adequate safety measures like independent auditing services should periodically review TIF status so issues don’t go or remain unnoticed.
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?
Lead in drinking water poses a significant health risk to the city of Chicago, with an estimated 400,000 homes containing lead service lines. Although the city has replaced fewer than 300 service lines so far, there are viable solutions to expediting the process. As a first step, it is important to identify which populations are most vulnerable and prioritize their lead testing and replacement. Additionally, the city should collaborate with state and federal partners to identify resources that may yield cost savings and increased efficiency when replacing lead service lines. Finally, measurable goals should be set in terms of the number of lead service lines replaced each year. Collectively, these steps can help ensure the health of those living in Chicago by successfully eliminating lead in drinking water.
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 confident that 15 years of experience as a community organizer coupled with my role as a reporter and my track record of working with various city departments and elected officials on novel approaches to existing problems makes me an ideal candidate for the council. Throughout my career, I have worked tirelessly to ensure transparency in local matters and to engage the public When I see issues arise, I work hard to come up with creative solutions in order to produce tangible and measurable results including:
Helped negotiate with developers large and small on over 1,000 new housing units, including the trailblazing Lucy Gonzalez Parsons Apartments on Emmett Street — an all-affordable housing development.
Advocating for safer streets, developing proposals for a bike and pedestrian priority network along the city’s historic boulevard system. Among the first projects I championed was the installation of speed tables to slow traffic on Palmer Square. I was deeply involved with the safety-focused redesign of Logan Square’s historic but dangerous traffic circle, sitting on the Project Steering Committee, and advocated successfully for a deployment of “Safe Streets” infrastructure on Logan Square’s boulevards in 2021.
Secured state funds and city approval for a new “Food Truck Triangle” on a formerly blighted city-owned parcel near Milwaukee Avenue.
Secured approval for city funding to refurbish an underutilized gym and classroom annex at Grace Church to offer expanded programming and community space together with nearby Unity Park.
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When the local Boys & Girls Club decided to close, I successfully fought to save the building and ensure a new public park was created as part of the re-development, at no cost to the neighborhood or taxpayers.
Led a fight against a billboard company that was blighting the old Grace’s Furniture building on the square at the center of the neighborhood, facing down a $750,000 nuisance lawsuit.
What is the most pressing issue facing the people of your ward, and how would you address it?
Living affordability is a pressing issue within my ward that needs to be addressed. Many residents are unable to make ends meet, meaning basic needs such as food and housing stability cannot be met. This results in less safety among the people of the ward since they are unable to prioritize community care. In order to address this issue effectively, I believe community engagement is necessary. Through grassroots action combined with innovative solutions, we can provide lasting affordability options while also preserving our communities’ existing vibrancy. With a focus on affordability and collaboration, I’m confident that together we can craft viable solutions to ensure a safe and healthy future for our ward.
Sum up why should voters elect you and not your opponent(s)? (Please limit this to policy and approach, not a biography recitation.)
I am challenging incumbent Alderperson Daniel LaSpata. Like many, I supported Daniel four years ago but also, like many, I have been disappointed. The last two Alderpersons of the 1st Ward have pursued their personal agendas and ignored or silenced other voices. I know from my history organizing that listening to all in our community and working to build consensus is what delivers better outcomes for all of us. That’s what our communities deserve. That’s why I’m running.
To be clear, Daniel and I share the same progressive values and most (but not all) policy positions. But an Alderperson has two critical jobs that are necessary to improve the lives of the residents of the ward. They must be leaders on the City Council advocating for progressive legislation and a budget that reflects progressive priorities. We share that concern. They must also work to truly engage and organize in the ward not only to bring people together for the goal of civic engagement, but to ensure our neighbors are heard and respected. That has not happened in the 1st Ward, and our approaches to leadership will be profoundly different.
Robust civic engagement has intrinsic value, but it has so much more. Our ward is vibrant, diverse, and full of active and engaged community members. There is incredible talent and vision, rich artistic and cultural institutions, but also anxiety and sometimes fear among our neighbors. If we are effectively going to address our shared concerns, we must do it together as a community. I’ve seen the value in these robust processes. Sometimes elected officials believe they understand the solutions best and don’t need to hear from residents. I know that is not true.