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: Larry “Jay” Lloyd
Ward: 21st
Current job: Lawyer
Previous political experience: None
Education: J.D.
Spouse’s occupation: Lawyer
Sources of outside income: Work
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.
To begin, City Hall as well as the City Council, must commit to setting clear goals to reduce crime and commit to stopping the violence in our communities, by committing to a concrete number, say 10% per year reductions in homicides and non-fatal shootings and car jackings. This is attainable as the cost collectively in lost wages, lives and lower property values is far greater than doing nothing. The city and city council must commit to working with key people in the areas where crime is high, engage these same communities with empathy and compassion, work to eliminate the ‘us vs. them’ mentality and emphasize trauma-informed approaches to residents in these crime-plagued areas and have accountability where it matters most – at the top.
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.
As it relates to the CTA, clearly boosting the number of officers dedicated to the CTA Transit force is needed. Additionally, the CTA needs to address and adjust their schedules to reduce the number of ‘ghost’ buses and trains. From my perspective, the CTA can reduce this by restoring the service to pre-pandemic levels and hiring more bus and train operators. Further, the CTA can and should move away from what I see as ‘crisis’ management to actively managing the system to ensure safe, reliable and equitable transportation for all Chicagoan’s. As it stands now, the CTA has become ‘reactionary’ and has not proactive in addressing the system’s shortcomings. Management must be held accountable for this lack of proactive management for allowing the system to devolve to where it is today.
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?
CTU has been at odds with the city for a number of years and the only people that suffer are the students. To reverse the current trend, there needs to be a complete review of the current curricula of the schools. Given the rise in black and Latin families, the curricula needs to respect and recognize the backgrounds of the students they serve.
Next, there has to be a sustainable community school model built on respecting and listening to the stakeholders. We can all agree that, unless we all work together, the students suffer. there has to be a level of respect between the CTU, and local stakeholders, working together to connect community with the schools in need of such resources, to strengthen and build what we have now.
Further, there must be a focus on restorative justice program that centers understanding and healing as well as adequate funding as that is key to any reform going forward.
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.
Disinvestment has long been an issue for predominately black and Latino areas. This can be attributed to structural racism and redlining. This must end and a way to do this would be to restore the AFFH program, which focused on encouraging communities to identify and reduce concentrated areas of poverty. Additionally, we could also expand the community reinvestment act to give better data to lenders when it comes to investment in black and Latino areas.
Do you support giving Chicagoans property tax relief? If yes, please explain how you would accomplish it. If no, please explain why not.
Absolutely. Lowering the effective tax rate between businesses and residential homes would be ideal, however, it may not be feasible due to potential misclassification of properties as we see from time to time here. A better solution would be property tax credits and larger homestead exemptions.
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?
I think the concept of TIF districts is good, the execution and lack of transparency is the issue as people have no idea how this can be a good thing, yet it could also drain much needed revenue from south and west side areas. If the program was carried out in an above-board manner, I think the public would appreciate the chance to see what this is and how it works and the true cost of this program. As the program stands now, there is too much room for error whereby a building in a gentrified area that is, say, 40 years old, can be considered ‘blighted’ and thus funds being diverted to an area that does not have a need for TIF funding vs. an area that is truly blighted and in need of additional funding, which was the goal of TIF’s when implemented.
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 does in fact need to be accelerated and it seems cost and lack of engagement with residents is part of the reason the rollout has been slow. The costs of the program should be subsidized as it can costs upwards of $25,000 to replace the pipes and many folks simply cannot afford that. While I get it would cost upwards of $8 billion to replace the aging lead pipes, this undertaking should not be balanced on the backs of the taxpayers and should be funded with federal dollars and or grants to make it appealing to more residents and speed up the pace of those seeking to have the pipes in their homes replaced.
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.
In my role as an attorney, the main focus is on the client and advocating for them. For too long, many residents have felt neglected and ignored and this is simply due to a lack of listening and advocating for the needs of the entire ward, not just certain sections/areas of the ward. The approach to having a safe, clean and desirable ward is to work with and respect ALL residents of the ward and actively listen to their needs to effectively advocate for the needs and services the residents are seeking. The role of alderman is a public service position and we must remember we are there to service the public, not the other way around.
What is the most pressing issue facing the people of your ward, and how would you address it?
Right now, crime and lack of economic development are the main issues facing the residents of the ward. By having a solid relationship with the police as well as the newly formed police district council, we can reduce violence by working to set clear goals, increase visibility, foster a better working relationship with all stakeholders, engage with accountability and empathy and invest in funding for new strategies to address violence.
As to economic development, the development of a chamber of commerce for the current business corridors is key to maintaining the current businesses as well as encouraging investment from newer businesses. There would have to be some consideration as far as tax incentives to incentivize development in the ward and again, this can be addressed with the reduction in outdated methods of redlining and providing incorrect data as it relates to the investment or disinvestment in certain neighborhoods.
Sum up why should voters elect you and not your opponent(s)? (Please limit this to policy and approach, not a biography recitation.)
Given the current alderman has been in office for 20 plus years, the time is long past due to have someone in office that understands that this is a public service positions and new ideas and leadership is needed to maintain the current solidly middle-class neighborhood we have. This can be accomplished with having a transparent administration as well as accountability to the residents of the ward. One cannot govern effectively without knowing what the residents are seeking. Lastly, if the residents want strong leadership that isn’t beholden to anyone and electing a leader for ALL residents, not just a few, then I am that candidate.