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: Traci Treasure Johnson
Ward: 24th
Current job: N/A
Previous political experience: 2019 Aldermadic candidate
Education: OPRF HS Triton College
Spouse’s occupation: N/A
Sources of outside income: N/A
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.
By being proactive and making our youth inclusive. Creating/providing employment opportunites for our youth and starting at the early ages providing our children with the much needed resources to have a quality life. It stems from lack of financial stability, exlusion, not being able to provide let along with surviving. Our administration will introduce the 24th Ward Building our Babies commitee that focuses on our youth entirely. Making sure the children in the ward have the needed resources to ensure a quality life, from education, living situations, food, shelter, clothing and most importantly employment. The stability of the residents on a rise financially will decrease crime and violence tremendously.
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 should start with a more accurate tracking system, train and fill the hundreds of vacant operator positions, fund and utilize organizations like the ECCS to patrol the riders.
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?
Provide our schools with advanced curriculums, coding/stem resources after school activities and more so that our children can compete with the advancements and technologies of the world…turn it back to where our children eager to attend school.
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.
Utilizing the closed schools facilities. They are sitting idle and abandoned whereas they could be used for childcare assistance, senior centers, vocational training, youth centers, etc
Do you support giving Chicagoans property tax relief? If yes, please explain how you would accomplish it. If no, please explain why not.
Yes, by working with the residents providing resources for available 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?
When it comes to the 24th Ward the associated problems outweighed their usefulness. Our administration plans to introduce the 24th Ward Participatory Committee where the residents decide how the TIF dollars are allocated
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, by organizing a calendar of dates to inform and make the residents aware to be prepared for the reconstruction thats much needed
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’m a progressive, educated, former small business owner with a track record of being that leader on the front line for the people. Many fights that led to many accomplishments from black small business inclusion, assisting small business with the 33.3% of city contracts accessibility, senior citizen property take backs, brand new city council, the city of Chicago’s 1st citizens policing accountability committee to just name a few. I will be the voice in City Hall that has been silent for many years.
What is the most pressing issue facing the people of your ward, and how would you address it?
Violence. By creating employment opportunities within our ward which assists with producing a better quality of life which will reduce crime
Sum up why should voters elect you and not your opponent(s)? (Please limit this to policy and approach, not a biography recitation.)
It’s time up for nepotism taking its course and over due for a breath of fresh air inside of city council. The 24th Ward residents need and want the available resources, economic development without displacement, affordable housing that meets the income, fresh produce/affordable grocery stores, youth advancement programs/centers, senior centers, beautified blocks, etc. We’ve seen the way the community has been under the last few administrations, so let’s try something new where the results will be unmatched!