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: James Gardiner
Ward: 45th
Current job: Chicago City Council Member
Previous political experience: Elected Alderman for the 45th ward and 45th ward Committee person
Education: B.S. in Social Science, St. Xavier University
Spouse’s occupation: Non-profit employee
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.
One of the best tools to combat most criminal activity is employment and structured activities. During my current tenure, I have worked with local business chambers, businesses and the City’s Department of Planning and Development to advocate for businesses to build and stay in my ward. As a result of that advocacy, we have nearly $500 million of new development in the ward that offer hundreds of entry level jobs that are accessible via public transportation. I intend to work with those companies to host job fairs so that everyone has an opportunity to seek work with these employers. Additionally, while I have been vocal about properly staffing our police districts, I think it is important to invest in a structure that proactively deters crime such as outreach workers, youth employment programs and other violence prevention services.
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.
I recently voted in support of the historic CTA Redline extension which will provide transportation access to thousands of Chicago residents on the south side and in turn become an attractive incentive for businesses to build around these southside transit hubs. I have stood with my colleagues to demand additional police security on the CTA and ask for better support systems for CTA employees. The CTA could compliment its security staffing levels during peak ridership hours by utilizing retired police officers.
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 measure that can improve CPS’s enrollment issue is the equitable distribution of resources to each school. This could impact classrooms sizes, curriculum, student resources and building infrastructure. Leveling the playing field for our children during these most critical years of education would work to retain, and attract, parents to neighborhood 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.
Many of the City’s current development incentives are restricted to TIF districts or other geographic boundaries. Further, we frequently focus on recruiting larger employers to the city. We should create a small business incentive package that targets small business owners who have a business that could thrive in business corridors that have over 50% vacancy on the south and west side. This is feasible because the cost to any newly created tax incentives or discounts can be offset with unspent ARPA funds that can still be re-appropriated. Incentives can include tax credits for hiring locally, sustaining a business for a period of time, 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, I have voted against every property tax levy since being in office. I believe that attracting businesses to our communities, putting vacant properties on the tax rolls and subsequently building shopping and restaurant districts in our business corridors will generate revenue for city services. This is a strategy I am working towards in the 45th ward.
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 I entered office, I met with the Department of Planning and Development to review the TIF budgets and proposed projects for my ward. After completing an assessment of the infrastructure and capital needs in those TIF districts, I worked with the Administration to allocate funding for infrastructure and CPS and Park District capital needs. I would continue to manage TIF districts in my ward in this manner—by making sure the appropriation of TIF dollars meets the needs of the ward and compliments available capital development funds.
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, I think lead service line replacement should be expedited and, the city should work with its federal partners to identify revenues that can be dedicated to this massive infrastructure project.
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.
During my term in office, we have focused heavily on constituent services. The global pandemic greatly reduced people’s mobility and magnified the lack of access to food and healthcare services. In response to those circumstances, we created a network of volunteers to grocery shop or conduct other vital errands for seniors and our physically disabled residents. We worked with the local health departments, pharmacies and health care providers to provide nearly a dozen COVID and flu vaccination events. And during the initial stages of the pandemic, we delivered over 100,000 masks to nearly every household in the ward, as well as assisted residents with vaccination registrations. We continue to utilize our volunteer network to provide services like sidewalk shoveling and viaduct cleaning throughout the ward and, we work daily as a liaison between the city departments and our residents to add efficiencies and responsiveness to service requests.
What is the most pressing issue facing the people of your ward, and how would you address it?
Crime is a pressing issue in my ward. While the level of violent crime in the 45th ward cannot be compared to that in other areas of the city that have unfortunately been plagued with crime for decades, we have seen an increase in gun violence and carjackings. I have responded to this issue by hosting targeted neighborhood public safety meetings to educate our residents on the incidents, re-acquaint them to our first responders and, give them insight into the local crime deterrent strategy. Secondly, I constantly advocate for appropriate staffing levels in our district offices which should contribute to quicker and safer response times and more visible patrols.
Sum up why should voters elect you and not your opponent(s)? (Please limit this to policy and approach, not a biography recitation.)
Voters should re-elect me as their local representative because I have successfully worked with the Administration to bring nearly $500 million of new developments–six projects–into the ward. These projects offer unionized construction jobs with MBE/WBE goals (which have been exceeded in some cases) and hundreds of permanent positions. I fiercly advocated, and increased, the affordable housing units in a senior housing development that preceded my tenure. I have appropriated my discretionary funding to schools and infrastructure needs based on feedback from residents and constantly surveying the entire ward. Finally, I consistently carry the voices of my residents to City Hall when advocating for police and public safety; businesses and schools; tax burden relief.