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: Patrick Nagle
Ward: 46th
Current job: Chief Judge of the Social Security Administration
Previous political experience: None
Education: BA College of the Holy Cross; JD University of Notre Dame
Spouse’s occupation: Administrative Law Judge
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.
Violent crime is the greatest challenge facing the city of Chicago. Many of our citizens fear going outside because of the increased likelihood of becoming violent crime victims. Our city’s businesses worry about losing customers (city residents, suburbanites, and tourists) due to the current crime climate. We also should not lose sight of the fact that violence amplifies inequality, and it traumatizes victims. We should never downplay the lasting effect that violence has on individuals, families, and communities. In order to effectively address this situation, our city government leaders need to bring stakeholders together to develop a comprehensive plan to reduce crime. This plan must include short-term, mid-term, and long-term strategies. Our immediate priority must be to increase our police force because empirical data strongly supports this as an expeditious mechanism for reducing violent crime. Mid-range plans should focus on other tactics such as alternative approaches to addressing individuals with mental health issues. Likewise, we must look long-term at programs designed to dissuade individuals from engaging in violence. For example, the University of Chicago Crime Lab has seen promising results (albeit on a small scale) from the Becoming a Man program. We need to take different approaches to addressing crime on parallel tracks if we want to attain lasting success. Most importantly, the plan must be transparent to our residents, and it must establish predesignated data-driven metrics to track our progress. If aspects of the plan fail to produce the intended results, we must be agile and make course corrections. The safety of our people is far too important to ignore. We need to set standards for what we expect from the police and our residents. Most importantly, we need elected leaders who take ownership of their residents’ public safety concerns, articulate a vision for the future, and work with various agencies and departments to ensure successful results.
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 citizens of Chicago deserve safe, reliable, and equitable public transportation. Likewise, the CTA is a public service that requires investments in people, technologies, and infrastructure. As a regular lifelong user of the CTA, I support increased security — particularly on subway trains and platforms — to deter crime and rebuild public confidence in the system’s safety. I also advocate for enhanced and modernized technologies, like signal prioritization, to keep buses moving faster throughout the city. We must prioritize global positioning system technology to provide customers with more accurate information about bus locations rather than relying on antiquated scheduling criteria. If staffing shortages impact transit reliability, then we need to efficiently hire new employees as well. Equity must be a factor in all transit decisions, from the fare structures to bus and rail schedules. As ridership behaviors change, the CTA may need to look closely at routes and schedules to meet the needs of post-pandemic commuters. The system must be reliable, but flexible enough to change with the demands of the customers. In order to ensure these improvements in our public transportation system, we must hold our CTA leaders accountable, because the alternative is unacceptable. Working commuters, students, tourists, and all those who rely on public transportation should not be forced to bear the brunt of a troubled transportation system. Without thriving public transport focused on delivering high ridership at an effective cost, Chicago will suffer economically and never reach its full potential to be a world-class city.
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?
Over the past decade, instability in CPS has led some families to leave the system (or even the city altogether) while others have chosen alternative educational options. There have been numerous neighborhood school closures and shake-ups that have harmed communities and eroded parents’ trust in CPS. Additionally, several confrontations between CPS and the Chicago Teachers Union have felt like watching a slow-motion train wreck. We must acknowledge that these factors have contributed to the decline in enrollment. The city needs a long-term vision for the school system that includes school stability so parents can be confident that their children will attend the same school through graduation. The city also needs labor peace so that parents do not have to scramble to find childcare on an emergency basis and so that we can recruit and retain the best qualified teachers possible.
Some causes of declining student enrollment are beyond the control of the school system – migration of families to the suburbs and beyond, inadequate housing in the city, and homelessness. Many school dropouts begin as absentee students. Absenteeism is as great as 40% in some schools on any given day. Wraparound services are desperately needed to follow up on students who begin to miss many classes and are lost to school officials. Only recently has the school district begun to form a committee to pursue this issue. This is long overdue, but any successful effort must involve teachers, parents, and all other stakeholders to turn around the school enrollment problem.
Whether viewed through an equity lens or, more simply, as a moral imperative, some of our school facilities are in disarray. There are schools with no air conditioning during heat waves, buildings that leak when it rains, and classrooms where kids must keep their coats on in the winter. Basic building upgrades will cost money, but the alternative is unacceptable. We must invest in our children if we want our children to have a safe environment conducive to learning.
To restore parents’ trust, individual schools also must respond to the needs of their communities. This might mean more funding for after-school programs, parent education programs, and community health events. CPS did a good job of having COVID vaccination events at schools; more ideas like this would help. It is important to make sure not only that the community is aware of these supports, but that the whole city knows what schools are doing. Fixating on challenges without also highlighting the good work that our schools do paints an inaccurate picture for our city’s residents.
Soon, our elected school board will have an opportunity to weigh in and address this issue as well. The mayor and City Council, however, cannot ignore the problems afflicting our schools because the education of our children plays such a profound role in the long-term success of our city. Instead, city officials and all stakeholders must put aside political differences and base their decisions on doing what is best for students and communities.
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.
The juxtaposition between the development and coveted investment opportunities in many neighborhoods on the North side, and the disinvestment and accompanying blight in many neighborhoods on the South and West sides is a source of civic embarrassment and should provide a catalyst for real change. Many neighborhoods on the South and West sides were once supported by Union jobs in the steel mills, stock yards, and rail yards. The disappearance of these and other Union jobs caused much of the dislocation in these neighborhoods. Creating a realistic path to good jobs for our children is one way to reverse the decades-old trend of disinvestment.
Several building trades unions are currently discussing the possibility of establishing and supporting a vocational high school on the West side. In addition to taking a basic high school curriculum, students would be introduced to the various crafts, i.e., plumbing, carpentry, electrical, iron work, and operating engineers. A diploma would qualify each graduate for admission to the union apprentice program of his or her choosing. I support vocational education generally, but I am particularly excited about the prospects of a vocational high school that is supported by the building trades which will provide opportunities for the children of the South and West sides of our city to obtain high-paying Union jobs.
No single idea will reverse the disinvestment we have witnessed on the South and West sides. I believe we should be looking for ways to create a virtuous cycle characterized by competitive wages, strong neighborhoods, civic institutions, and investment opportunities that will rival what we have seen on the North side. Vocational high schools that will facilitate the admission of young men and women into union-sponsored apprenticeship programs is a realistic and feasible idea that will help reverse the troubling, decades-long trend that has plagued these neighborhoods.
Do you support giving Chicagoans property tax relief? If yes, please explain how you would accomplish it. If no, please explain why not.
Chicago residents are in widespread agreement that property tax increases have plagued the city for decades. As an example, from 2000 to 2019, residential property taxes in the 46th Ward rose 188% (while inflation resulted in a cumulative price increase of less than 48%). This unsustainable rate of property tax increases poses a tremendous burden to Chicagoans. Unfortunately, the city’s pension obligations and high debt burden make funding other budget priorities very difficult without additional revenue. Growing our tax base through development and attracting new businesses provides a preferable alternative for generating revenue that our city should prioritize. As a city, we need to look realistically at our financial situation, resolute in our mission to provide services to our residents but understanding that we lack the resources to fund every well-meaning program. We must aggressively pursue revenue through growth while treating the possibility of future tax increases as a last resort.
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?
The reality of tax increment financing (“TIF”) has not come close to matching the altruism of its intended purpose. The city obtains hundreds of millions of dollars in property taxes every year through a TIF program that covers one third of the city’s land. Valid criticism persists, however, over the approval of TIF projects that often support development in affluent parts of the city. I support TIF reform, particularly regarding transparency in the TIF structure. TIF dollars should only be awarded with an absolute assurance that proposed projects will increase tax revenue in economically distressed neighborhoods. Moreover, the city must conduct a “but-for” test to ensure that private development would not otherwise occur if not for TIF revenue. If these principles are followed, then the TIF process can have a very positive effect on communities most in need of economic development. Despite recent efforts to improve the TIF process, the public remains rightfully skeptical. The recent TIF approval for the Red Line extension from 95th Street to 130th Street represents the type of project that TIF money was originally intended to buttress. If the city continues to approve similar TIF projects, while avoiding more controversial projects, perhaps the public will renew its confidence in the process. I believe that TIF districts must be closely monitored to ensure compliance with state and city laws. Likewise, the City Council must play a more meaningful role in preventing abuses in the process or be held accountable by the voters who demand as much from their leaders.
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 abatement in Chicago homes and businesses requires an efficient, cohesive, and targeted solution, directed by city leadership, supported by state and federal government, and championed by private stakeholders. Lead-contaminated water, if it is not quickly addressed, will continue to increase the likelihood of negative impacts to health and development of Chicago’s most vulnerable population: its children. Each day we do not act on our lead contamination problem, we increase the risk of persistent direct and indirect economic and social impacts on children and adults. Lead abatement, like many large public health problems, must have a data-driven approach to quickly identify impacted populations and move to equitably remediate lead exposure in the most vulnerable communities within the city. Newark, New Jersey made a dramatic impact on lead exposure with a lead pipe replacement program that utilized a focused, strategic, and tactical approach to tackle this multilayered problem. There are four things that our city can concentrate on to improve the effectiveness of the lead remediation process:
Ensure that we leverage the data we have collected to utilize artificial-intelligence modeling to drive informed decision making.
Engage public, private, and government stakeholders to design innovative “financial instruments” to fund lead pipe remediation projects (e.g., grants, bonds, loans, and/or tax rebates).
Fast track lead pipe remediation projects through targeted city ordinances (e.g., permitting, inspection, testing requirements, and mandatory replacement when municipal and private repairs occur).
Continue to encourage interim measures such as the utilization of water filters designed to remove lead (and other harmful chemicals/particulates), and technological innovation such as trenchless waterline replacement which will decrease time and costs associated with remediating existing lead water pipes.
As Chicagoans we have an obligation to prioritize the elimination of lead contamination from our community to protect, preserve, and promote the positive health and well-being of all our citizens.
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.
My understanding of the ward through three decades of living here, my long-time civic involvement in the community, and the executive leadership skills that I have developed through my professional experience uniquely qualify me to be the next alderman of the 46th Ward. Whether working with the community to gain support for the needed expansion of the Nourishing Hope social services center on Sheridan Avenue or briefing congressional staff on Agency COVID procedure and policies, I have worked both professionally and personally to provide service to the public. No other candidate can point to as long and as impactful a commitment to service. For me, public service is not a profession, but instead a life-long cause.
I am the only candidate running for this position who has the executive leadership experience that we need to tackle the significant challenges that our city faces. As someone who oversees thousands of government employees and makes decisions that impact millions of people on a frequent basis, I regularly synthesize multitudes of information, weigh competing factors, and make difficult choices of significant magnitude. Over decades of public service as an attorney, a judge, and an executive leader, I have learned how to build coalitions, forge relationships with stakeholders, and persuade parties. I have worked with other government agencies (federal, state, and local), advocacy groups, and other attorneys and judges as well as juries in federal court to advocate for policies, positions, and outcomes in high-stake environments. More importantly, I have real-life experience successfully prosecuting violent offenders in federal court, navigating the transformation of a nation-wide in-person court system into a virtual setting during COVID, and overseeing a historic effort to improve government services on a national level. I will bring a refined combination of essential skills to the city council so that I can be an effective leader for our community and our city on Day One. The 46th Ward deserves an advocate with a proven track record of leading others and effectively navigating government to provide meaningful service to the public.
What is the most pressing issue facing the people of your ward, and how would you address it?
The proliferation of violent crime in our ward is of utmost concern. Car jackings, armed robberies, and other acts of violent crime have an insidious effect on victims, their families, and our community. Working with crime victims during my tenure as a federal prosecutor impressed upon me the long-term damage inflicted on people who experience violence. Studies also show that the economic consequences of crime victimization costs Americans over $200 billion a year. The implications spread further than victims and manifest in the psyche of other ward residents who become hesitant to leave their homes due to safety concerns. Likewise, our businesses suffer from the loss of customers which has a ripple effect on jobs in our local community as well as the result of fewer consumer choices for residents. Violent crime places not just our safety at risk, but also the identity of our community as a welcoming place for all people to congregate.
In addition to championing the need for a comprehensive city-wide plan to address crime, I will vigorously fight to increase staffing at the 19th police district. Additional police officers will have an immediate impact on reducing crime. Over the last ten years, we have witnessed a 40% reduction in the number of police officers who patrol the area that constitutes the current 19th district. Under-resourcing the district makes it difficult for officers to do their jobs well and frustrates the officers who want to effectively serve our community. The recruitment and retention of police officers must be our top priority. To achieve this, we need city leaders who will work in cooperation with law enforcement, not as adversaries. I will be the alderman who fights for police resources, and I will prioritize making our ward safer.
We must take a zero-tolerance policy toward violent crimes. If our efforts to prosecute gun crimes through the state’s attorney’s office prove ineffective, we should explore partnering more consistently with federal law enforcement to address these crimes, in particular gun crime and hate crime. The United States Attorney’s Office’s Project Safe Neighborhoods program is one example of how we can curb gun violence in our city through working across law enforcement agencies. As we approach an era without cash bail, we must also raise expectations for our electronic monitoring program to ensure its reliability and effectiveness. As we see now, too many people who are released from custody pending criminal charges commit additional crimes while on electronic monitoring. Last year, over 50 people on electronic monitoring were arrested for shootings or murders. In order to regain the public’s trust in the system, we need to hire more staff to perform electronic monitoring and invest the resources to verify that the technology functions properly to incentivize people who have been released from custody to comply with the program’s requirements. Working with the Cook County Sheriff’s Department and Chief Judge’s office, we must demand these improvements because more effective electronic monitoring will play a key role in curbing violent crime. I am the only candidate running for city council who has successfully prosecuted violent gun offenders in federal court. We need this leadership at city hall.
Sum up why should voters elect you and not your opponent(s)? (Please limit this to policy and approach, not a biography recitation.)
Government service, whether as a prosecutor, a judge, or an alderman, should be measured by the tangible success of that service. As 46th Ward alderman, I will bring with me the executive leadership and analytical decision-making skills that I have honed over many years as a government leader. One thing that the residents of Chicago demand from their leaders is that we be good stewards of our city’s fiscal health. Despite this directive, too often it seems our city leaders advocate for causes in a budgetary vacuum. Identifying priorities and calling for more spending is one thing but finding the necessary revenue sources is another. We need to be realistic about what our city can afford to do and accept that many well-intentioned spending proposals are not currently attainable. I have extensive professional experience managing government budgets and allocating resources on a local as well as national level. I understand the frustrations that government agencies and cities experience when fiscal constraints thwart the ability to pursue projects. Through these experiences, however, I have learned to work with the revenue available and find creative ways to maximize service to the public. The residents of Chicago have made clear that an onslaught of additional taxes and levies is not the answer. We must respect their wishes and find ways to provide services in a fiscally responsible manner. This is by no means an easy task and one that requires experienced decision makers who have effectively weathered storms in the past and can apply those experiences to tackle the challenges that the city faces both now and in the future. I am the sole candidate who has this crucial experience.