Activist Toolkit

1) Why do you want to be a Trustee? What makes you qualified to serve? What metrics of success do you plan on holding yourself accountable to?

The issue at the forefront of my campaign is how to decrease crime while simultaneously improving the public’s trust of policing. The second is affordability. Oak Park is no longer a place that everyone can afford. The rising cost of government is set against an increasing demand for services. These dilemmas demand innovative solutions.

I am qualified to serve based on my background as a municipal law attorney and specifically my work for the Village of Oak Park. I first represented the Village as an outside attorney in 1991. I then became the Assistant Village Attorney in 2001 and served in that role for 14 years. In 2017, I was elected Trustee and served for 4 years from 2017 to 2021.

My metric success is not about me, but about the health of the Village. I will consider myself successful if the Village makes progress in the following areas:

• Progressive policing and community safety

• Limiting tax levy increases to maintain affordability

• Ensuring all Oak Park neighborhoods are equally vibrant, safe and livable

• Maintaining our diversity

• Finding a source of funding for, and advancing the climate action plan

2) How do you make decisions?

I start with curiosity. With a passion for sociology, public policy, and urban planning, I research and read a lot of materials on these topics. I read and study the materials provided for every agenda item. I talk to local experts and those impacted. I discuss with my colleagues and listen to alternative perspectives. I balance my ideals with what is realistic. Then I decide whether the action item is in the best interests of the community.

3) What are the three biggest challenges or opportunities facing Oak Park in the next three, five, and ten years and how should the board address them over the next four years?

The biggest challenge the Village faces in the future is our economic health and vibrancy. The Village has aging infrastructure, a large unfunded pension liability, and a fairly high level of debt. Other taxing bodies, primarily the high school, have expensive capital needs. Citizens have an expectation for quality services and a desire to keep Oak Park strong and healthy. All of these are pressures on the tax burden which make living in Oak Park increasingly expensive. When the taxes are high, it is harder for people to afford living here and it is harder for local businesses to succeed. There is no magic solution. Instead, being conscious of the costs of government must be in the front of our minds at all times. Every program and service should be examined to make sure it is efficient and necessary to achieve an important goal. We need to continue to grow the tax base with moderate economic development.

The second biggest challenge is how to innovate policing to achieve community safety while also building trust with the community. I address this below.

4) How would you approach the budgeting process?

I would direct the Village Manager to propose a budget that limits the tax increase to no more than the rate of inflation. I would identify fixed costs first, such as labor costs established by collective bargaining agreements, the debt repayment schedule, and the amount needed to fund our unfunded pension liabilities. Then, I would review the 5 year Capital Improvement Plan to make sure our streets and alleys, facilities and basic infrastructure are maintained and improved.

After determining the costs for those basic services, I would look at the operational budgets of each department to determine if its mission is being accomplished efficiently. Then we need to determine the amount of money to fund board goals. I am interested in finding grants to fund our goals, especially in the area of climate action.

5) What would you say to voters who are worried about the tax burden?

Residents have every right to be worried about the tax burden. The tax burden in Oak Park impacts who can afford to move here, and whether seniors and ordinary people can stay in their homes.

During my previous term in office, I voted to limit the tax levy increases to a maximum of 3% year over year. Before that, the Village’s annual levy increased between 6-12% per year. The Village Board’s fiscal responsibility set a tone for other governmental bodies, who then followed suit. Trustees should review each and every proposed expenditure to make sure it is an efficient use of tax dollars. That happens at every board meeting, not just during the budget process. All of our programs need to have measurable outcomes. The five other governmental bodies in Oak Park make up 83% of the tax bill. The Village’s portion is 17%. Citizens should expect every governmental body to be responsible stewards of their tax dollars. The Village must do its part but cannot do it alone.

6) What policies and programs should the Village undertake to improve its tax base and help local businesses thrive?

The Village’s most effective role in minimizing the tax burden on residents is to grow the tax base. I support moderate, context sensitive development that adds to the sales tax and property tax base. Many people complain that they don’t see the impact of development on their tax bill, but that is because the costs of government rise faster than any amount of development can catch up with.

Property taxes are the revenue source of last resort. The more we support our sales tax producing businesses, the more they contribute to the sales tax base and decrease the Village’s reliance on property taxes.

But business district vibrancy is not just about taxes. It’s about vibrancy and quality of life. It is a major reason people live here and visit here. I support marketing for our sales tax producing businesses because those dollars pay for themselves.

I would like to see the Village employ a business liaison whose duties would be to help new businesses through the regulatory process, as well as collecting and maintaining data to help entrepreneurs see what types of businesses thrive in Oak Park.

7) Is it appropriate for the Village incentives or supports that would specifically be directed toward minority-owned businesses? Why or why not?

It would be ideal to have a program that incentivizes black business ownership. However, the Village previously considered such a program, and it was deemed to violate of the Equal Protection clause of the U.S. Constitution.

8) What do you see as the most pressing issue relating to housing in Oak Park? What policies would you advocate to address this issue?

The most pressing issue is affordability and how it impacts racial and economic diversity, and seniors. I am proud of my work to advance the Inclusionary Zoning Ordinance in my previous term. Funds collected under that ordinance have been used to construct affordable housing units, improve existing affordable units, and keep people housed when they are one financial crisis away from losing their home. In addition, those funds support the operation of the Sojourner House, a medical respite for homeless individuals when they have been released from the hospital.

Although it was adopted after my term, I spearheaded a zoning ordinance that allows the construction of accessory dwelling units. These coach houses allow homeowners to have a rental unit on their property, or a dwelling unit for their parents or children. This helps with affordability, provides additional housing units without visible density and allows multigenerational living.

Finally, I approved an ordinance that established design standards so that moderately priced houses are not overwhelmed by outsized rehabs in their neighborhood. I am excited about the proposed co-housing development on Madison and will look for other ways to innovate housing so that seniors and moderate income people can continue to live in Oak Park.

I am proud of my past accomplishments in the area of housing. In my next term, I will continue to focus on housing programs that keep Oak Park diverse and inclusive.

9) Rental units comprise about 41% of Oak Park’s housing stock. How can the Village better serve the needs of renters in our community?

The multi-family areas need more parking options. I support finding small pocket lots to create more off street parking where we are able. I support the board’s recent expansion of existing permit parking areas.

10) How can the Village better serve the needs of the disabled in our community? Those who wish to age in place here in Oak Park?

This is not something I have expertise in. Trustees need to be curious and be good listeners, not necessarily have all the answers. I would look to the Disability Access Commission for this answer.

11) Last year, Village Trustees passed a climate action plan. What is your opinion of that plan and its implementation so far?

I was the co-founder of the Oak Park Climate Action Network, OPCAN. OPCAN was instrumental in driving the Village to adopt a climate action plan. We now have that plan. However, it has a hefty $1 billion price tag and lacks a source of funds to make it a reality. There are multiple grant making entities, such as state and federal governments, foundations, etc., working on the crisis of climate change. Our first priority is to find grants to pay for programs. I would focus on programs with the highest impact at the lowest cost due to the amount of work that needs to be done. People reading this should know that residential energy usage is the biggest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, and that Com Ed and Nicor have programs to help you reduce the amount of energy used in your home.

12) In their report, BerryDunn consultants noted that there are racial disparities in the impact of policing in Oak Park. This echoes concerns raised by community members who have called on our elected officials to reimagine community safety in our Village. How do you define public safety? How would you work to create an Oak Park where all community members feel safe?

The dilemma of how to keep Oak Park safe while also building trust in policing is a main driver of my campaign. I believe in the 21 st Century Policing model developed under President Barack Obama. This model identifies six areas of focus for police agencies to ensure they act as guardians, not warriors. Oak Park has been on the forefront of community policing for decades. But there are ways to improve. Trust is built by competence and accountability. We have data collection and accountability improvements that need to be made. The Berry Dunn report lays out a host of initiatives to make sure Oak Park police are best in class.

Criminologists talk about the four elements of crime, an opportune victim, a person interested in committing a crime, the absence of an effective guardian, and a location. Each of these elements should be addressed to prevent crime. The second element – the person interested in committing a crime, is the biggest challenge. People at risk of committing crime suffer from the same problems all over the world: poverty and poor environment, family conflict and violence, insufficient role models, doing poorly at school or dropping out, having no employment opportunities, living in areas that lack services and facilities, and having access to drugs. These factors affect children from birth to adulthood. Increasing evidence shows that intervention targeting these risk factors can be effective in reducing crime. Most of Oak Park’s crime comes from other communities. Therefore, we need a regional crime prevention assessment to determine who is working on these various problems and where additional focus is needed. This is a long term project.

Crime deterrence is more immediate and relies on a visible police presence. This is effective because criminals do not want to get caught.

One initiative to solve the dilemma of just policing in a high crime era is the hiring of more women officers. Women are naturally less aggressive than men, they are better able to de-escalate situations, and more easily trusted. They use less force but are equally effective as their male counterparts.

13) Volunteer citizen boards, commissions, and committees advise the village trustees. Do you believe that these entities are utilized effectively? What (if any) changes would you like to see to their authority, responsibilities, and oversight?

I would like to review the Citizen Police Oversight Commission to make sure they are being used effectively. We have several commissions that don’t regularly communicate their work up to the Village Board, such as the Aging In Place Commission and the Disability Access Commission. I would like to see them report in to the board so the board knows what their needs are.

14) In the past, Oak Park has been at the forefront of votes regarding national issues like gay/lesbian domestic partnerships years before gay marriage was legalized, and
immigration. Do you think these types of ordinances are an appropriate use of trustee time and energy? What would you say to a constituent who wanted Village Trustees to take a position on current national issues like protection for transgender rights or a woman’s right to bodily autonomy?

Some of these issues have local implications that are real, such as we addressed with the Welcoming Village Ordinance which prevents the police from asking those they interact with about their immigration status. Others are symbolic, like our famous nuclear free zone. There is value in taking symbolic action that represents the will of the people. However, it should not distract from the business of running the government and focusing on our basic duties.

15) What role should the Village play in voter registration, education and participation?

Citizen participation is the cornerstone of democracy. Citizen participation requires information and education. Transparency, accountability and educating the public are essential parts of a healthy democracy.

The Village is in the process of revamping its website. I look forward to having an impact on how to ensure that it is citizen friendly, easy to use, and works to inform the public about the workings of local government.

The Village Clerk is the right person to work on voter registration and voter participation.

16) What approach should the Village take towards intergovernmental cooperation initiatives such as the Collaboration for Early Childhood Development? Are there other specific initiatives that you would like to implement or expand upon?

I support the Early Childhood Collaborative. Its mission furthers my core value of helping people succeed in life. Our community’s work to close the achievement gap is unduly focused on the high school. The achievement gap starts at birth and it should be addressed as early as possible. That is why I would like to re-institute the Family Case Management program. This program works to improve the health, social, education, and developmental needs of pregnant women and infants from low-income families in our communities.

17) What approach should the Village take towards intermunicipal cooperation with
neighboring communities? Are there specific initiatives that you would like to implement or expand upon?

Anything we can do collaboratively is more powerful than what we can do alone. As a team player at heart, I support all forms of collaboration.

I would like to see the Village work with the City of Berwyn, or rather, I would like to see the City of Berwyn work with the Village, to address the violence coming from Mike’s Bar on Roosevelt Road.

I support the work being done on North Ave to collaborate with the City of Chicago on improving that district.

I am excited about the work being done with our neighboring municipalities to improve the Harlem Ave viaduct and el stop.

18) Please list the three largest donors to your campaign by dollar amount contributed.

Bruce Lehman
Paul Beckwith
Me
All of my donor information is available on the State Board of Elections website.

19) For those who are currently serving or have previously served as a Village Trustee: What vote are you most proud of, and what vote do you most regret? Why?

I am most proud of my work to adopt the Inclusionary Zoning Ordinance. Through this ordinance, the Village has collected approximately $4.5 million in housing funds. Some of the projects we accomplished with those funds are listed above.

The vote I regret is that I did not support the hiring of the police consultant. At the time, I thought it was a stalling tactic. I also thought it was unrealistic to hire a consultant to review “everything,” believing that consultants work better with a more specific charge.

I was wrong. The Berry Dunn consultant was fantastic, extremely thorough, and has provided the Village with a comprehensive set of recommendations to make our police department better. I am excited to implement them.