Everyday Constituent Services That Actually Work
Most people's experience of government is a request that goes unanswered, information they can't find online, or a meeting they never heard about. If we want people to believe that a strong local government can work for them, the ward office itself has to prove it every single day. That means two things:
First, getting the basics right: clean streets, working streetlights, overflowing trash cans emptied, tree limbs trimmed, sidewalks shoveled, potholes fixed. These aren't aspirations. They're the minimum that every resident in this ward deserves, whether they live in Fulton Market or East Garfield Park. To accomplish this we are introducing the 27th Ward Block Standard - one consistent standard of city service for every block, every resident, every neighborhood in this ward. No more unequal attention. No more excuses like “that's another department's job” or “that's the way it's always been done.” No more neglect for the people of the 27th Ward.
Second, beyond the basics, we must build a modern ward office with the same discipline and accountability as the best private-sector organizations; using emerging technology thoughtfully and transparently as a tool to serve residents better; and treating public money with laser focus by publishing what we spend, explaining why, and being willing to defend every dollar.
This ward deserves a government that shows up. Here's what that looks like:
- Implement the 27th Ward Block Standard.A resident shouldn't have to live in Fulton Market to expect a clean, safe, maintained neighborhood. Whether you're east or west, in a new development or a century-old home, every block in the 27th Ward deserves the same basic standard of city service.
- CleanStreets, alleys, vacant lots, and public spaces maintained consistently. Illegal dumping, abandoned vehicles, overflowing garbage, and graffiti addressed quickly.
- SafeWorking streetlights, visible addresses, safe intersections, and coordination with police and city agencies on persistent problem locations.
- FixedPotholes, broken sidewalks, damaged curbs, missing signs, sewer problems, and neglected infrastructure tracked until they're resolved - not simply reported.
- GreenHealthy parkways, trees, maintained vacant lots, parks, and public spaces that residents can be proud of.
- Open for BusinessVacant storefronts and neglected commercial corridors treated as opportunities to bring jobs and services back to the neighborhood. Make it easier for neighborhood businesses to open, operate, and grow.
- Built for FamiliesSafe routes to schools and parks, functioning playgrounds, well-lit public spaces after dark, youth programming, and public spaces where families feel comfortable.
- AccountableResidents can see what's been reported, what's being done, who's responsible, and whether the problem was actually solved.
- Build a constituent services operation that actually works.I've spent my career helping governments modernize how they serve people, and I'll bring that same approach to this ward office. Real case tracking so no request falls through the cracks. Multilingual support so language is never a barrier. A team that follows up until something is actually resolved. When you call this office, someone answers. When you submit a request, you hear back. That's not a high bar. It's just not how most ward offices work today.
- Make sure no one in this ward loses their healthcare or SNAP benefits over a form.Starting in 2027, new federal rules will require Medicaid and SNAP recipients to regularly prove they meet work requirements,[1] and past experience shows that most people who lose coverage under rules like these lose it to paperwork, not ineligibility.[2] My office will proactively reach out to ward residents facing these deadlines, with reminders and in-person assistance, especially for seniors and residents without reliable internet access. Washington may be making this harder. This office will make it easier.
- Use Artificial Intelligence (AI) and other emerging tech to serve residents.Chicago has published AI guiding principles, but principles aren't policy. As AI tools become embedded in how government operates, from processing applications to routing service requests, residents deserve to know exactly when AI is being used on their behalf, what data is being used, and who is accountable when something goes wrong. I'll advocate at the council level for binding, enforceable AI governance standards for city operations, not just aspirational guidelines, and in this ward office, I'll use AI where it genuinely helps residents: drafting plain-language summaries of complex city processes, identifying residents approaching benefits deadlines, and making it easier to navigate city services, while always keeping a real person accountable for the outcome.
- Fight for fiscal responsibility - and actually read the budget.Chicago is facing a structural budget deficit that isn't going away on its own, and for too long the City Council has treated the mayor's proposed budget as something to approve, not scrutinize. I won't do that. I'll go through the city budget line by line, push back on accounting gimmicks and deferred costs that make this year's numbers look better by making next year's worse, and vote against measures that ask ordinary residents to absorb costs that should be shared more broadly. And I'll publish an annual plain-language report on how every ward discretionary dollar was spent and what it produced, so residents don't have to take my word for it.
- Create a Ward Council with real teeth.Within the first 60 days of taking office, I'll hold elections for neighborhood representatives to a Ward Council. These councils will meet regularly, receive real information about what's happening in the ward - budgets, development proposals, TIF spending, crime data - and have genuine input into priorities. Not a chance to ask questions at the end of a meeting. Real participation, built into how this office operates from day one.
- Celebrate this community - loudly and often.The West Side has a history worth honoring and a culture worth celebrating. I'll build community events into the regular rhythm of this office - well-organized, well-promoted gatherings that bring residents together around the history and pride of this neighborhood. The West Side's story deserves to be told loudly, and this office will tell it and celebrate it.