Uptown's homeless need a hand, not a hand out

As I was driving home tonight, all I could think of was getting some much needed sleep. I was lucky enough to find a parking spot a few blocks from my place, grabbed my bag, and headed toward my building. However, instead of walking strait from my car, to my place, and right into my warm bed, I was stopped by a man named Robert. He at first startled me. He seemed to be waiting in the shadows for me as I turned the corner onto Bittersweet. Being approached by a complete stranger at 3:00 a.m. made me flip back into work mode, something that Robert sensed immediately. I told him that he walked up to the wrong person if he was looking for some quick cash.... "No!" he said. "I just wanted to ask you a question." I told him strait off that he cannot be walking up to people that late at night, even if he was "a nice guy" looking to simply ask a few questions. He just didn't seem to understand the urgency of my words, so I repeated myself a few times to make it clear.

I came to find out that Robert had been homeless for six months, mostly living in shelters and on park benches. It unfortunately isn't that uncommon of a story in our community. Robert and I talked for a while. We talked about everything from his elderly grandmother in Wisconsin, to his childhood at 59th and Justine, even getting to his strong faith in God. I asked Robert what he wanted from me, expecting him to simply ask for some spare change. Robert replied, "I just want my life to be a little easier. I know that most people see me as some homeless criminal, but all that I really want is to get back to work and back to being somebody." I told him that he was somebody, even if he sometimes didn't believe it. Robert went on to tell me that he doesn't need a hand out, just a hand getting back on track. I don't think that I could have said it better myself Robert. Our elected officials should be working to fix the perils of homelessness through education and job development, rather than misappropriated spending and a bunch of excuses. I gave Robert my word that I would do everything in my power to see that his request becomes a reality and that every person in our community gets a voice, no matter who they are. Robert then said goodnight and headed off into the night. These are the kind of experiences that tell me I know that I am doing the right thing seeking public office. I know that I will make a difference.

46th Ward Issues

46th Ward Issues

The most pressing issues that our Ward faces are crime, failing infrastructure, education, job creation, and transparency.

Crime: Seen at a greater degree in Uptown, crime in the 46th Ward is a serious problem. The residents of our Ward deserve safe streets, free of violence and crime. Every resident of the Ward deserves safe streets, no matter whom he is or where she lives. As Alderman, I will guarantee that the residents and taxpayers in our Ward have a voice and that we will work together to improve each person's safety.

Once elected, I will have a unique perspective that no other sitting Alderman possesses. As a Chicago Police Officer for seven years, I have worked solely in high crime areas, focusing on the gangs, guns, and drugs that breed violence in our city. With more than one thousand arrests in my career and having personally removed countless guns from our Chicago streets, I have that knowledge as a decorated Chicago Police Officer to build a bridge between all the residents of the 46th Ward and the Chicago Police Department. Such a relationship will facilitate positive and constructive conversations about safety, and will allow all parties to work together, put a plan in place to lower crime, and end the violence on our streets. Together, we can make our streets safer.

Infrastructure: Potholes, crumbling curbs, street cave-ins, poor lighting, graffiti, and dilapidated Red Line stations like the Wilson El Stop are the day-to-day problems we face in the 46th Ward. These things affect everyone. Basic infrastructure must be improved because residents in this Ward deserve better.

As Alderman, I will listen to everyone's concerns and ensure that those concerns turn into an actionable plan to improve the conditions of our Ward's infrastructure. I will work with Streets and Sanitation and other city agencies to ensure these concerns are addressed in a timely fashion. I will sit down with the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) and make certain that there is a plan to improve the conditions of our public transportation system, something on which many residents in the 46th Ward depend. Each call I receive in my office will be answered with a follow-up call to check and see if the problem has been resolved. I will put words into action and make those improvements that residents are requesting and that the 46th Ward truly needs.

Education: The City of Chicago should be investing more of its funds into our public schools and its teachers to ensure that the young people in our Ward develop into successful adults, ready to make our community a better place. Chicago Public Schools (CPS) are laying off teachers and considering shortening the number of hours spent in the classroom to meet the close to $1 billion budget shortfall, all while giving the executive staff large pay raises. This is a problem, and I will do my best to change these bad habits.

As Alderman, I will work to invest more money into our schools and in the youngsters that call our publicly funded schools home. By working with constituents, looking at alternative educational models like charter schools, we will find creative solutions to our problems, ensuring a quality education for all CPS students. Children should not be punished and teachers should not lose their hard-earned jobs because of misappropriation of funding. The correct answer always starts with adding and subtracting in the right places, and as Alderman, I will ensure this happens.

Job Creation: With an 11.6% unemployment rate in the City of Chicago, more must be done to ensure these jobless numbers are reversed and Chicagoans are put back to work. I will work with existing restaurants, retail establishments, and other businesses in our area to increase employment. I will work to encourage new businesses to move into the 46th Ward, letting them know that our Ward is the right place to invest.

The 46th Ward is home to a great number of residents ready to get to work, ready to make their own neighborhood a better place to shop and do business. The Wilson, Broadway, and Sheridan corridors, with their numerous empty and run-down buildings are the ideal places to develop new businesses. This will allow local people to walk to work and be a part of their own local community and economy. During difficult times, as the one we find ourselves, it is the duty of the government to do everything in its power to turn the neighborhood around and make a difference. I will work to make that a reality.

Transparency: Transparency is the overarching factor that deals specifically with every other issue in our Ward. It is imperative that we fund infrastructure repairs, hire more police officers, fund our public schools, and most importantly, make the Alderman's personal office budget and his menu money transparent. This also directly speaks to how Tax Increment Financing (TIF) funds are procured and how they are spent. There should be nothing left to the imagination. Everything should be fully transparent to the taxpayers because in the end, it is the taxpayer's money.

As Alderman, I will make my budget readily available for anyone who would like to see it through my web site and I will mail out the previous year’s budget—to show how monies were spent—for all residents and taxpayers to view. All of this would be paid by me personally and not with our taxpayer dollars. Much like any good business or non-profit organization, I also will prepare an annual report each year for the constituents of the 46th Ward to see. I have nothing to hide from the residents of Chicago and the 46th Ward—neither should our Alderman.

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The most important issues in the 46th Ward are as diverse as the neighborhood itself. Though the preceding issues are the most pressing issues that face the residents and taxpayers within our Ward, those issues do not discount individual issues that are important to you and how our taxpayer money should be spent. This is our Ward. This is our home. Every person in our Ward deserves a voice, and that is what I promise to provide when I am elected Alderman.

So, here is your chance. Tell me what issues are important to you. This is our home. It is time for everyone in the 46th Ward to be heard.

Contact me anytime, and I promise your voice will be heard.

michael@carroll46.com