Serving as city councilman for District 1 has been the greatest honor of my professional career. Although my tenure was short, I am proud of the things we accomplished and optimistic about the future of our city. I will always carry with me the lessons I’ve learned and treasure the connections I’ve made with community members along the way.
Perhaps the most important lesson I learned is not to be hampered by the pursuit of perfection. Moving the needle on public policy can be slow and arduous. I came to City Council with wide eyes and big dreams. But I learned fast that change doesn’t usually come in sweeping waves. Sometimes it comes in frustratingly small steps. Even though the problems we face feel urgent (and many are), we cannot allow the perfect to be the enemy of the good. Because those small steps are what ultimately lead to progress and meaningful change in our community.
When I worked on a policy proposal to help ensure that city contractors deliver projects on time, I knew change would be an uphill battle. I know of no city where government contracts are timely and efficient. But my constituents needed change, and I knew we could do better. The construction I inherited on the St. Mary’s Strip was hurting small businesses and becoming too inconvenient for neighbors. That’s why I fought for progress. And even though we weren’t able to see it to fruition, I was able to draft, submit and build support for a resolution that would put the right carrots and sticks in place to deliver projects on time. I hope that the next City Council will continue to push for accountability and make this resolution a reality.
One important achievement was getting CPS Energy to hire outside contractors to perform top-to-bottom evaluations of their organization. While our utility was attempting to recover from a low point, we were able to provide them with a roadmap for success — a roadmap that will help position them to become one of the most affordable, reliable and sustainable public utilities in the country.
During my time on Council, we also secured $43 million to address chronic homelessness, $32 million of which has already been contracted out to build permanent supportive housing. This is not just building dwellings for individuals who have been chronically homeless. These sites will include on-site case managers who will make sure that every resident who needs mental health medication will have access to it. Both mental health and drug addiction counselors will also be on site. Two of these developments are currently under construction, and once they are built, you may see fewer people who are homeless in your neighborhoods and downtown.
This is a compassionate approach to addressing homelessness, but it is also a smart investment in taxpayer dollars. Providing individuals who are chronically homeless with a more stable and dignified living situation also gets people who use disproportionately large amounts of emergency services off the street, freeing up police, fire, and EMS resources. That saves taxpayer dollars in the long run and also means that when you dial 911, an emergency services responder will arrive sooner.
While these small steps all take us in the right direction, it will take continued leadership to ensure that we achieve our full potential. Let’s set aside our differences and look to the future with optimism and hope. After all, we all want the best for our district and our city.
On the night of the runoff election, I called Councilwoman-elect Sukh Kaur to congratulate her on her campaign victory. I also told Kaur that I stand ready to assist her with the transition and any work going forward. She was both gracious and complimentary. It was exactly the kind of conversation that should happen when there is a transfer of power between elected officials. It’s not about us. It’s about the community we serve.
As for me, I’m not sure what comes next. Although I won’t be your councilman, I’ll continue to be your neighbor. My commitment to our community doesn’t end with my time on the City Council. I’ll always be here for my neighbors, and I thank all of you for this opportunity to serve.
