To inform voters, the Chicago Tribune politics team posed a series of questions to the candidates running for mayor of Chicago. See their answers below. See how other candidates answered here.
Name: Kam Buckner
Age: 37
Born: Chicago
Personal: Married to Bernardette Salgado-Buckner; a son, Kas
Education: Bachelor’s degree, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; law degree, DePaul University
Neighborhood: Bronzeville
Current job: State representative; vice president of governmental affairs, Outfront Media
Government experience: State representative (2019-current); adviser for then-New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu (2012-2013); aide to U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (2007-2012)
Political experience: Government and neighborhood relations for Chicago Cubs (2013-2015); House chairman, Illinois Legislative Black Caucus (2020-current)
Do you support sending more local funding to the CTA or other public transit agencies as relief funding runs out by 2025?
YES / NO
What plans would you implement to improve the Chicago Transit Authority’s bus and train service as well as other avenues of transportation, including automobiles and bikes?
I’m the only candidate in this race who has put forward a comprehensive plan to improve non-automobile infrastructure and the CTA – I’m a lifelong avid CTA rider and a proponent of safe streets, and this issue is incredibly important to me. As State Representative, I lead the charge to get 20 percent of the state’s motor fuel tax increase dedicated to transit, 90 percent of which comes to Chicago. No one has successfully gotten that much funding for transit in years. As Mayor, I will focus on improving the accessibility, reliability and affordability of our public transportation. My plan commits to improving reliability of train and bus schedules, better connectivity between the CTA, Metra and Pace, and much-needed expansion into transit deserts. I plan to stay informed and help the CTA stay informed about the issues that are impacting riders by creating a system that allows them to text problems as they see them on a train, bus, or station.
I’ve also committed to establishing a connected, protected bike grid to make sure our bikers and pedestrians can safely commute on our streets, which will require investing in hard barriers and protected intersections. I also plan to create a Bike Lane Integrity Unit at the Chicago Department of Transportation focused on upkeep, maintenance, debris and impediments as well as a way for residents to alert the unit of these impediments when they are identified. This will ensure bike lanes remain functional and safe for bikers.
Do you support a ban on closing any Chicago public schools even as school populations continue to decline?
YES / NO
CPS will be transitioning to a fully elected school board in 2027. How do you see the financial entanglements between the city and CPS going forward?
We cannot make too many changes all at once. Transitioning to an elected school board will be a big change, and we need to go through the process of making sure both the City and CPS are financially healthy.
Do you support reopening all of the closed city mental health centers to help with a citywide crisis response program?
YES / NO
If you answered yes, how would you pay for reopening the health centers? If you answered no, why do you think reopening the health centers is unnecessary?
We can’t afford no to reopen the closed mental health centers. There are state and federal dollars on the table that the current administration has left behind, particularly from the Local Government Distributive Fund. I can work with Springfield on day one to get Chicago the funding that the current mayor hasn’t been able to secure. Additionally, DOJ’s Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) and National Institute of Justice (NIJ) have dollars for cities doing work as well as the Community Mental Health Services Block Grant (MHBG) through SAMSHA. There are literally millions of dollars on the table.
Do you think Chicagoans feel safer today than they felt four years ago?
YES / NO
Why do you think Chicagoans feel either less or more safe and what is the single-biggest policy change you would make as mayor dealing with crime?
More important than feeling safe is actually being safe, and the numbers tell the story that many Chicagoans are not safe.
Chicago is going through a horrifying pandemic of violence. Crime, and homicides in particular, is the worst it’s been since 1996. Last year, a staggering 692 people were murdered and our homicide clearance rate is abysmal. Carjackings–happening in neighborhoods across the city–have increased over 200% from 2019.
We need a plan, and we need a Mayor who can collaborate to get it done. Pulling up drawbridges is not the answer. We need to build bridges to all 77 of Chicago’s neighborhoods. The single-biggest thing we can do is implement a strategy for focused deterrence interventions. This means focusing on high risk individuals who’ve already come in contact with the system and offering them access to jobs, housing and other essential services. In other words community Policing on steroids.
We also need to redraw the Police District maps that no longer reflect a 2023 Chicago as well as change how we recruit officers by eliminating criteria like credit checks, that disqualify otherwise quality candidates. However, it is also important to remember that crime is the symptom, a lack of public safety is the disease. That’s why my Safer 77 Plan includes addressing root causes of crime.
Do you think the level of compliance for the Chicago Police Department consent decree is progressing at an appropriate pace?
YES / NO
What will you do specifically to ensure that the consent decree for the Chicago Police Department is fully implemented in a timely manner? Do you support any amendments to the consent decree?
I’m committed to making sure that every CPD employee, new and existing, will be thoroughly trained in implicit racial bias and violence de-escalation techniques. Additionally, as mayor, I will make sure CPD is in full compliance with the federally mandated Consent Decree, which will make the department stronger and better equipped to serve the community. Coming into compliance with the consent decree is a top priority in our Safer-77 public safety plan. And as the only candidate in this race with experience in Consent Decree compliance for a major city Police Department, I understand how this should work.
The Independent Monitor released findings showing that Mayor Lightfoot and Superintendent Brown have systematically failed to prioritize officer wellness and compliance with the majority of mandated reforms. The independent monitor details that after four years, only 5 percent of reforms are ranked fully compliant, and 17 percent are ranked secondarily compliant.
A troubling 11 wellness counselors have not been hired (as of the time of reporting), despite budget allocations for their positions, and the Officer Suicide Prevention Plan has not been implemented despite monitors noting that Chicago’s officer suicide rate is 60% higher than the national average.
The Independent Monitor’s report further criticizes CPD for a vague understanding of what community policing is, stating: “We continue to be concerned about how the CPD understands and discerns the differences and nuances among community engagement, community partnerships, community relationships, community policing, and community service.
The lack of attention to officer wellness is astounding, and the lack of an understanding of what community policing is is painfully evident.
Do you support amending city tax subsidies for corporations?
YES / NO
What plans do you propose for helping Chicago’s economy recover?
I just released my complete plan for Chicago’s economic recovery – you can find it here: https://kamformayor.com/4-star-agenda/economic-opportunity/. To rebuild and make Chicago an economic powerhouse, we will need to support the business community, give more opportunities to small businesses in neighborhoods throughout the city and provide support for workers citywide.
As a state representative, I have helped Illinois recover from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and I have sponsored several bills to address economic inequality throughout our City and state. As Mayor I will prioritize business development in city hall, establish better jobs & training programs, and invest in more neighborhoods that need it.
Do you support reforming or abolishing some city fines or fees?
YES / NO
If yes, name three fees or fines issued by the city of Chicago you would alter or abolish, including red light or speed cameras? If no, why do you feel that the current status of taxes and fees issued by the city of Chicago is fair?
Chicago’s tax levies are seventh highest among the nation’s largest cities for those struggling to make ends meet.
I support:
- Ban the boot
- Eliminating impound fees for people who’ve been carjacked. In Springfield I recently co-sponsored a bill to stop this bad practice.
- Not raising the 911 fee to pay for pensions. The current administration has been trying to do this.
Do you think the city has kept its promises to residents as it has redeveloped public housing over the past 22 years?
YES / NO
How will you address housing issues and people without homes in Chicago and what is your vision for the Chicago Housing Authority?
Addressing the city’s housing crisis is crucial. To effectively combat the homelessness crisis, we need to invest in a mix of affordable housing stock, emergency housing, temporary housing, and permanent supportive housing: anything less is a bandaid when we need a surgeon.
You can read the full plan here: https://kamformayor.com/4-star-agenda/housing/
Do you support reinstating a city Department of Environment?
YES / NO
If not, why not? If so, how will you make sure it functions better than the previous DOE that former Mayor Rahm Emanuel disbanded?
First, I’ll make sure that the department is led by a Commissioner – not a Director – so they can make independent decisions and to ensure institutional integrity that is not subject to mayoral inaction. As Mayor, I’ll make sure the Department of Environment starts by creating a comprehensive plan to address existing environmental threats across Chicago and establishes a clear blueprint to do so. I’ve made this commitment in my environmental platform here: https://kamformayor.com/4-star-agenda/environment/
Do you support banning mayors and aldermen from receiving campaign contributions from city contractors or their executives?
YES / NO
How would you improve the city’s ethics laws, including whether you would tighten restrictions on individuals tied to city contractors not being allowed to contribute to the campaigns of mayors or aldermen?
First, I’ll make sure that the department is led by a Commissioner – not a Director – so they can make independent decisions and to ensure institutional integrity that is not subject to mayoral inaction. As Mayor, I’ll make sure the Department of Environment starts by creating a comprehensive plan to address existing environmental threats across Chicago and establishes a clear blueprint to do so. I’ve made this commitment in my environmental platform here: https://kamformayor.com/4-star-agenda/environment/
Do you think enough has been done about aldermanic privilege in which aldermen have final say over projects in their wards?
YES / NO
If not, what specific changes would you make to ensure aldermen and alderwomen don’t abuse their zoning authority as many have in the past?
I will pass an ordinance on City Council reform in my first 100 days.
Alderpeople are elected to represent their communities, and we can’t lose sight of that. As Mayor, I would empower City Council so that it functions more like a real legislative body, and not a rubber stamp for the Mayor. No one person should have unchecked power, be that the Council members or the Mayor.
Do you think city government is appropriately transparent?
YES / NO
How would you improve transparency in city government, including responses to Freedom of Information Act requests and responding to decisions made by the Illinois Attorney General’s Office.
Transparency and accountability are essential to good government – and that includes complying with FOIA requests. The current administration’s disregard for FOIA is unacceptable. As Mayor, I will make sure that FOIA requests are addressed promptly, IG reports are released in a timely manner, and transparency is central to day-to-day city operations not just at City Hall but throughout all our government agencies.
Do you support additional city building code enforcement policies, including toughening the building scofflaw list?
YES / NO
The Tribune and Better Government Association won this year’s Pulitzer Prize in local reporting by showing that more than 60 Chicagoans, many of them Black, died in fires where the city knew of fire safety issues in the building but failed to act in time. We found tenants cannot rely on the city to effectively enforce safety codes designed to protect them from fire. How will you address these issues?
We need to completely overhaul our inspection and reporting structure that includes a process for emergent issues so that they are immediately addressed.
Do you support ending the city’s policy of providing security detail for former Chicago mayors?
YES / NO
More than a decade since he left office, former Mayor Richard M. Daley still has a police detail. Chicago is the only city that still does that for former mayors. How long should former Chicago mayors receive police security and a driver from the city?
Upon leaving office and transitioning back into private life the taxpayers no longer should be providing these services to former Mayors.
We don’t have cops on the streets because of a shortage, yet the current mayor has 70 people on her detail. The former mayor also has a detail and yet 911 response times are dismal.
