Friday, January 7, 2011

Read The Trib's Candidate Questionnaires

The Tribune's Editorial Board, in preparing to make its endorsements for the City elections, asked all candidates in the upcoming election, including all aldermanic candidates, to fill out and submit questionnaires about the issues and their views on various subjects.  If you're looking for answers about what makes the candidates tick, this is the place to look, folks.

In the 46th Ward, 10 out of the 11 candidates filled out questionnaires; in the 47th Ward, 4 out of 5; and in the 48th Ward, 3 out of 5.  You can take a look at them here.  Good reading, especially if you haven't made up your mind and want to be an informed voter.

31 comments:

  1. Marc Kaplan doesn't even address crime as a major issue in Uptown. Seriously?!?!

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  2. This isn't for the sake of candidate bashing but just being said out of sheer awe: Caitlin's answer for TIFS...."No answer given".

    Love it!

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  3. Kaplan lives in lala land. OMG. He has no clue how the world works.

    "The first area in which I would cut spending is highly symbolic as well. I would introduce a proposal to reduce the number of aldermen in Chicago to thirty. I would also call for the eliminating of the City Clerk’s position and attendant staff. Second, I would push for an “independent” audit of all city departments, and eliminate all duplicative and redundant programs and functions. Third, I would add another five days of unpaid furlough days for all City workers (aldermen included) who make $100,000 or more and who are not in collective bargaining units. These would be annual, permanent savings for the City. I am not a budget expert so I cannot tell you how much money would be saved, although I surmise that the amount would be significant."

    Why is this highly symbolic?

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  4. More on this Kaplan cat,

    I find his positions sad. He thinks money grows on trees.

    He can wish in one hand and poop in the other and see which one fills up first.

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  5. Does anyone else feel that Mr. Cappleman has a fairly weak stance on reduction of crime? Seems like he's probably considered the front-runner at this point, and he wants to "reduce incidences of police misconduct".

    Frankly, given the past week or so, police misconduct is that last thing I'm worried about around here. Agree? Disagree?

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  6. The best thing about Kaplan's candidacy is that his loss will be a stand-in for the crushing Helen defeat many of us were looking forward to. But you have to wonder why he's even running. Helen barely won four years ago with the full support of the Helen voters and the Daley machine. This time, the Helen voters make up a smaller percentage of the ward, and the Daley machine is clearly not going to back him. Is it simply spite against Nowotny, whose early candidacy announcement helped force Helen from the race?

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  7. jason, that quote you criticized is from Befekadu Retta not Kaplan.

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  8. From what I read I see nothing good about any of the candidates that satisfy myself on they views and expectations of Uptown. It certainly is a hard choice and it must be choosen carefully as I hope we don`t get another Shiller after finally getting rid of her. I know the Alderman can do only so much but they also can ruin alot.

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  9. 4500mag, your tiny little glimpse of Cappleman's stance on crime is misleading to other readers who have not read the Trib article. He said as follows (concrete ideas):

    "Public Safety within the Ward: 1. Will immediately respond to any violent incident within the ward and inform the community of plans to address the situation 2. Will collaborate with the police and CTA to reduce the rate of crime around El stations and bus stops 3Will continue to work with police commanders from 20th & 23rd Districts to assist with coordinating public safety issues that border one another within the 46th Ward 4. Will identify residential buildings with high rates of 911 calls and require their managers to create a plan to address the causes of crime on their property or face serious consequences 5. Will encourage area schools to participate with Explorers, a Police-sponsored program that helps reduce gang activity."

    He also included suggestions on improving public safety city-wide, which I need not paste.

    But I think it's really important for us Uptowners that he also addresses Mental Illness: "Will work with the Cook County Court system to reduce recidivism among first time and chronic offenders by making better use of their Drug Court, Mental Illness Court, and their proposed Prostitution Court."

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  10. 4500, Why do you think Kaplan is considered the front runner? I honestly never even hear of the guy until today and have lived here for 6 years. I dont think he is even a player in the race.

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  11. Sorry 4500. You said cappleman. I also dont beleive he is a front runner. He got my vote last time only because he was running against Shiller. 4 years ago he was a better choice, but this year I know several people not voting for him.

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  12. Robert, read 4500's post again. You're confusing Cappleman and Kaplan.

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  13. What the hell is wrong with saying "reduce incidences of police misconduct"? It is possible to walk and chew gum at the same time, yes?

    This isn't a fascist state where the police can do no wrong. Cops are people and people screw up sometimes.

    Thankfully, cops also do a hell of a lot of good. Like the undercover cop who made the arrest of the shooter the other day.

    There is not one answer to reducing crime in Uptown or anywhere else. There are about 100 answers and better policing is one of those answers.

    As for McIntyre I don't take her seriously as a candidate. Twenty four years old? I have boots older than that. My guess is someone put her out there as a way to divert votes from Molly Phelan. I could venture a guess as to which campaign, but I might be very wrong. There are about five campaigns that would benefit from it. Hard to see, the dark side is.

    Baskin apparently knows Meryl Streep. Which is a nice aside from someone unknown to virtually the entire ward. Unless he plans to put a whole lot of his own money into the campaign I don't know what his motivation for running is.

    Kaplan is probably just running for the grits and shins. He's about as likely to make the runoff as I am to runoff with Angelina Jolie. Fantasy all around.

    Out of the 11 current candidates there are at least 7 who appear able to put a whole lot of time and or money into the race. Maybe more.

    Itzagonna be a fun race to watch.

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  14. There is a lot of confusion granted, with so many candidates.

    The power of a newspaper questionnaire to enlighten has its limits, as do blogs, candidate websites, rumor and word of mouth.

    Even now a decade into the 21st Century the best way to take measure of a person is by being in the same room as they speak and answer questions on the spot.

    For all we know these questionnaires were filled out over a full day of pondering the angles with a group of advisers. They are helpful but only to a point, and then the Chicago Tribune is going to tell you at some time before the election who is there choice.

    Woohoo!

    As your neighbors we at Mercy Housing, the residents, not the organization will have a live event with 8 of the candidates. And we promise not to tell you who you should vote for, the purpose is to help YOU make up your own mind. We respect your intelligence. The reason there are 8 and not 11 is because we sent out invitations to all 12 at the time with a deadline so we could reserve the space in a timely manner.

    I apologize that Kaplan will not be attending because his reply as with Baskin was late, however he seems to be of interest in this post. The other 2...still waiting....

    The church is perfectly suited for these events, you will be allowed to submit questions, anonymously if you so choose, to the candidate, we will do our best in the time allotted.

    Attending this forum will by no means be a waste of your time. We will attempt to expand on the topics already discussed, and the urgent matters readers of UU are all too aware of.

    Men and women have gone all the way to the middle-east for democracy....can you make it over to Malden St.?

    The UU has been kind enough to post the info for these forums, myself and others are working hard on it, and the church has generously provided the space...the rest is up to you, let the chips fall were they may.

    Cut-n-pasted from UU post:

    Forums will be held at Lakeview Church of Christ, 4716 N. Malden, beginning promptly at 6pm, with the doors opening at 5:45pm. Parking is available in the church lot, and it's handicapped-accessible. Special thanks to the church for allowing the use of its space free of charge.

    You can read much more about it on the tenant association's website and Facebook page. Here's the line-up:

    For parking enter thru alley between Malden and Beacon.

    * Thursday, January 13 - Diane Shapiro
    * Thursday, January 20 - Don Nowotny
    * Thursday, January 27 - James Cappleman
    * Tuesday, February 1 - Andy Lam
    * Thursday, February 3 - Michael Carroll
    * Tuesday, February 8 - Befekadu Retta
    * Thursday, February 10 - Emily Stewart
    * Tuesday, February 15 - Molly Phelan






    Forums will be held at Lakeview Church of Christ, 4716 N. Malden, beginning promptly at 6pm, with the doors opening at 5:45pm. Parking is available in the church lot, and it's handicapped-accessible. Special thanks to the church for allowing the use of its space free of charge.

    You can read much more about it on the tenant association's website and Facebook page. Here's the line-up:

    * Thursday, January 13 - Diane Shapiro
    * Thursday, January 20 - Don Nowotny
    * Thursday, January 27 - James Cappleman
    * Tuesday, February 1 - Andy Lam
    * Thursday, February 3 - Michael Carroll
    * Tuesday, February 8 - Befekadu Retta
    * Thursday, February 10 - Emily Stewart
    * Tuesday, February 15 - Molly Phelan

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  15. Clue # 1
    Who's name have most of us heard of before this campaign began? There's probably a reason.
    Clue # 2
    There is a single candidate that has been working salary free within this ward for over a decade, I wonder why he has committed himself to this work?
    Clue # 3
    What positive change has ANY candidate besides him brought to the ward within the last decade?

    This election is pretty common sense to me but I've taken the time to talk with the 4 candidates that actually have a chance at winning. If any of you have taken the time to get to know the people running, it shouldn't take 2 seconds to determine who is the most experienced and best qualified person for the job. I hope we all do our homework and vote correctly.

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  16. It's also pretty obvious that 4500Mag works for or is affiliated with an opposing campaign. Anyone who even REMOTELY knows James knows that he is a strong supporter of the CPD and that is evident by his work with CAPS, Court Advocacy, positive loitering groups and his direct relationship with the police commander.

    Can't think of to much that any other candidate has done to help fight crime in Uptown. Maybe someone can try and enlighten me.

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  17. Brad,

    I knew that I am sorry I was criticizing two different candidates. (I was not clear in my post.)

    I should have divided the two comments.

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  18. I think Carrol has more of a lead on the crime topic, don't you agree guys?

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  19. Actions speak louder than words to me. We had four times shots were fired and two shootings in the time between Caps meetings, November to December. The night of the Caps meeting, at 7:00 P.M. on the 4700 block of Sheridan, where I went to talk to the police about those shootings, Michael Carroll was having a party in his office right across the street from the Caps meeting, which also started at 7:00 P.M. We're there to talk about crime. He's across the street having a party. Really didn't look like he was really too concerned with crime that night.

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  20. Un-Bias - I Completely agree and it seems as if UptownAction is scrambling to help Cappleman last minute. It seems as if UptownAction is worried about all the people backing Carroll.

    I dont know how Uptown can justify Cappleman does more for Violence or can do more for Violence in our neighborhood than Carroll Can. Carroll works on s special task force to combat Gang Violce. Its called the Target Response Unit or TRU for short. Dealing with Gangs day in and day out on the south and west sides to me makes Carroll the clear leader when it comes to chaging the VIOLENCE in UPTOWN. I am not sure how anyone could logically contest this. Its Absurd.

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  21. It looks like GG is scrambling for Capleman as well. I find the idea he was having a party to be comical as well.If you are going to push your candidate its better to talk strengths rather than make up things about other candidates. Its Sales 101. It doenst help you in the long run to talk bad about your competition.

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  22. Robert, you're all over this blog pushing Carroll. You haven't had a single post that doesn't either say that Michael Carroll is the very best candidate EVER in the history of the world or putting down James Cappleman. Unbias posted a question asking how people felt about Carroll's "lead in the crime category." Silly me, I didn't realize that wasn't a real question. I answered, saying that it really grated to go to Caps because of four incidents of shots fired and when I came out, walked past Carroll having a big party at his campaign hq right across the street from Caps at the very same time as the Caps meeting. Yes, it put a bad taste in my mouth. I'm sorry that you think my answering the question in an honest manner makes me a bad salesperson or that you somehow extrapolate from that that I support Cappleman. Now really, did I mention any other candidate? Big leap of faith, Robert, or are you really a relative of Michael or are you Moosh? The very fact that I have to ask tells me that you're kind of over-selling Carroll. So go and vote for him and keep on posting every post breathlessly pushing Carroll and managing to work Cappleman in, even when that's not who I think I'll be voting for. You've hit the status of obsessed, my one-trick-pony friend. BTW, I will never vote for any candidate who parties across from a Caps meeting in the middle of a bullet-riddled season in Uptown. Too remininscent of Helen and her fiddling while Rome burns.

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  23. Robert, you accused me of making up the fact that Carroll had a party at his hq right at the same time and on the same block as a Caps meeting. I forgot about that. Not nice to accuse someone about lying, now, is it? Here it is in UU. Don't believe that? Here it is, from your favorite crimefighter himself. An apology for accusing me of lying would be nice, but I won't expect one from you.

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  24. Can't we just all get along?

    Nope, I didn't think so.

    Carroll having a party at the same time as a CAPS meeting was bad timing, but candidates make mistakes. I don't think it says much about him or his campaign.

    "Robert" using the word "absurd" regarding Carroll being "clearly" the best candidate regarding crime is well.........absurd.

    If you want to say or believe that Mike Carroll is the best candidate overall or regarding crime dat's fine. Suggesting that the other candidates have nothing to contribute is wrong.

    If the crime in Uptown was amenable to a strictly law enforcement solution I might say that Carroll is the man for da job.

    It ain't.

    Given the reality of the city budget we can't expect hordes of new cops to descend upon Uptown.

    The first thing a new alderman needs to do in office regarding crime is forcing property managers/owners to evict their ganged up tenants or the tenants who allow gangbangers to "stay" with them.

    The second thing is working for a change in state law to make evictions because of criminal conduct speedier and less expensive.

    The third thing would be working to get better managed social service agencies in Uptown.

    I happen to think Cappleman is the best person to do that.

    Some may disagree. Calling it "absurd" is simply.......well absurd.

    As for the sniping at various candidates for the most part I think it's counterproductive.

    Carroll, Phelan, Cappleman, Stewart, and Lam seem like decent enough folks.

    Nowotny is too machined up for my taste and no man above the age of 25 should ever wear a ponytail.

    I get sorta a machine feel off Retta also.

    Caitlin Mac's "candidacy" seems more designed to draw votes away from someone than for herself.

    Baskin seems to be a wealthy guy running for some reason seemingly only known to him at this moment.

    Shapiro is a Republican in a ward that voted around 80 percent for President Obama. Good luck.

    Kaplan........well attack away. He is a carbuncle on the Uptown scene.

    There we have it. Generally be nice to any of the candidates except Kaplan.

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  25. Here's a thought, how about a public debate among the candidates? Amazing that there has been no opportunity to see them stand up and debate the issues.

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  26. A debate among 10-11 candidates is farce. It is like Monty Python being crossed with an LSD trip and being topped off with a bottle of bourbon.

    There will be opportunities for each of the candidates to appear at various forums.

    Now once the field is narrowed down to two for the runoff then a debate should be held.

    Right now we could hold a three hour debate and each candidate would probably have less than 15 minutes of actual speaking time.

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  27. A lot of the CPD'S Officers do not support CAPS and there is debate as to it real effectiveness.

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  28. A lot of the CPD'S Officers do not support CAPS and there is debate as to it real effectiveness.

    Presumably that's not Michael's opinion, since he was a CAPS coordinator for a few months. He stepped down when he declared his candidacy.

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  29. @ gg and the others who have mentioned this.

    Let us be fair...things are not always what they may seem.

    Candidate Micheal Carroll has a large space at the corner of Leland and Sheridan. He has welcomed some worthy charities to hold events there free of charge. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that in my opinion. Charities need to connect to raise funds...to exist. One of those fine charities he has offered his space for "parties" I've provided a link/info below.

    http://recoveryonwater.org/

    Recovery on Water

    A mutually-empowering rowing team that gives survivors of breast cancer the unique opportunity to interact, become active in their recovery, and gain support from fellow survivors.

    Lets be fair neighbors...I am sure it looked like a party and it was, the timing not fortunate.

    I am not trying to be sly and endorse a candidate I respect your intelligence.

    For full-disclosure Mr. Carroll has also allowed a persistent artist (yours truly) to display his art in the windows.

    Your welcome to slam my art all ya want because I can handle it dude!

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  30. Carroll works on s special task force to combat Gang Violce. Its called the Target Response Unit or TRU for short. Dealing with Gangs day in and day out on the south and west sides to me makes Carroll the clear leader when it comes to chaging the VIOLENCE in UPTOWN. - Robert

    Robert, it sounds like you're disappointed with the work of the current police commander. Police commanders have the role of targeting a response to gangs with specific police action. Aldermen have the role of addressing problem buildings and coordinating efforts with the police commanders to address crime, but they should not be acting as police officers. Currently, the job of a police commander is not up for election.

    Now, could you explain to me exactly what has Carroll done in the 46th Ward to address crime, other than be a CAPS facilitator for a few months before dropping out to run for alderman? Maybe you can think of a success story of what he did during his short stint with CAPS.

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  31. I know everyone want more Police on the street, but it takes $$$ and our City is broke. So realistically, the things we can do is to reduce crime are:

    1) Put pressure on chronic bad landlords and get rid of their crime oriented tenants and guests more quickly.

    2) Suggest our CPD Officers to start WALKING in our streets at least 30 minutes each shift. This will magnify the "Police Presence" factor.

    3) Make sure the ex-offenders have some sort of employment or the crime-arrest-jail-release cycle will keep continuing.

    Have a good one.

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