Alderman, 38th Ward: Timothy M. Cullerton

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Updated: January 20, 2011 4:28PM

Birth date: No response

Political affiliation: Democrat

Neighborhood: Portage Park

Occupation/Firm name: No response

Marital status: Married

Campaign HQ address: 5815 W. Irving Park Rd., Chicago, IL 60634

Campaign website: Under construction

What is your campaign budget?

No response

What are your top priorities for the City of Chicago?

Jobs/Economy

Police Protection

Property Taxes

Budget & Management/Alternate Revenue Sources

Vacant/Foreclosed Properties (all property classes)

Education/Schools

TIF Reform

Recycling, Environmental Protection and Alternative Energy/ Energy Conservation

Affordable Housing

What are your top priorities for your ward?

Capping or lowering property taxes

Maintaining adequate levels of Police Officers/lowering crime

Providing incentives for small business growth (creating jobs & expanding revenue tax

base)

Delivery of basic city services

Maintaining and securing vacant/foreclosed properties

Creation of recycling services for the all Citizens of the 38th Ward

The city is in serious financial trouble and can't afford the level of service it currently provides. For 2011, Mayor Daley, with City Council backing, balanced the budget without raising taxes or fees, relying instead on some cost-saving measures and one-time fixes, including using proceeds from leasing the city's parking meters. Do you support this approach? What should be done differently going forward?

Please be specific about your plans to reshape government: what services and departments would you scale back or cut? Can you identify new revenue sources? How can the City reduce personnel costs? What kind of concessions should the City seek from the unions?

I do not support using parking meter or Skyway funds to shore up future budgets. I would explore the feasibility of using a percentage of TIF funds for operating expenses that fall within the category of providing goods and services that lend themselves to economic growth and expansion of the revenue tax base (not necessarily beautification projects). In addition, I would look towards creation of new, non-tax revenue sources and seek additional spending cuts to shore up the budget.

I would scale back, combine or eliminate non-essential services and consolidate city departments. For example, I would explore the feasibility of combining the following city departments and agencies: a) Administrative Hearings into Revenue, b) Animal Care & Control into Streets & Sanitation, c) Board of Ethics into the Office of Inspector General and d) License Appeal Commission into Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection.

Propose an expansion of the Chicago Police Department HIFCA Taskforce/White Collar Crimes Unit and aggressively enforce asset forfeiture laws against convicted felons and scoff law offenders. Seize the assets of convicted offenders of gun crimes, (i.e. murder, armed robbery, aggravated battery, illegal possession and use, etc.), gang and drug crimes, organized crime, money laundering and white-collar crime, etc., and use assets to offset the costs of policing, prosecution and incarceration; amend forfeiture laws to include all delinquent fees, fines and unpaid bills.

Extend the hiring freeze for non-essential/non-life safety personnel where practicable, and salvage positions vacated as a result of resignations and retirements.

Consolidate City Council Committees, support a four year aldermanic salary freeze, the matching of employee furlough days for all elected city officials and reduce aldermanic expense accounts.

Support the construction of a casino/entertainment venue in Chicago to recover revenues lost to the States of Indiana, Wisconsin and Iowa; add badly needed construction and service employee jobs and attract additional Convention and Tourism business to Chicago.

Propose an audit of all municipal permit and service fees to determine whether or not they a) are practical and applicable, and b) support the actual cost of the services performed. In addition, I would propose a revamp of the water service billing program to create an equal playing field for all citizens (residential, commercial and industrial) as well as introduce a reasonable, reduced billing structure for large non-profits such as hospitals, to even the playing

field for all water service users.

Require the owners of buildings with illegal dwelling units to pay for additional city services (i.e. garbage collection, water, sewer, congested street parking, etc.)

In my opinion, unions have bargained in good faith to avoid additional layoffs and reduce spending by approving additional furlough days. In addition to the monies saved by accepting furlough days, there is a hidden financial benefit to the city in the form of reduced pension obligations. All additional concessions should be addressed through the collective bargaining process, and might include negotiations to improve worker productivity and amend work rules regarding overtime costs, (such as the recent concessions made by the firefighter/paramedics during their recent contract renewal).

The city's four employee pension funds have been called a "ticking time bomb," with Mayor Daley's pension commission predicting that the four funds will run out of money in 20 years. "There is no low- or no-cost solution to this problem," the commission wrote in a report earlier this year. "Deferring action is not a viable option." What is your plan for bringing the pension funds to solvency?

Studies indicate that state requirements for employer contributions to pension funds are far less than the federal requirements for comparable private pensions (perhaps as low as 50% less) and have been for quite some time. The employer contributions should be increased in accordance with current actuarial standards to bring the plans to within 90% to 100% of being fully funded, although doing so may require step increases spread over a set period of time. In addition to increasing employer contributions, a modest increase in employee contributions for new employees should also be considered. Other reforms could include (for new employees) 1) increasing the unreduced retirement age 2) reducing the benefit accrual rate to 2%, when a plan is below 80% funded, 3) reducing COLA increases to 1.5% (for new and existing employees and existing retirees) when a plan is below 80% funded, 4) placing a cap on the final average salary and calculating the average based on an employee's final 5 to 6 years of service instead of the final 3 years, 4) limit any employee's participation to one pension (i.e., end "double dipping"), 5) impose a "Windfall Pension" percentage penalty fee against any second and third government service pensions held by any one participant, with the proceeds returned to their respective plans (for new and existing pensioners).

Finally, we can all hope and for a steady upturn in economic growth that will increase and strengthen investment income and reduce the annual required contribution rates.

Does Chicago need 50 aldermen? If not, what's a better number? What City Council committees could be combined? What other ways can the City Council save money?

I believe that the number of aldermen could be reduced if the position would require all aldermen to work on a full time basis with no other outside employment. I also believe that the number of Council Committees can be reduced or combined, and that the election of a new mayor combined with a relatively large number of new aldermen will lend itself to a reorganization of Council Committees. I would suggest considering that the following Committees be consolidated: 1) Buildings & Zoning & Historical Landmark Preservation, 2) Health & Education/Child-Development, 3) Transportation/Public Way & Traffic Control/Safety, 4) Economic, Capital, Technology Development & Energy, Environmental Protection/Public Utilities, and 5) Special Events, Cultural Affairs &Human Relations. Additional money can be saved by cutting back on aldermanic expense accounts. In addition, aldermen should be required to take the same number of furlough days as the maximum number of days taken by any front line workers. Finally, I would support an aldermanic salary freeze for the 2011 --2015 term, and would suggest that the City Council meet more often than once a month to grapple with the pending economic difficulties, (barring any excessive cost constraints).

Chicago was designed as a weak mayor, strong council form of government yet Mayor Daley wields considerable power over the City Council. What measures would you recommend to strengthen the council? On which issues should the mayor lead? On which should the council lead?

The financial deficits in the municipal, state and federal governments, combined with the Shakman Rules on hiring would make it impossible for the next Mayor to build the same type of strength and power held by Mayor Daley. The next City Council will demand more authority over city contracts, as well as more time to analyze and consider legislation introduced by the Executive Branch. The Mayor, on the other hand, should take the lead in employee management, delivery of city services and promoting the economic viability of the city.

Ideally, and for the sake of the economic and sociological survival of the city, the Mayor and the City Council must work together to improve the school system, reduce spending, deliver crucial city services,

promote business, industry and jobs and hold the line on property taxes.

The city's tax-increment financing program has been criticized on several fronts, including the proliferation of districts, how money is diverted from schools and other basic city services, how TIF funding decisions are made and for an overall lack of transparency. How would you improve the TIF program? Does the TIF law need to be changed in any way?

I support calls for a 6 month moratorium on the creation of new TIF districts, and a detailed audit of TIF revenue sources and expenditures. I am not opposed to exploring all proposed TIF reforms that will make the program completely transparent. TIF districts are created with a life span of 23 years and are rarely retired early. In many cases the original goals of the TIF project are met long before they expire, meanwhile the increment funds continue to accrue and are often moved to another project. If a TIF meets its intended purpose prior to its' original expiration date, it should be terminated and not allowed to accrue surplus funds. In the case of surplus funds which have already accrued, (prior to the enactment of any proposed reforms), I would favor the return of a percentage of these funds to taxing bodies which are otherwise "shutout" from increment revenues (i.e. schools, parks, etc.), with the remaining surplus to be returned to the general fund and/or property tax payers. I would also support the creation of strict criteria for the porting of TIF funds (the moving of funds from one TIF district to another) to eliminate any possibility that local taxpayers are paying for improvements in another area. I believe that the City Council and the public should have a role in determining how TIF monies are be allocated and TIF revenue should be included as part of the city's annual budget document.

Mayor Daley has focused on privatizing city assets. Are there any other assets the City Council should consider privatizing? If so, would you make any changes to the way privatization deals are negotiated and passed through the City Council?

Privatization of services and programs should only be considered when the cost savings in service and performance are such that doing so is: 1) economically feasible and quantifiable, 2) performance is measurable and tied to a "lock-tight" cancellation/forfeiture clause for fraud, lack of performance and/or poor service, 3) not used as a tool to undermine bargaining unit agreements and 4) do not exceed a reasonable period of time.

Privatization or the "selling" of any city service, program or operation should only be done after careful and thorough consideration and full disclosure through public hearings.

The Chicago Police Department is understaffed, with no lasting budget solution in sight. Given the current staffing levels, what changes would you recommend to use resources more efficiently? Do you support realigning beats in a way that moves police from lower crime areas to higher crime neighborhoods? What should happen to the diminished CAPS program?

I have no objection to the realignment of Police District/Beat boundaries, as long as it does not reduce, in any way, emergency response time, does not diminish the current ratio in the number of Police Officers assigned to a square block/square mile area, and does not result in any increase in crime in the 38th Ward community areas .Instead of moving Police from so-called "low-crime" areas to "high-crime" areas, additional Police Officers should be hired to provide adequate protection throughout all areas of the city. I support an expansion of city surveillance cameras to assist in preventing crime, especially in known gang-infested areas, and to aid in the identification, arrest and prosecution of criminal offenders.

In regards to the redeployment of Police Officers from the CAPS Program to the streets, I do favor a higher Police presence on the streets and in the neighborhoods, given the current economic constraints. I do have full confidence that the current CAPS Director, former Police Officer Ron Holt, will continue to make CAPS a viable and useful tool in combating and preventing crime in our communities.

The next mayor will choose a new CEO for the Chicago Public Schools. Do you think the CEO needs to have education experience? Should the new mayor continue the Renaissance 2010 program of shutting down failing schools and creating new ones? Should the new mayor continue Ron Huberman's "culture of calm" effort, which aims to improve the culture of the toughest schools and provides mentors and extra support for kids at greatest risk of being shot? What should CPS do to improve neighborhood schools that are struggling to educate the large numbers of students left behind, the students that don't make it into test-based, charters or other specialized schools?

I support the concept of an elected school board which is directly accountable to the electorate, comprised of education professionals, parents of attending students, business and community leaders and ex-officio memberships by the Mayor and the Chairman of the City Council Committee on Education. I believe that the elected School Board should have the authority to determine the qualifications of, and appoint the Chicago Public School's CEO (or Superintendent of Schools). I also believe that any individual appointed to this position should have a background in education.

Although well intended, I don't think that Renaissance 2010 has accomplished all of what it had originally set out to do. Charter schools have not, in my opinion, established a track record of superior performance over standard public schools; they have no LSC's, and generally are not held to the same accountability standards as local public schools.

I support the continuation of the "culture of calm" initiatives in our public schools, but we need to devote many more resources towards improving the social and human needs of those students who face problems associated with poverty, hunger, unemployment, gangs, drugs, broken families and domestic violence. We need more counselors, social workers, and programs designed to support our teachers and assist the families of public school students struggling with these issues. Notwithstanding the financial crisis it faces, the State of Illinois must find the means to fulfill its' fundamental responsibility of "adequately financing the system of public education" as per Article X of the Constitution of the State of Illinois, as we now rank 49 out of 50 states in this category. I would encourage the CPS to use standardized grading criteria for all students, limit class sizes to under 30 students and implement a system of teacher performance evaluations which, unlike any other teachers throughout Illinois, do not use student test scores as the sole means of teacher evaluations. Students learn at different levels and rates and teachers cannot control the negative social issues which occur outside of the classroom. In addition to student test scores, teachers could be evaluated by their peers and through unbiased, independent classroom observations performed by education professionals.

Do you support one or more casinos for Chicago? If so, where would you like to see casinos located?

Based on the current economic deficits in the city and state budgets, I do support a high quality land-based casino in Chicago, as well as expansion of gaming (slot machines) at Chicago area racetracks to recover revenues lost to surrounding states. I would favor any location recommended by an appropriate, qualified site-search committee (most likely in the downtown area or near McCormick Place), but not in a location that would have a negative impact on a residential or mixed use residential/commercial neighborhood.

A casino would create badly needed jobs in the construction and service employee industries, and would enhance Chicago's Convention &Tourism industry.

Aldermen have considerable influence over TIF, zoning and other decisions, both large and small, related to development and services in their ward. Do aldermen have too much influence?

No, I don't believe that individual aldermen have too much influence over the development and services in their wards. In regards to TIF funds, there are specific, qualifying parameters for the formation of TIF districts in accordance with State Law, and although local alderman do have some input into identifying various infrastructure projects and capital expenditures in individual TIF districts, the task of reviewing and assessing the bulk of the redevelopment goals and expenditures lies primarily with the Department of Community Development (DCD) and the City Council as a whole.

In regards to zoning decisions, it has been my experience that the local alderman is held accountable by his or her constituency to work with community organizations, local chambers of commerce and individual residents when making decisions to support or oppose various zoning changes for residential, commercial or industrial developments. Unfortunately, abuses do occur, but most often when they do, the elected official is left to suffer the political or legal consequences of his or her actions.

Finally, in my view, assuring the delivery of basic city services is the primary duty of the local alderman, and any alderman who does not use the full power of his or her office to attain the maximum city services for the residents of the ward will not be in office following the next election.

If elected alderman, do you plan to maintain an outside job? Would you pledge not to hold any job that represents a conflict of interest, including those that involve spending public dollars?

If elected, I do not plan on holding any outside job, and pledge not to hold any job that represents a conflict of interest, including those that involve spending public dollars.

Would you accept campaign contributions or gifts from your employees? Would you pledge not to hire relatives on your staff?

I would accept a modest gift/present from an employee, such as a tie or a similar gift which represents goodwill for a birthday or special event, which has a value under $50; I would not accept cash gifts of any denomination from employees. I would not solicit or accept campaign contributions from staff employees. I have no intention whatsoever of hiring relatives on my staff.

Does the City need to change the way it hands out contracts? Should aldermen reclaim oversight of City contracts? If so, contracts above what dollar amount?

I am in favor of posting all contracts online with full public disclosure of all contract specifications, including work/services to be performed/provided, dollar amounts to be paid, all bid amounts, and a full disclosure of all bidding company's owners and officers, business addresses (not P.O. boxes) and telephone numbers.

I would support a requirement for City Council oversight of all contracts of $500,000 or greater and/or the creation of an independent contracts oversight board, possibly under the jurisdiction of the Office of Inspector General.

Do you support an inspector general just for the City Council? Would you support giving the city's existing inspector general power to investigate aldermen and their staffs, including subpoena power?

I support a law that would give the city's existing inspector general full power to investigate all municipal elected officials, (including aldermen and all staff employees); with full, unrestricted subpoena powers.

Should there be new limits on who can lobby City Hall officials, including aldermen? Should former City Hall employees be prohibited from doing business with the city after their departure? If so, for how long?

The current ethics ordinance requirements for registration and reporting by lobbyists seem clear and adequate. Expanding the existing Inspector General's authority to investigate aldermen (and all elected city officials), and lobbyists, with full subpoena powers, would certainly enhance these requirements.

Former city employees should be barred from doing business with the city for a minimum period of two years.

What's the best book ever written about Chicago? Why?

"The Devil in the White City..." is a book about a pivotal time in Chicago's history, emerging from the Great Fire and being fully reborn to the world through its' magnificent lakefront parks and architecture. It is, in part, about the city's architect, Daniel Burnham, and his showcasing of the city at the 1893 World's Fair, and is particularly interesting to me because of my background both as an electrician, and as a descendant of Alderman Edward F. Cullerton, who at the time of the Fair, had already held office for 22 years. The 1893 World's Fair was the first time that electric lights were used in such a grand scale, and resulted in the creation of Underwriters Laboratories in a scant, second floor loft of a city firehouse. The laboratory was created by the Fair's insurance underwriters in response to the alarming number of electric fires attributed to the use of the electric lights at the Fair. As a result of their work, the insurance underwriters developed the first "lead link" fuses to protect the lighting circuits.

Please list your educational background

I attended Our Lady of Victory Grammar School, Holy Cross High School, 1 1/2 years at St. Norbert College, 2 years at Washburne Trade School* and 2 years at Kennedy School of Electronics* in Berwyn, Illinois.

*(Part of a formal, 4 year Joint Electrical Apprenticeship Training Program in Local #134, IBEW; received a diploma from the U.S. Dept. of Labor/IBEW as a Journeyman Wireman Electrician).

Please list civic, professional, fraternal or other organizations to which you belong

I am an active, 40 year card-carrying member of Local #134, IBEW, and an honorary member of the Polish American Police Association.

Have you held elective or appointive political office or been employed by any branch of government?

I have never held any elected or appointed political office. I was an employee of the City of Chicago Department of Buildings for more than 30 years. During my employment with the Building Department, I served as the Chief Electrical Inspector, Chairman of the Chicago Electrical Commission, Assistant Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner and First Deputy Building Commissioner. In 2007, I was appointed by Mayor Daley as a member of the Chicago Building Board of Appeals (I resigned from the Board in November, 2010, upon entering the race to become alderman of the 38th Ward).

Please list jobs or contracts you, members of your immediate family or business partners have had with government

I have never held any contracts with any government entity. In addition to my employment with the City of Chicago Department of Buildings and membership on the Chicago Building Board of Appeals, my wife is an administrative assistant for the MWRD. My oldest son was once employed by the Cook County Assessor's Office, and another son and two daughters once worked at various part time or summer jobs for the Forest Preserve District and MWRD.

Name your five biggest campaign contributors and the amount they contributed

(Please refer to my D-2 Reports)

Please paste a brief biography here

Lifelong resident of Portage Park in the 38th Ward

Attended Our Lady of Victory Grammar School, Holy Cross H. S., St. Norbert College (1 1/2 years), and Washburne Technical Trade School & Kennedy School of Electronics (4 year apprentice training program).

Active, 40 year card-carrying Journeyman Wireman Electrician, Local #134, IBEW

Over 30 years of service with the City of Chicago; served as Chief Electrical Inspector and First Deputy Building Commissioner

Former Chairman of the Chicago Electrical Commission; Charter Member of Inchcape Electrical Testing Laboratory Advisory Council (ETL); Former Member of Underwriters Laboratories Electrical Safety Council (UL)

Past President, Illinois Chapter, International Association of Electrical Inspectors (IAEI)

Recipient of the Chicago Electrical Association Gold Medal Award, 1995; Electrical Industry Hall of Fame Inductee, 1996

Member, Mother Theodore Guerin High School Board of Directors, 1994 -- 1997

Appointed by Mayor Daley as Member of the Chicago Building Board of Appeals, 2007 - 2010

U.S. Army Reserve, 85th Infantry Division, 1969 -- 1975

New Horizons Center for Developmentally Disabled Children, Certificate of Appreciation

Married 40 years to Nancy; 4 children and 3 granddaughters

Interests include playing piano, fishing and travel