Alderman, 15th Ward: Toni L. Foulkes
Jan 11, 2011
Updated: January 20, 2011 4:28PM
Birth date: 03-17-1964
Political affiliation: Democratic Party
Neighborhood: West Englewood
Occupation/Firm name: No response
Marital status: Single
Campaign HQ address: 3045 W. 63rd St. - 1E
Campaign website: No response
Campaign manager
No response
What is your campaign budget?
$ 50K
What are your top priorities for the City of Chicago?
Reducing crime, provide more jobs, improve education-both for youth and adults, reducing foreclosures.
What are your top priorities for your ward?
SAME,in addition to increasing economic development and improving infrastucture.
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 feel it would be arrogant to say I have a specific plan, I would meet with my colleagues to discuss what would be the best fit to address the bugget issues. I do feel we need more time to review the budget prior to going into session.
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?
I'm not in favor of reducing benefits for current employees. New hires will have reduced benefits due to the high cost of healthcare.
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?
Speaking as a south side Alderman, I hear all the time that Englewood , alone has too many Alderman. Due to the enormous needs of the 15th Ward alone. Hypothetically I can't imagine doubling the work load by combining two wards into one.I don't nderstand how people feel an Alderman job is a part-time job.If it is, no one has told me how to do it in less time. There's not enough time in my day to deal with the needs.
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?
With a new Mayor coming in and the large amount new Alderman in the City Council the timing is perfect; we should see a City Council that is more vocal,independent and free thinking.
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?
Transparency in City government should not be limited to TIF. I feel the funding should be more balanced across the City. If you're in a community like Englewood , with little/no business and high foreclosure you don't have the means to generate substantial TIF funding.
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?
I feel that Chicago residents don't want any more City assets privatized. If the question of privatizing arises City Council needs sufficient time to review the issue.
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?
Being a south side Alderman with high crime and low TIF dollars, I agree with using TIF dollars to addequately staff the police department. Yes, I am in favor of relocating police from lower crime districts to high crime districts. CAPS should be evaluated district by district, not a cookie-cutter approach, across the board type approach.
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?
Yes, I believe the next CEO needs to have an educational background. In talking with teachers in several schools in the ward, they gave me better insight of the importance of having a CEO with an educational background. No,I have mixed feelings on the effectiveness Renaissance 2010. Yes, the "culture of calm" effort is effective, I've seen first-hand at Harper H.S. how this program is successful. To improve neighborhood schools requires increasing parental participation in every aspect of their child's education, community organizations , churches, police, elected officials, etc., all play a part in strenghthening a school and building a strong community.
Do you support one or more casinos for Chicago? If so, where would you like to see casinos located?
Yes, we need the jobs and the City needs the revenue.
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?
Personally, decisions in the 15th Ward are not mine alone. I work residents, the local chamber of commerce, City of Chicago Zoning and Land Use Planning,Community Development to find th best fit for our ward.
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?
I,m a full-time/over time Alderman - I don't have an outside job.
Would you accept campaign contributions or gifts from your employees? Would you pledge not to hire relatives on your staff?
Any contributions to my campaign are strictly voluntary. None of my staff are related to me.
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 need to study this issue more. In listening to small, minority contractors who say the requirements are too high and they'll be unable to get a city contract and they can't get a larger contractor to team up with them.I fell if the contractor can't meet the requirements they should not get the job,for example if they don't have enough up front capital to pay employee salary and benifits,and man power to complete the job.
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 transpariency in City govenment but I don't think that one individual should hold the fate of just the City Council.I think that there should be a staff not just one indivual to create a check and balance.
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?
No there should be no limits to who can lobby city as long as they have the proper lobbying credentials.Yes I'm comfortable with the 1 year waiting period for former City employees.
What's the best book ever written about Chicago? Why?
Can't recall the best book written about Chicago.
Please list your educational background
Academy Of Our Lady High School, 1982
Intercontinental University, BA.A, Merchandising, 1986
Please list civic, professional, fraternal or other organizations to which you belong
Member of True Foundation Church
Board Member of Hospice at Holy Cross Hospita.
Member of ACTION NOW
Have you held elective or appointive political office or been employed by any branch of government?
Currently Alderman and Ward Committeeman of the 15th Ward
Please list jobs or contracts you, members of your immediate family or business partners have had with government
None
Name your five biggest campaign contributors and the amount they contributed
UFCW,SEIU,CFL
Please paste a brief biography here
