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Tom Jacks – Page 1 of 5
Roscoe View Journal – Inside Publications
47th Ward Aldermanic Candidates Survey
Survey deadlines were 11:59 p.m., January 20, 2011. A complete list of surveys can be found at www.centersquarejournal.com/47thwardcandidates
Candidate:
Tom Jacks
Candidate Birthdate:
07/31/1986
Home Address:
 4853 N. Wolcott #3A, Chicago, IL, 60640
Campaign Phone Number:
 708-955-2864
Campaign Contact:
tom@casajacks.com4853 N. Wolcott #3A, Chicago, IL, 60640votetomjacks@gmail.comwww.votetomjacks.com
Campaign Manager:
Tom Jacks
Marital Status:
Single
Spouse:
 N/A
Your Occupation:
Policy and Research Consultant
Education:
Candidate for Masters in Public Policy and Administration at NorthwesternUniversity, Bachelors in Political Science and Economics from Loyola University Chicago
Please list civic, professional, fraternal or other types of organizations to which you belong.
 None
Have you held elective or appointive political office or have you been employed by anybranch of government?
 Interned for two Illinois State Representatives
Please list jobs or contracts you, members of your immediate family or business partnershave had with government.
Currently employed by Global Philanthropy Partnership, who does environmental consultingwork for the City of Chicago
 
Tom Jacks – Page 2 of 5
What, in your view, is an alderman’s job?
I believe it is the Alderman's responsibility to focus on what should be his only interest group:his ward. This is why I have committed to not taking any contributions from anybody in order toavoid having my attention diverted to interest groups. The Alderman's purpose is not only torepresent his ward at City Council, but also to go out of his way to engage residents within hisward. I am determined to reach out to residents via community and neighborhood organizations,door-to-door check-ins, and conversing in public places. Furthermore, I will provide residentswith the information necessary for them to understand what the Alderman’s office makesdecisions on and how they can influence these decisions. Currently, zoning is one area where Ihave heard concerns from residents because the Alderman has a large influence in thesedecisions, yet the residents feel little power in influencing these decisions and see littletransparency in how these decisions are made. I will ensure that residents are able to have a voicein this and other important processes and that the decision-making process is transparent. Themore residents are involved in these decisions, the better off the community will be.
If elected, what would be your immediate priorities for your ward?
 I believe TIF reform is long overdue and will fight for reform at City Council to ensure improvedTIF districts in the ward through greater transparency and accountability. I support making TIFsmore accountable by itemizing project goals, including TIF oversight in the budget process, andexamining the distribution of surpluses. I will also support a moratorium on TIFs until reform iscompleted. TIFs use taxpayer money and the taxpayers deserve to know how their money is being spent and to have a voice in spending decisions.I will also strive to increase community engagement and provide residents with the informationnecessary for them to understand what the Alderman’s office makes decisions on and how theycan influence these decisions. I want to ensure that residents are able to have a voice and that thedecision-making process is transparent.
If elected, what would be your immediate priorities for the city?
 The budget needs to be addressed and aldermen need to show the public that they are committedto reducing the city’s expenses by first reducing their own expense accounts. One common practice among aldermen is to lease a vehicle and sometimes hire a driver, which is charged totheir expense account. Instead, the aldermen should consider taking the CTA. This, along withother unnecessary benefits, needs to be eliminated in order to demonstrate that the aldermen aremaking cuts within their own office before cutting city services.As Alderman, I will support increasing fines on activities that hurt society. For example, the possession of illegal weapons is one area where I believe fines should be increased. The benefitsare twofold: the increased fine would deter the possession of illegal weapons, which should not be happening in the first place, and this could partially offset a future increase in taxes on law-abiding residents. If elected, I will be a strong supporter of the arts because this is one area thathas the potential to bring significant revenues to the city. Music festivals, theater performances,and movie productions are all activities that create jobs, while attracting people from outside thecity to spend money within the city. Furthermore, these activities contribute to Chicago’s top-tier cultural image around the globe.Regarding spending cuts, I will first look at reducing inefficiencies within city services. Theward-based garbage collection system is one area that should be changed to a grid-based system,which would save money while maintaining the same level of service. Additionally, some city
 
Tom Jacks – Page 3 of 5services may need to be completely overhauled, such as garbage and recycling collection.According to an Inspector General’s report, there could be savings in excess of $100 million if these services are privatized. Due to the state of the budget, this recommendation deserves to beconsidered.
Should Tax Increment Financing districts be eliminated? Why?
 I believe that TIF reform is long overdue and should be a priority for the next administration,which will certainly involve reevaluating individual TIFs and potentially eliminating some of them. TIFs can be a great mechanism to promote economic development, but the fact thatmillions of dollars of TIF funds are spend outside their individual districts each year illustratesthe need for reform.As Alderman, I will support making TIFs more accountable by itemizing project goals, includingTIF oversight in the budget process, and examining the distribution of surpluses. In addition, amoratorium on TIFs should be considered, especially until reform is completed.Transparency and accountability is necessary for TIFs to remain an effective economicdevelopment tool. TIFs use taxpayer money and the taxpayers deserve to know how their moneyis being spent and to have a voice in spending decisions. If I am elected Alderman, I will fightfor TIF reform.
In what way can the City Council improve its oversight responsibility for government?
 The City Council can increase its oversight responsibility by reading legislation and contracts before it votes to approve them. The parking lease proved that there needs to be greater transparency in the process and aldermen should reach out to their constituents when long-lastingimplications are at stake. In addition, all city contracts should have greater transparency by providing residents with information on which organizations are receiving contracts and why.Furthermore, privatization should not be viewed as a one-time income, but can be useful whenthe private sector can demonstrate efficiencies and the government can save money, withoutresidents experiencing a reduction in city services. I will consider privatization, but only under atransparent process with a clear definition of where funds generated from the contract are to beallocated.
Would you hire family members for staff or a city government job? Explain your answer.
  No, I believe nepotism and the practice of anointing your successor is partially responsible for the current need for a budget overhaul and ethics reform. In the 47th Ward, Alderman Schulter istrying to anoint his own successor in Tom O’Donnell, who has colluded with the Alderman andeven circulated petitions to help him get on the ballot in the current race. I am strongly opposedto these practices, especially because aldermen have a poor track record, with roughly onealderman having been indicted every year over the past thirty years, on average.I have made the decision to not raise any campaign funds because I do not want to be beholdento the same interest groups of Chicago politics. If elected, I will continue this policy and pay for any campaigning out of my own pocket. I believe the Alderman makes more than enough moneyin salary and should not have a separate campaign fund, especially when those funds are likely todivert his attention away from what should be his only interest group: his ward.I strongly support making the aldermanic offices more transparent, particularly with respect totheir expense accounts. I feel that all expenses greater than a minimum, such as $100, should be
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