The failure of lawmakers in Springfield to reach an accord with Gov. Bruce Rauner has had a devastating impact on everything from grants for low-income students looking for a college education to the operating income of advocacy organizations and nonprofits whose work in fields such as HIV prevention and education or services for the homeless has been jeopardized by cuts in staffing and services and, in some cases, closure.
But as two Democrats square off in a race for the 5th House District that is shaping up to be one of the most expensive in Illinois history, such problems seem to exist outside of a surreal bubble that took shape when Rep. Ken Dunkin ( D-Chicago ) broke with House Speaker Michael Madigan leading to a loss in the Democratic supermajority needed to drain the ink from Rauner's veto pen.
This has led to mailers asserting that that Dunkin has received donations from Rauner and the Tea Party which also feature Dunkin's mugshot calling him "a deadbeat dad" who was "found guilty of violent and menacing behavior towards women."
Dunkin has characterized his challenger Juliana Stratton as a Madigan pawn. Stratton has accused the seven-term representative of putting politics over people and selling out the families of his district.
Stratton recently talked with Windy City Times about the fights for full equality and against Rauner and how she plans to leverage more than 20 years of experience in mediation and conflict resolution as ammunition in both trenches.
Windy City Times: In your opinion, what are the consequences of the budget impasse for the people in the 5th?
Juliana Stratton: Since I officially started my campaign, I've been walking door to door, talking to thousands of people in this district and the real impact of this budget is not just the news headlines. I'm hearing from people who are really struggling because of the cuts to services that have resulted from the failure of our governor in particular to get a budget passed: social services that are a lifeline to many residents just to survive on a day-to-day basis, layoffs that have taken place in a number of organizations that serve the community.
There's a general sense of anxiety for people who serve in vulnerable communities of not knowing when they will be able to carry on the work they have been doing for so many years. The effects have been devastating, quite frankly.
WCT: Rep. Dunkin has talked about ethics reform. But isn't the Springfield stalemate an ethical problem—one that has further diminished public respect for their elected officials?
JS: This is really unfortunate in light of a national effort to disenfranchise communities of color, in particular. There are so many people who are disengaging because they don't believe that [legislators] are putting their interests at the forefront. There were a couple of key votes that Rep. Dunkin missed as a result of his newly formed alliance with Gov. Rauner and I'm hearing from people on a daily basis on how those missed votes have impacted their families—seniors who have been kicked off important medical care, struggling and working families who have been kicked off child care.
When someone like my opponent does not vote in the best interest of constituents, it causes people to lose faith in the system. With the campaign financing of this race in particular, when you see a half-million dollars coming from Republican allies of the governor to support my opponent, it leads to the conclusion that it's going to impact his ability to successfully advocate for the best interests of the people in this district.
WCT: And a number of those organizations impacted by the budget problems serve homeless youth. Until there is an agreement in Springfield, how do you address those issues?
JS: When we see a governor who is willing to cut services to homeless youth, we know it will have a severe impact on [those who are] LGBT. I can always serve in a role I've had my entire career as an advocate for youth and then be able to identify how they are disproportionately impacted by the kinds of cuts that Gov. Rauner has been willing to propose—cuts to shelters, to services. Based on my background in criminal and juvenile justice reform, I can tie what happens when we cut services to homeless youth to how that increases the potential for a young person to then be connected to the juvenile justice system.
WCT: You've worked with Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle on justice reform. What does restorative justice for LGBT people look like?
JS: When we talk about the need for reform in the [criminal justice] system, we can't just look at it on the back end. People talk about reentry. We have to talk about no entry. That means making sure young people have the resources and services to live, survive, have their needs met and be supported by the communities around them. Most of the people in the Cook County Jail are there awaiting trial. So a determination on who should stay should be based on some sort of validated risk assessment tool.
What we have found is that there are many people who remain in the jail because they cannot afford to post the bond amount that has been given to them. Because it is a very diverse district, there are many people [in the 5th] who can pull out a credit card or a check and they're out. There are many other people charged with the exact same offense who can't come up with the amount. It makes me think about how many people we have who identify as LGBT are in the jail. We need to do a better job of collecting that data.
WCT: Similarly, violence against transgender people has been difficult to track. In many ways, it is fueled by anti-transgender legislation including one introduced in the Illinois House earlier this year. How do you address that violence and the perceptions which lead to anti-transgender legislation?
JS: As we think about the implications of any legislation that is passed, we need to make sure that we collect data so we can assess the impact on the LGBT community. We need to make sure that services families, communities and young people remain intact.
When communities don't feel supported we start to see an increase in violence. When we think about any act of violence committed against an individual it has an impact on the entire community. How do we make sure that conversation comes into play and includes the LGBT community and the kind of harm that is being done to all of us when any act of violence occurs?
WCT: What are the problems in the 5th District you believe Rep. Dunkin is not addressing and how will you address them?
JS: When I've been talking to residents they've said that they have not felt that he's been present and that he's not heard their concerns. He's not communicated well in terms of what is happening in Springfield and he's not made himself as available for them to give him feedback on what kind of issues he should be focused on. So I will keep those lines of communication there and available.
Rep. Dunkin has missed some key votes that have helped Governor Rauner push his agenda. I will be there when I'm supposed to be there. I will make the kind of votes that put the needs and interests of the residents of this district at the forefront. As the governor continues his destructive agenda, there are many things we can't do if they are going to negatively impact the residents. You can work in a bipartisan way or cooperate and negotiate if you don't sacrifice what's best for the people you were elected to represent. That's the kind of leadership that I hope to provide for this district.
Note: Windy City Times reached out on multiple occasions to Dunkin's office. While acknowledged by staffers, no interview was scheduled.
For more information about Juliana Stratton's campaign, visit: www.juliana-stratton.com .
