THE VOICE OF CHICAGO'S GAY, LESBIAN, BI, TRANS AND QUEER COMMUNITY SINCE 1985

Each election cycle, Windy City Times sends candidate questionnaires to all of the incumbents and challengers. The Feb. 25 Chicago municipal election, where Democrats and Republicans all vie for the vote at once, with the winner needing at least 50 percent of the vote, provides several intense races, and some considered 'slam-dunks' for the incumbents.

At the top of the ballot is 'da mayor,' riding high on great approval ratings and with a virtual lock on City Council votes. Even though he controls things perhaps even better than his dad, the first Mayor Daley, the son reaches out across all communities to strengthen his support.

For gays and lesbians, this Mayor Daley, while not perfect, has done and said many of the right things, whether passing domestic-partner benefits for city employees, establishing the Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame and Halsted gay business markers, providing funds for the new Center on Halsted, or signing trans rights into law last fall. He has hired numerous GLBTs to his staff, and appointed the city's first openly gay alderman, Tom Tunney. He enjoys a solid base of support among the community, and his challengers, including Rev. Paul Jakes, did not bother to respond to numerous requests for interviews or to answer the WCT questionnaire.

Daley also did not sit down for an interview, but he did respond at length to both the WCT and AIDS Foundation of Chicago questionnaires. The only other citywide candidate to respond was City Treasurer Judy Rice.

Several dozen of the aldermanic candidates also took the time to answer the WCT questionnaire, as well as AFC's AIDS-related questions. In our WCT election chart on page 20, we list the ratings from the WCT and AFC questions, in addition to endorsements by Chicago NOW's PAC, IVI-IPO, Equality Illinois PAC and the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund.

Both Victory Fund, which only backs GLBT candidates, and EI PAC, only endorsed in the 44th Ward. EI Political Director Rick Garcia said the EI PAC originally intended to endorse in more municipal elections, but that the group decided it did not have the knowledge and resources to become involved in more of the aldermanic races.

GLBT Candidates

Last weekend, as we were preparing our final reports for the Feb. 25 elections, we learned there was another gay candidate running—Lydia Watts in the 20th Ward against incumbent Ald. Arenda Troutman. Watts, who is a former staffer with the Chicago Department of Public Health, did not officially 'come out' in any questionnaires, but a campaign spokesperson acknowledged that she is indeed a lesbian. In fact, during at least one public forum, she responded to a question by including her 'life partner.' The three more well-known gay candidates are men—Michael Harrington in the 49th, and Ald. Tom Tunney and attorney Rick Ingram in the 44th. The Harrington race is covered in depth in this issue, and was also part of a WCT investigation in September about Harrington's role in the decline of the Rodde Center.

The Ingram vs. Tunney race has also garnered much gay and mainstream press attention. To see in-depth interviews with the candidates, turn to the WCT Web site at www.WindyCityTimes.com for January issues that included the coverage.

While Tunney has been ahead in polls of 44th Ward voters, he would need to receive more than 50 percent of the votes to avoid a one-on-one runoff with his nearest challenger.

With a large percentage of voters still undecided just days before the election, the outcome of the tight races is difficult to predict.

Citywide

In his response to WCT's questionnaire, Daley said he would 'consider' a domestic-partnership registry ordinance—something widely considered more symbolic than vital. He has backed partners benefits for city employees, and he supported last fall's passage of city protections based on gender-identity.

WCT also asked candidates if they support a law similar to San Francisco's, which requires any contractors doing business with the city to provide domestic-partners coverage to their employees. Daley said he would need to 'study the impact that such a requirement would have on the city's ability to secure the highest quality products and services at the best possible price.'

WCT asked Daley about expanding the city's budget on AIDS issues, and Daley responded about the financial crisis now facing Chicago and many cities nationwide: 'With the slowdown in the nation's economy, revenues are plunging for cities and states across the country. ... While the Department of Public Health's overall budget is down $13 million for the coming year, we have maintained our corporate commitment to HIV/AIDS funding at $3.6 million. ... We have also continued aggressive efforts to secure grants at the federal level, resulting in an overall budget of about $40 million for HIV/AIDS.

'Most of this money is administered by the Office of Lesbian and Gay Health which was established in the Chicago Department of Public Health in December of 1999 to integrate the unique needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals into Chicago's public health system. ... We are also looking for other ways to help. In 2002, the City sold 20 vacant parcels near Roosevelt Road and Kedzie Avenue to AIDSCare for a nominal fee of $1 per lot for the development of a $11 million HIV/AIDS care campus. This land has an appraised value of $440,000. The North Lawndale AIDSCare Campus will be a national model...

'In September of 2002, the Chicago Department of Public Health issued a request for proposals to administer contracts and funds for HIV services under the federal Ryan White Care Act Title I program. The city anticipates a grant of approximately $20 million from the program, which supports medical and social services for people living with HIV in the Chicago metropolitan area. The Department currently has contracts with close to 60 community-based organizations and health and human service providers. The objective of the third-party system is to expedite contracts and payments to these agencies, allowing them to continue delivering vital services without interruption. Again, we are committed to this issue and will certainly keep the request in mind as we prepare our 2004 Budget, but much depends on economic recovery.'

WCT next asked about hate-crimes legislation and the city's role in fighting crime.

'As State's Attorney, I vigorously prosecuted hate crimes, including those directed at gays and lesbians,' Daley said. 'I was an early and active supporter of the City's Hate Crimes Ordinance and the Illinois Hate Crimes Act, and I endorsed the National Gay and Lesbian Task Forces' 'Fight the Right' Campaign.

'With the Advisory Council on Lesbian, Gay, Bi-Sexual and Transgender Issues (ACLBGT), I am providing leadership to develop new strategies and target resources to attack hate crimes, including underwriting Horizon Community Services' 'Blow the Whistle' anti-violence campaign. The Chicago Commission on Human Relations, in conjunction with the Civil Rights Unit of the Chicago Police Department and the State's Attorney's Office, also provides support to the victims of hate crimes. CCHR staff and volunteer members from the local community are available to accompany hate-crime victims to court hearings, to visit hate-crime victims at home, and to provide referrals to other support services.

'The ACLGBT is also working to increase support for gay and lesbian students and to foster a greater understanding of gay and lesbian issues in the public schools. In cooperation with the Board of Education, the ACLGBT introduced a staff development training course to challenge discrimination based on sexual orientation and to recognize hate-motivated acts. A training film, It's Elementary: Talking About Gay Issues in School, is distributed to every public school in Chicago. The film displays a variety of approaches for teachers to naturally incorporate discussions about family, diversity, stereotypes, name-calling, hatred and fear of difference into their regular lessons.

'The Chicago Police Department is also a strong partner with the community in the day-to-day fight against hate crime. Fighting crime in any community begins with an understanding of and sensitivity to that community. This is really the philosophy behind the city's successful community policing strategy—bringing the police and communities together in a cooperative effort to make the streets safer and the neighborhoods a better place to live.

'In 1991, I established the Chicago Police Department's first Gay and Lesbian Advisory Committee,' he added.

Daley also said he supports the ban on city funding of the Boy Scouts while that agency still discriminates against gays. He favors GLBTs as adoptive and foster parents, but on the issue of same-sex marriage, he said Chicago has no authority to go against the state on this issue.

Incumbent city Treasurer Judy Rice, appointed by Daley and now seeking her first elected term, is well known in the GLBT community, attending events and supporting political groups. Her answers to the WCT questionnaire were brief, but she received a 13 of 16 rating. Daley, too, had a 13 of 16 rating.

Ward By Ward

For a complete chart on the WCT questionnaire results, see page 20. Below are interesting excerpts and summaries from some of the responses.

In the 1st Ward incumbent Ald. Jesse Granato received a 14 of 16 rating, as did challenger Howard Crawford. Granato backs public funding for the Boy Scouts.

1st Ward challenger Manuel Flores answered WCT in depth, and received a perfect 16 score. His record on gay issues includes when he was a law student at George Washington University Law School, where he successfully represented two indigent gay men (one from Mexico, the other from El Salvador) with their political asylum claims. The grounds were that they were persecuted in their native countries on the basis of being gay. 'The successful outcome of these cases helped establish a legal precedent for persecuted gay and lesbian individuals seeking political asylum in the U.S.,' he said.

2nd Ward incumbent Ald. Madeline Haithcock received a perfect 16 score from WCT. She has a deep understanding of both gay and AIDS issues, and, like many of her colleagues, does support same-sex marriage.

In the 3rd Ward, Ald. Dorothy Tillman did not respond to WCT's calls or questionnaire. She has a mixed record on gay issues, and has alienated many in her ward. She faces several challengers, including Pat Dowell, who received a 9 of 16 rating from WCT.

In the 4th Ward, incumbent Ald. Toni Preckwinkle received a 15 of 16 rating from WCT. She has a solid record on gay and AIDS issues, and is also a leader on affordable housing and environmental causes. One of her challengers, Norman Bolden, received a 13 of 16 rating from WCT.

In the crowded 5th Ward field, Ald. Leslie Hairston has a solid record on gay and AIDS issues, and rated 15 of 16 from WCT. 'I've long been a strong advocate on behalf of gays and lesbians, and I intend to maintain this advocacy,' she said.

Moving to the 9th Ward, incumbent Anthony Beale, like the aldermen from the 6th, 7th and 8th Wards, did not bother to respond to WCT. Challengers Curtiss Bey and Necole Muhammad did respond, with Bey receiving a 10 of 16 and Muhammad a 11 of 16 rating. Bey's response to the question of whether Chicago should have a domestic-partnership registry said, 'Yes, everybody a little gay.' He does not favor hate-crimes legislation including gays.

The incumbents and challengers in the 10-15th Wards did not respond to WCT.

In the 16th Ward, incumbent Shirley Coleman did not respond, and the two challengers who did respond (Donna Tisdale ranked 13 of 16 and Myrtis Hyman also ranked 13 of 16) have been knocked off the ballot.

In the 20th Ward, incumbent Arenda Troutman did not respond, but her lesbian challenger, Lydia Watts, did, receiving a 15 of 16 rating on the WCT questions. Watts is national/international director of Operation PUSH's Health Policy, where she has worked on HIV/AIDS issues impacting African-Americans. She worked for about two years with the Chicago Department of Public Health in the Division of HIV/AIDS Public Policy and Programs, where she was director of Correctional Health Care Initiatives. She also served as Prevention Contracts director for two years.

During her tenure at CDPH, Watts was somewhat controversial. Some experts on HIV/AIDS issues said she was not supportive of traditional prevention efforts, but she does have extensive knowledge of the epidemic that would translate well to the City Council.

Prior to her CDPH work, she was at Treatment Alternatives and the National Commission on Correctional Health Care. Her resume includes extensive work on HIV/AIDS issues among prisons, youth in prisons, women, and others coping with HIV/AIDS.

In the 21st Ward, incumbent Ald. Rev. Leonard DeVille was the only candidate responding to WCT. While he received only a 9 of 16 rating, he explained that in part this is because of his religious views. He had a mixed rating because while he supports civil rights for all, he allows that his religion does get in the way in several key areas.

In the 25th Ward, incumbent Daniel Solis, who does have a good record on gay and AIDS issues, did not respond. One of his challengers, Ambrosio Medrano, is a former pol and now a felon. Challenger Robert Garza did respond to WCT, and he received a 10 of 16 rating.

They don't make them much more supportive than 26th Ward Ald. Billy Ocasio. He received a 16 of 16 rating from WCT, and he has extensive credentials on gay and AIDS issues. He also spearheaded the city's effort to include gender rights coverage last fall, and he backs increased funding for HIV/AIDS issues.

Incumbent 27th Ward Ald. Walter Burnett did not respond to WCT. He does, however, have a decent record on gay and AIDS issues, although he upset many activists last fall when he did not vote for the City Council's gender-rights legislation. His wife sits on the board of AIDSCare, which just broke ground on a Lawndale facility backed by Burnett and the area's alderman. He has also attended many GLBT political events.

So Burnett does talk a good talk—but he isn't 100 percent on the walk.

27th Ward challenger Victor Rowans opposes gay adoption and marriage, and he received a 9 of 16 on the WCT questions.

Moving to the 32nd Ward, Jay Stone hopes to join his father in the City Council in his uphill fight to unseat controversial Ald. Ted Matlak, who did not respond to WCT's questions. Stone is a new-age yoga lover who rated 14 of 16 on the WCT questions. He backs gay marriage, trans rights, and other issues important to GLBTs.

33rd Ward incumbent Dick Mell, who has a mixed record on GLBT issues, did not respond to WCT. Challenger Deb Gordis ranked 10 of 16.

The heated 35th Ward race is a rematch between Ald. Vilma Colom and challenger Rey Colon (that's with an 'n'). Incumbent Colom received a 12 of 16 rating from WCT, while Colon was 16 for 16.

36th Ward Ald. William Banks received an 11 of 16 rating from WCT, stating he was 'Not sure at this time' about same-sex marriage, and he does not favor forcing city contractors to provide domestic-partners coverage to their employees.

37th Ward Ald. Emma Mitts is facing several challengers. She did not respond to WCT, while challenger Minerva Orozco did, receiving a 12 of 16 rating. She does support gay marriage and other GLBT issues, but she has little background working on gay or AIDS issues.

42nd Ward Ald. Burton Natarus received a 15 of 16 rating from WCT. He gave detailed responses on increasing the role the city plays on AIDS and hate-crimes issues. He backs gay marriage and adoption, and favors forcing city contractors to offer partners benefits. He also backs trans rights, and a partners registry for the city.

WCT has already covered the 44th Ward at length. Both of the gay men seeking this post gave extensive answers to the WCT questions, and both have a lot of good ideas to bring to the City Council as openly gay aldermen. Tunney received a 16 of 16 rating, Ingram a 15 of 16 rating—the slight difference being that Ingram does not bring extensive experience working specifically on AIDS issues.

Challenger Dean Maragos received a 13 of 16 rating from WCT, in part because he does not have a background working on GLBT or AIDS issues. Challenger Karen Kennedy received an 11 of 16 rating from WCT. She opposes requiring city contractors to have partners benefits, and she is against 'special rights' awarded gay victims via hate-crimes laws. She does not have any background working on gay or AIDS issues, even though she does point to the fact that she has many gay friends, watches the pride parade, and has lost friends to AIDS.

In the 45th Ward, incumbent Patrick Levar did not respond to WCT. Challenger Bruce Best, a prolific press release writer, did respond, receiving a 10 of 16 rating.

Perhaps one of the ugliest races in town is taking place in the 46th Ward, where Ald. Helen Shiller faces a rematch from challenger Sandra Reed. Reed supporters have inundated WCT with hateful voice mails, e-mails and faxes, attacking both Shiller and WCT for its coverage of the race. Having covered Chicago politics since 1984, I have to say I have never received such hateful messages from any supporters of any candidate—even the race with Ald. Bernie Hansen and gay challenger Dr. Ron Sable, or the current race of Tunney vs. Ingram, has not generated the kind of anger this race has.

Reed, as committeeman, has only had one gay-related vote, and went with the Democratic Party's recommended anti-gay candidate during a party slating controversy. But the gay men backing her in the 46th say she is their choice because they are so against Shiller's approach to the ward and development. Shiller's supporters, meanwhile, also include many gays in the ward, including those who say she has dozens of important votes on gay and AIDS issues, including just last fall on trans rights.

Whoever wins, it's doubtful anyone representing the 46th will vote anti-gay. I, for one, will be glad to stop receiving the harassing calls and e-mails from Reed backers. Shiller received a 16 of 16 rating from WCT's questions, while Reed received a 14 of 16—the slight difference is because she has little lobbying experience on gay or AIDS issues, which related to two of the 16 questions. [Non-incumbents were able to get scores if they had extensive, specific activism on these issues even when they were not elected officials.]

The 47th Ward race is also heated, with Ed Kelly-backed challenger Jack Lydon facing off against Ald. Eugene Schulter, a former protege of committeeman Kelly. GLBTs are on both sides in this race. Lydon received a 12 of 16 rating from WCT, Schulter ranked 15 of 16.

48th Ward Ald. Mary Ann Smith received a perfect 16 of 16 from WCT, with a long record on GLBT and AIDS issues.

In the tight 49th Ward race, both longtime Ald. Joe Moore and challenger Michael Harrington, who is gay, received perfect 16 of 16 ratings from WCT. They both took the time to note both their experience on gay and AIDS issues, as well as their plans for the future on these issues. Challenger Grady Humphrey, who is off the ballot, received 12 of 16. And challenger Tom Bradley also got 12 of 16.

50th Ward Ald. Bernard Stone did not respond to WCT. Challenger Thomas Morris received an 11 of 16 rating.