Cecilia Ivana Brooks: 2025 candidate for Elgin City Council

Bio

Office sought: Elgin City Council (Vote for 4)

City: Elgin

Age: 24

Occupation: Political activism, sales, bartending

Previous offices held: Secretary of the Kane County Young Republicans; member of the Elgin Township Committee on Youth; and Republican Precinct Captain of the 17th Precinct of Elgin Township.

What is the most serious issue your community will face in the coming years and how should the city council respond to it?

The city of Elgin is currently facing the issue of urban stagnation. Surrounding communities have continued to evolve with the ever-changing times to stay relevant in the areas of business, commerce, and community relations. The city council needs not to respond to this reactively, but instead, to be proactive by facilitating transformative action through lucid innovation.

We, as a city, should be leading the surrounding communities in evolution by bringing business back to downtown Elgin. Our streets are a ghost town, but they should be hustling and bustling every day of the week, year-round.

When our businesses thrive, our city thrives. We have a beautiful city and downtown area, and we need to be supporting local commerce by fighting to keep our taxes low and cutting unnecessary red tape to allow businesses to open, prosper, and thrive.

With our economy strengthened by local commerce, we will create a community where families and businesses have the opportunity for exponential growth.

How would you describe the state of your community's finances? What should be the top priorities for spending during the next few years? Are there areas of spending that need to be curtailed?

The city of Elgin’s budget & financial plan for the 2025 fiscal year is detailed, with areas for improvement. Rather than raising our spending, we first need to identify key areas of our current funds that can be allocated elsewhere. We need to prioritize the efficiency of our taxpayer dollars and city revenue to ensure consistent, timely, ROI across all areas.

As a city, we should commit to driving business development to increase revenue, keeping our taxes low, and creating fiscally responsible solutions in order to address current citywide issues. When considering our financial affairs, we need to emphasize maintaining and increasing the city’s reserve fund to equip Elgin with the fiscal resources necessary for the preservation, innovation, and transformation of our city, for years to come.

What do you see as the most important infrastructure project the community must address? Why and how should it be paid for? Conversely, during these uncertain economic times, what project(s) can be put on the back burner?

While there are many important infrastructure projects our community must address, the updating of our water pipes and sewage system should be prioritized to provide safe, clean, drinking water for all Elgin residents.

The thought that Elginites are being exposed to lead in our water on a daily basis is absolutely unconscionable. This is not a new issue, and after numerous years with funds being budgeted to resolving this issue, it has yet to be resolved.

Putting projects on a back burner in the name of “uncertain economic times” is inexcusable. Current infrastructure projects, particularly those including outside contractors, need to be examined for the sake of time efficiency to ensure that city funds are being utilized properly.

By evaluating our current infrastructure projects and outside contractors to reduce wasteful spending, additional funds will be available to be reallocated to the highest priority projects first. The people of Elgin deserve to live in a safe, secure, community, and that should be top priority.

Describe your experience working in a group setting to determine policy. What is your style in such a setting to reach an agreement and manage local government? Explain how you think that will be effective in producing effective actions and decisions with your city council.

Working in a variety of different settings to advocate for and determine policy at a local, state, and federal level has given me the opportunity to experience, influence, and to understand the legislative process.

My approach in a group setting pertaining to the legislative processes involves open dialogue, transparency, and assertive communication. In my experience, these elements are crucial to effective governance. It is of the utmost importance to me to ensure that the city council serves the people of Elgin — not vice versa.

By facilitating an actively engaged community, the management of local governance will be a seamless process. I think that my style of prioritizing the people first, and collaborating with the council through open dialogue and transparent, assertive communication, will be effective in producing innovative solutions for the betterment of Elgin in its entirety.

What makes you the best candidate for the job?

My love for the people — people and policy are my passion! the city of Elgin is our home. I love this city and the people of Elgin, which is why I'm working tirelessly to earn their support for Elgin City Council — because Elgin deserves a city council that serves the people; not vice versa.

We have the ability to thrive with such a rich history and vibrant community. We have the people, resources, and opportunities for exponential growth through an abundance of untapped potential. In order to best serve the people, I must first know the people.

As the youngest candidate for Elgin City Council at 24, I vow to empower, advocate for, and listen to the youth and all of Elgin. With my personal and professional background, I am excited to offer a nuanced perspective and refreshingly unique approach to the city of Elgin and all of our people.

As a fierce proponent of transformative innovation, I promise to always remain powered by the people, and to never stop fighting for our city’s future — and I don’t make promises I can't keep. It's time for a change, and I’m here to be that change. It’s time for a new era for Elgin!

What’s one good idea you have to better the community that no one is talking about yet?

Improving community relations and educating the public! No one is talking about that, which I don’t understand. The best way to govern the city of Elgin is knowing city of Elgin. We need to be strengthening our relationships with all of our residents, local business owners, and building a real sense of community within Elgin. I plan to bridge the gap between the city and the people.

After speaking with, meeting with, and listening to our residents & local business owners, I was profoundly disappointed in the city’s relationship with them. The same sentiments are echoed, person after person, that our people are not only unaware of the decision-making process, they are completely uninvolved.

The best way to facilitate an actively engaged community is to educate, inform, and interact with them! Aside from my visit as a candidate, most people, if not all, stated that they have never met or even interacted with anyone on the current council.

Hearing countless people say they are disheartened and/or feel failed by the city government is completely unacceptable, and things have to change. I am deeply committed to empowering the people of Elgin!