Ismael Cordova: 2023 candidate for Elgin City Council

Bio

Town where you live: Elgin

Age on Election Day: 26

Occupation: Community Outreach Coordinator for a federally qualified health center

Previous offices held: None

Q&A

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

A: In my sincere opinion, the amount of violence and mental health issues that have started to surface as the COVID-19 pandemic persists will be the city of Elgin's worst problem in the future years.

Gun violence, suicidal ideation, behavior, domestic violence, etc. are all aftereffects of years of seclusion, the health issues that our loved ones face, and the divisive political game that the pandemic sparked. To ensure that all of our citizens may enhance their quality of life and act in a preventive rather than a reactive manner, our city must prioritize public safety and health care.

Our council, must ensure that our police department is given resources to fight gun violence and remove violent offenders from the streets, residents have access to free or inexpensive mental health services both inside and outside of their homes, and that people who need to leave a domestic violence environment can rely on their city officials, and nonprofit organizations to provide them safety.

Q: How would you describe the state of your community's finances?

A: Our community's finances are subpar. I firmly feel that our city council is not prioritizing the use of city monies to address problems that have a long-term impact on our neighborhood. We could use that money to ensure that transportation is provided to families who rely on soup kitchens to find their loved ones, to ensure that homelessness is not a side issue or is just a talking point on election material, or to ensure that our sidewalks are not just walkable but handicap accessible instead of spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on cosmetic fixes to a building that only an elite and a select group of team members engage with.

As a member of the city council, I will make sure to use our spending as a platform to promote the needs of our neighborhood.

Q: What should be the three top priorities for spending in your community during the next four years?

A: As someone who has been homeless before, I believe it is important to meet our homeless people where they are and learn what is preventing them from using the options available in our community. Free temporary housing with on-site support must be made available to them. Our homelessness problem won't go away as we develop, but the city can develop institutional, structured techniques for preventing dangerous homelessness behaviors.

2. Gun violence and domestic violence as mentioned before.

3. Our name and reputation. If we don't acknowledge the very true fact that Elgin hasn't always been the safest location to raise a family, establish a business, or even just walk in on a summer night, we will never get past our image. We will endeavor to increase our creative community and promote ourselves as a location to visit, develop a business, and raise a family once we demonstrate that we can proactively address the difficulties that come with being a powerhouse in the Chicagoland area.

Q: Are there areas of spending that need to be curtailed? If so, what are they?

A: As previously mentioned, if we are not actually making a difference in the lives of the residents of the city of Elgin, we cannot keep bringing in "beautiful," "new," and "newsworthy" goods while ignoring the fundamental problems that plague our community. Consider strategies to improve our roadways, the health of our citizens, and the quality of their lives rather than aesthetic building repairs.

Q: 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?

A: I believe I've answered this in the last question.

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

A: As a member of Youth M.O.V.E, I collaborated with regional nonprofit groups to write policy for financing for mental health services for low-income, mixed-citizenship, and queer children and families throughout Illinois.

I collaborated with PFLAG when I was 15 to advance the Illinois Civil Union Act and later same-sex marriage with local elected officials. I participated in numerous school-based organizations and committees during my time in high school and college in an effort to enact legislation that would guarantee that all students would receive a top-notch education and grant funding, despite citizenship status or past criminal behavior.

After graduating from college, I contributed to the Community Task Force on Policing, writing numerous proposals on how our Police Department might improve. I will be a council member who is willing to put in the work, do the necessary research, and advocate for what our community wants - not what's in my best interest.

Q: What makes you the best candidate for the job?

A: I am running for Elgin City Council because I believe it is time to embrace our future. As the youngest candidate on the ballot, I am the future. I am a proud formerly homeless, openly queer, first-generation Mexican American man who believes in our city's future.

I believe in embracing our future generation of leaders now, not just when the leaders of today pass away or decide it's their time to go. I believe we need to enhance public safety, utilities, and sustainability throughout the city.

We need to work together to expand our public's trust in their government. We need to address housing insecurities and homelessness. We need to ensure financial stability and business development in our community. With me as your future council member, we will begin to work to solve the issues of tomorrow by creating a coalition of united leadership today.

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

A: I really believe that our quietest and most restrained neighbors often have the best ideas, not the loudest voices, "political voices" at the table. I want to inspire the residents of our city to submit proposals for our city that our leaders can support. This is about US, not about ME or MY IDEAS. I'll do everything in my ability to collaborate with city personnel and advance community members' views in policy and community initiatives and improvements.