CITYWIDE LEADERSHIP
• Co-sponsored legislation that requires the city’s Department of Community Development to post all legislation, ordinances, and financial documents online for each Tax Increment Financing District (TIF) in the city, commonly known as the TIF Sunshine Ordinance.
• Co-chaired the city’s first Green Business Task Force, to develop environmental standards for small businesses, restaurants and manufacturers, allowing the city to certify businesses as green.
• Passed legislation that provides drop-off locations for plastic shopping bags in retail establishments, with the goal of recycling and reducing the use of and plastic bags.
• Chairs the City Council Committee on Economic, Capital and Technology Development.
• Conceived and oversaw the city’s first annual Tech Expo, an event that introduces technological resources to small business throughout Chicago.
• Passed legislation that requires the City to have live webcasts of the Chicago City Council meetings. Equipment was installed in the City Council Chambers, and the webcast went live in 2007.
• Introduced ordinance mandating the city to install conduit for high speed technology fiber at the time of road construction.
• Passed a ground-breaking ordinance that regulates restrictive covenants placed on properties once occupied by grocery and drug stores. This new law is thought to be the first of its kind and greatly limits the duration of such restrictive covenants, enabling future development and hastening the return of needed services to communities.
• Passed an ordinance that created an innovative yearly online ethics training program for all city employees. This successful program has resulted in 100% compliance for all city employees.
• Co-sponsored a resolution that brought together various civic groups and industry associations to shed light on the disparity in distribution of grocery stores and food deserts throughout the city. Formed a Task Force to provide recommendations that would help to alleviate this problem.
• Worked with the Chicago Police Department and the Chicago Police Women’s Association to expand the number of women entering and being promoted within the Police Department.
• Sponsored an ordinance in the City Council that allowed the city to donate unused computers to Computers for Schools. Computers for Schools, in turn, rehabs the equipment and sells it to schools and libraries for a nominal charge.
• Originated and convened the Aldermanic Technology Forum, a group that examines current technological needs in city government and examines ways for the city to work more efficiently.
• Worked closely with the Mayor’s Office to develop a City Council Internship Program, with college students receiving credit for working in Aldermanic Offices. • Helped lead the first major revision of the City’s zoning code in fifty years, helping to preserve the character of our neighborhoods.
• Provided medication drop off locations

WARDWIDE ACCOMPLISHMENTS
• Opened the new, state-of-the-art, 17th District Police station at 4650 North Pulaski. The new police station will serve all the residents of the 39th Ward, as well as the hard working police officers of the 17th District. The old station was built in 1938 and had inadequate facilities to serve the 17th District.
• Opened the new Aspira Haugan middle school to relieve school overcrowding and enhance the quality of education for our community’s children.
• Opened the new Albany Park Multicultural Academy at Sawyer and Ainslie.
• Relocated the Edison Gifted School to Albany Park.
• Established an annual business fair highlighting local small businesses in the 39th Ward.
• Supported the Albany Park Theater Project, a Chicago Park District Arts Partners in Residence at the Eugene Field Cultural Center. The Albany Park Theater Project has won national acclaim for their work with teenagers in the community.
• Conducts Tax Appeal Seminars to provide 39th Ward homeowners the tools and assistance to appeal their property taxes
• Expanded the popular Blue Cart recycling program throughout the entire 39th Ward
• Organized block clubs and community watch groups wardwide
• Recognized by FOX News Chicago as one of fourteen Aldermanic Ward Offices with a perfect score for returning constituent service requests.
• Conducted the Veteran Resource Fair at North Park Village
• Restored of Bohemian Cemetery water tower
• Conducts one-on-one counseling with property owners to make sure they are receiving all of the tax exemptions they are entitled to.
• Installed decorative streetscape on Devon Avenue
• Provided free flu Shots and H1N1 Shots

ALBANY PARK
• Opened new Albany Park Multicultural Academy and new Aspira-Haugan Middle School
• Opened Jensen Park at Lawndale and Wilson, resulting in expanded recreational facilities and new open space for residents of our neighborhood to enjoy.
• Invested over $5 million in improvements to single family homes and multi-unit buildings to maintain affordable housing in Albany Park. Another $1 million invested in Albany Park homes through the Neighborhood Improvement Program (NIP). The NIP has rehabbed over 300 homes.
• Opened the Albany Park Food Pantry, which serves thousands of community neighbors a year.
• Revitalized the commercial districts on Lawrence Avenue and Kedzie Avenue with the Small Business Improvement Fund (SBIF). This program has provided incentives leading to the renovation of storefronts.
• Together with Swedish Covenant Hospital, opened the Roosevelt Health Center, the first school based health center to serve Albany Park youth.
• Won City funding for the Albany Park Community Center to provide a wide variety of services to children, youth and families, including Head Start, daycare, TeenREACH, adult literacy, and a food pantry.
• Coordinated annual Basketball Tournament and Volleyball Clinic to teach middle school students about importance of a healthy diet and exercise.
• Brought the Edison Regional Gifted Center school to Albany Park
• Chicago River dredged
• With the Heartland Alliance, opened a new school based health center at Hibbard School
• Cemetery land clean-up
• Built new playground, wetlands and roof for Eugene Field Park
• Brought PorchLight program to Albany Park
• Working on funding for construction of a new Albany Park library.
• Working with the city and private developers, in the process of bringing Thai Town Center to the former 17th District Police station on Pulaski. The multi-million dollar development includes a casual dining Thai restaurant, a Thai Wellness Center, and offices for the Thai American Association. This project marks the first time that the Thai community has established a location in the city of Chicago.
• Installed new sewer lines

BRYNFORD PARK/PETERSON-PULASKI INDUSTRIAL CORRIDOR
• Retained 400 jobs at Wolters Kluwer (formerly CCH) with funding to update and remain in their current facility.
• Established the Peterson Pulaski Business and Industrial Council to address needs of manufacturing companies in the area.
• With the Urban Land Institute and the Metropolitan Planning Council, facilitated a comprehensive planning study of the Peterson Pulaski Industrial Corridor.
• Established the Peterson Pulaski Tax Increment Financing district.
• Expanded the Small Business Improvement Fund (SBIF) program to the Peterson-Pulaski district, where it has provided incentives, leading to the revitalization of storefronts.
• Completed Peterson/Pulaski sewer project (resolving flooding in Peterson Park)

HOLLYWOOD-NORTH PARK/PETERSON PARK
• Completed new streetscape project for Bryn Mawr between Kedzie and Kimball to enhance business district.
• Worked with developers and community organization to demolish an abandoned Shell Gas station at Kimball and Peterson and build a new Dunkin’ Donuts facility.
• Worked with developer and community organization to replace a shuttered restaurant with a new KFC.
• Working with local state officials, brought millions of dollars for infrastructure improvements to Peterson Park.
• Installed decorative streetscape on Devon Avenue

MAYFAIR
• Completed work on the Lawrence Avenue streetscape, from Pulaski to Elston.
• Together with the North Mayfair Improvement Association and the Chicago Historic Bungalow Association, achieved historic landmark designation for Mayfair.
• National Recognition by This Old House Magazine of North Mayfair community as one of the nation’s most desirable place to live
• Conducted informational seminars for bungalow owners in cooperation with the Chicago Historic Bungalow Association, teaching homeowners how to increase the value, beauty and energy efficiency of their bungalows.
• Acquired property which had been a dilapidated auto repair shop, and developed an expansion of Gompers Park. The new parkland features a statute of Samuel Gompers.
• Established the Mayfair Veteran’s Committee and created the Veterans’ Memorial and the corner of Lawrence and Keeler.
• Worked with the community to redevelop the corner of Lawrence and Pulaski into new business and commercial center.
• Installed new pedestrian walk signal at Leland and Pulaski, allowing visitors to the 17th District Police Station to safely cross Pulaski.
• Completed residential lighting program throughout Mayfair
• Awarded state funding for improvements to Gompers Park
• Installed decorative planter boxes on Foster, near Gompers Park Fieldhouse.

NORTH PARK VILLAGE
• Awarded HUD funding in a nationwide competition to construct 31 new units of 202, low-income senior housing at North Park Village
• Developing entrance building to become Senior Wellness Center and satellite Dept. of Senior Services Center
• Expanded the scope of mental health services at North Park Village after devastating cuts from the state budget
• Spearheaded the $1 million renovation of a Jens Jensen-inspired rock garden located near Peterson Park in North Park Village. The Department of General Services restored the garden to its original 1938 design.
• Established the first Veteran’s Memorial and annual Memorial Day ceremony at North Park Village.
• Implementing wireless internet project with the Chicago Park District throughout North Park Village

WEST WALKER/OLD IRVING PARK/INDEPENDENCE PARK
• Independence Park: Together with the Greater Independence Park Neighborhood Association (GIPNA), brought the first Farmer’s Market to Independence Park.
• Independence Park: Worked with the Chicago Park District to fund the rehab of the "Women’s Building," a historic bungalow in Independence Park. The rehab will be the first "green" bungalow project in the Chicago Park District and will serve as a model for the rest of the city.
• In partnership with the Old Irving Park Association and the Greater Independence Park Neighborhood Association, initiated downzoning in an effort to protect the character of our community.
• Expanded the Small Business Improvement Fund (SBIF) program to the Pulaski-Elston district, where it has provided incentives, leading to the revitalization of storefronts.
• Established the Pulaski-Elston Business Association.
• Streetscape improvements are planned for Irving Park Rd. between Pulaski and Central Park.
• Installed the first traffic signal at Elston and Pulaski for blind pedestrians in Chicago.
• Brought a new Walgreens to Irving Park and Pulaski, replacing one of three gas stations at this intersection.
• Provided incentives that led to façade improvements in the businesses along Irving Park and Pulaski
• Won state funding for independent study of the business district resulting in the Pulaski Elston Revitalization Plan, analyzing economic development initiatives and opportunities for the commercial corridor.

SAUGANASH
• Established the Sauganash Chamber of Commerce to service businesses in the Peterson Cicero corridor.
• Created a public-private partnership that demolished a shuttered motel and car wash at Peterson and Cicero, and built a new Whole Foods Market and condominiums.
• Completed streetscape project at Peterson and Cicero.
• Created the Sauganash Design Committee, resulting in a report designating architectural and building standards in the community.
• Completed construction of the Sauganash Trail, a one-mile pedestrian/bike trail along abandoned rail tracks.
• New addition for Sauganash Elementary School under construction. The addition, which will eliminate severe overcrowding, is designed to meet the highest green construction standards.
• Created beautiful new residential community Sauganash Woods