Two strong candidates have made it to the aldermanic runoff in the 4th Ward, State Representative Lamont Robinson and Prentice Butler, currently chief of staff to Alderwoman Sophia King.
Butler would bring continuity to the office, and his achievements as chief of staff have been vital to King’s success. He has worked with many local community groups and made sure developers building in the area have been responsive to the community’s needs.
We like his advocacy for therapeutic approaches to fighting crime such as violence interrupters, mental health care, and economic development.
He finds tax increases of up to 51% in this community unacceptable and would fight the uneven distribution of tax burdens that harms marginalized communities.
All five aldermanic candidates who did not make it to the April 4 runoff have endorsed Butler.
Robinson has a strong record in the Illinois General Assembly. He understands that quick gimmicks for fixing the property tax problem do not work and would use his experience consolidating municipal pension funds on the State level to forward a similar solution in the City.
He would bring together a variety of organizations to fight crime and work to address its root causes such as poverty, inequality, and lack of education and healthcare. He also would coordinate stakeholders to invest in mentorship programs and after-school programs to help youngsters and redirect them before they become involved in crime.
We also like his ideas for putting City-owned vacant land to better uses.
Robinson’s successful effort so save Mercy (now Insight) Hospital when its previous owners wanted to close it was one of the most impressive and important efforts we have seen from an elected official. He spearheaded State government’s opposition to the hospital closing, and by keeping the hospital open saved Bronzeville from becoming a healthcare desert.
Robinson is endorsed by 11 labor unions, several progressive and community groups, and 30 elected officials.
While 4th Ward voters cannot go wrong with either candidate, as we did in February Gazette Chicago endorses Lamont Robinson for alderman. We believe Robinson can leverage his experience and connections at the state level to help the community as a member of the City Council, and we look forward to him bringing to the 4th Ward aldermanic office the same tenaciousness and focus on the community’s most vulnerable that he showed in the Mercy Hospital fight.
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April 2, 2023 at 08:36PM
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