Activist Toolkit

1) Why do you want to be a Trustee? What makes you qualified to serve? What metrics of success do you plan on holding yourself accountable to?

Pre-pandemic, 100 people were hit by cars each year while walking or biking in Oak Park. My son and I nearly became one of those stories ourselves. 

After joining the Transportation Commission, it became clear that too often, leaders in Oak Park identify problems, pour money and time into developing plans, and then fail to take action, allowing the plans to gather dust on a shelf. 

In 2008, Oak Park adopted a Bicycle Plan. It was never implemented. In 2015, Oak Park adopted the Neighborhood Greenways Plan. Eight years later, we have failed to take action. Now, we are launching into a Vision Zero planning process.

Oak Park needs to act, not just make plans. 

Since announcing my candidacy, I have heard firsthand accounts from people across the Village who were hit, know someone who was hit, or have had cars end up in their yards. I heard from one family who had a car crash into their house last November. It was the third time a car ended up on their property. I worked with the family impacted and brought the issue to the Transportation Commission. Due to my intervention, a new intersection design will be implemented this year.

2) How do you make decisions?

Village Trustees cannot - and should not be experts on every issue before the board. It’s why we have staff experts like our Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer and our Chief Sustainability Officer, and it’s why we have citizen commissions that leverage expertise and experience from people across our village. With each matter before the board,  I will seek out experts in our community as well as those directly and disproportionately impacted by the issue at hand, review the available data with that expert input, and then examine those decisions through the lens of our shared community values of safety, equity, sustainability, and affordability.  

3) What are the three biggest challenges or opportunities facing Oak Park in the next three, five, and ten years and how should the board address them over the next four years?

Community safety, climate change, and affordability are three of the biggest challenges facing Oak Park over the coming decade. Oak Park needs to be proactive in building the Village we want for the next 50 years instead of simply responding to the problems in front of us today. 

These issues are complex and require a nuanced, comprehensive approach that starts by acknowledging that Oak Park is less than 5 square miles. There is no Oak Park only solution. The Cross-Community Climate Collaborative was a direct response to this challenge and has been successful in bringing state and federal grant dollars to the region to address climate change issues locally. It is a model that we should be working to replicate across the most pressing issues facing the region, including addressing root causes of crime, reducing the availability of guns, and establishing gun violence as a public health issue. 

And we have to recognize how these issues are interrelated. Transportation safety is a good example. It is a safety issue, an affordability issue with a significant impact on residents who cannot afford a car in Oak Park, and a climate change issue due to impacts on carbon emissions. 

4) How would you approach the budgeting process?

Affordability is an equity issue in our community. If we are committed to diversity, we need to understand the impact that the budgeting process has on affordability and act accordingly. 

To that end, I will approach budgeting with a mindset to balance both our immediate budget concerns and our long-range projected costs. An example of this is that we are still working to properly fund pension obligations that were historically underfunded. We need to be mindful of our long-term obligations in order to never create a similar burden on the next generation. 

Similarly, as other taxing bodies undertake significant investments in capital projects, the Village Board has to be mindful of the fact that the same residents bear the burden of paying for those projects as any project the Village might undertake.

5) What would you say to voters who are worried about the tax burden?

We need to elect Trustees who will be good stewards of the public’s funds–and we also need to recognize that the largest buildings in Oak Park are not paying their fair share. Buildings like Vantage, which Goldman Sachs purchased for $102 million, are able to get their assessments reduced to just $54 million by the Board of Review. That appeal alone increased the property tax bill of every $500,000 single family home by more than $50.

The same story plays out across the Village. Before the Board of Review appeals process, 27% of assessed value in Oak Park was in commercial properties or large apartment buildings. The Board of Review had shaved that down to just 21% of assessed value.

The Village can lead an effort, in partnership with the other taxing bodies, to intervene before the Board of Review and challenge the appeals of the largest buildings. This approach has the potential to meaningfully shift the burden back to the owners of the largest buildings and reduce the burden on individual homeowners.

I am proud to have the endorsement of Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi on the basis of this plan.

6) What policies and programs should the Village undertake to improve its tax base and help local businesses thrive?

Small businesses are the backbone of our local economy and, over the past three years, have had to navigate the pandemic, staffing shortages, and rampant inflation. The Village has a history of providing significant incentives to larger businesses and developments, but not offering the same kinds of support to small businesses. Oak Park must work to ease the process of opening a new business in Oak Park and offer creative approaches to help existing businesses in Oak Park thrive.  

In my conversations with small business owners from across Oak Park, it has become evident that the Village needs to create a small business concierge position–someone who assists small business owners in navigating the permitting and licensing processes, connects them with grant opportunities relevant to them, and advocates for small businesses within the Village. In addition, the Village, the Chamber of Commerce, and the Oak Park Economic Development Corporation can partner to determine where there are opportunities to provide low-interest loans to small businesses that, when paired with professional services available in the community, could support continued growth and prosperity.

7) Is it appropriate for the Village incentives or supports that would specifically be directed toward minority-owned businesses? Why or why not?

Absolutely. As part of our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion we should be focused on working with and attracting minority and women-owned businesses to Oak Park, both through our contracting processes and as part of our development efforts in the community.

If we are truly committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive community, we need to make real commitments to making that happen.

8) What do you see as the most pressing issue relating to housing in Oak Park? What policies would you advocate to address this issue?

Housing affordability is a significant issue in Oak Park, but one facet of it that we regularly overlook is the missing middle. Between 20 and 25 percent of Oak Park’s housing meets the HUD definition of affordability. Oftentimes, folks find that they can afford to enter the housing market in Oak Park, but the next couple of rungs of the housing ladder are missing. 

The problem is getting worse, not better, because many of our most affordable single family homes are getting purchased by developers who double the square footage and flip them for twice the price. We need to expand housing options in Oak Park and identify ways to create more affordable homes in Oak Park. This will create opportunities for those in our most affordable housing to move up the housing ladder in our community. Just as importantly, it will allow opportunities for residents to downsize and age in our community if they choose.

9) Rental units comprise about 41% of Oak Park’s housing stock. How can the Village better serve the needs of renters in our community?

We need to do more to ensure that renters feel valued and included in our community, especially since renters make up such a large portion of Oak Park. A local renter advocate, Juanta Griffin, shared a salient example of ways renters can be overlooked in Oak Park: Our neighbors across the Village host incredible block parties, but many renters live on blocks where block parties are not permitted, which leaves out a good deal of our community members. Implementing a “sister-blocks” program where residents living on Harlem are invited to participate in block parties on Marion or Maple, or residents living on Ridgeland are invited to block parties on Elmwood or Cuyler, is a step towards building inclusion and belonging for all Oak Parkers.

More directly, we need to acknowledge the inherent power imbalance between renters and landlords.  This can show up starkly during times of conflict or dispute, and renters can be quickly outmatched and under-resourced when resolving those conflicts. The Village of Oak Park should have a well-publicized helpline which can connect tenants to the resources they need to effectively advocate for their rights and ensure that tenants are receiving outcomes that are just, equitable, and safe.

10) How can the Village better serve the needs of the disabled in our community? Those who wish to age in place here in Oak Park?

The Village has a long way to go on full inclusion of people with disabilities. As with any equity issue, it is the responsibility of the Village to proactively include people with disabilities in the conversation. We need to listen to and believe folks when they tell us what obstacles exist. Then we need to tear those obstacles down. Until we do, Oak Park is not living into its professed values.

The Village Board must proactively take issues to the Disability Access Commission and Aging in Place Commission and get their feedback. On the Transportation Commission, we have been considering the Vision Zero planning process related to transportation safety, and have been explicit that any planning process needs to include the Aging in Place commission, the Disability Access Commission, and our Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer. 

An immediate action would be to turn off the beg buttons requesting a pedestrian signal at an intersection so the default is pedestrians get a signal every cycle. In addition, we need to make sure that Village Hall and the redesigned Village website are both fully accessible to those with disabilities.

11) Last year, Village Trustees passed a climate action plan. What is your opinion of that plan and its implementation so far?

Climate Ready Oak Park (Oak Park’s climate action plan) and the Cross-Community Climate Collaborative represent a comprehensive, long-range, regional approach to the ongoing climate crisis which, if fully implemented, will make Oak Park a leader in sustainability. 

Oak Park, however, has a long history of making beautiful plans and then setting them on the shelf to gather dust. We have a tendency to study issues for years until we have the perfect solution. With climate change, we do not have time to wait for the perfect solution, we have to take the best solutions available now and continue iterating. 

We have to elect leaders with the courage to act. Between Climate Ready Oak Park, the Cross-Community Climate Collaborative, and our Chief Sustainability Officer, Oak Park has the tools necessary to be a national leader on climate change, but we have to act.

12) In their report, BerryDunn consultants noted that there are racial disparities in the impact of policing in Oak Park. This echoes concerns raised by community members who have called on our elected officials to reimagine community safety in our Village. How do you define public safety? How would you work to create an Oak Park where all community members feel safe?

Gun violence and public safety are equity issues and have a disproportionate impact on marginalized communities in Oak Park. At the same time, the data is clear that negative impacts of policing also disproportionately impact marginalized communities in Oak Park.

These are significant and complex issues which require a nuanced and intentional response. There is a nationwide hiring shortage of qualified police officers, so we must take a creative approach to dealing with the staffing issues in the Oak Park Police Department that reduce the burden on officers, while using alternative response programs for situations that do not require a badge and a gun. At the same time, we have to ensure our public safety professionals have the resources they need to do their jobs. 

Public safety is a regional issue. There is no Oak Park only solution. As a result, we need to take a regional approach to address root causes of violent crime. 

Finally, we can act now to save lives by promoting safe firearms storage, normalizing conversations around gun safety, and working to get illegal guns off the streets. Read more about my plan at: https://www.brianstraw.com/public-safety.

13) Volunteer citizen boards, commissions, and committees advise the village trustees. Do you believe that these entities are utilized effectively? What (if any) changes would you like to see to their authority, responsibilities, and oversight?

Some of our volunteer boards and commissions are being utilized effectively, but others are ignored until after the Village makes a mistake. We have to elect Trustees who acknowledge that they are not experts on every issue. Instead, the Village Board needs to proactively rely on the expertise of our citizen boards and commissions to educate us on best practice.

By way of example, in the League of Women Voters forum, when asked about disability access issues one of the other candidates said of the Disability Access Commission: “Having a commission is actually useless unless they bring the recommendations to the Village Board.” Most volunteer commissions will not make a recommendation if the Village Board fails to ask for one. It is the Village Board’s responsibility to make effective use of the commissions and proactively seek their input.

14) In the past, Oak Park has been at the forefront of votes regarding national issues like gay/lesbian domestic partnerships years before gay marriage was legalized, and immigration. Do you think these types of ordinances are an appropriate use of trustee time and energy? What would you say to a constituent who wanted Village Trustees to take a position on current national issues like protection for transgender rights or a woman’s right to bodily autonomy?

Oak Park has long been a leader on human rights issues. I believe that we can only maintain that position of leadership if we elect Trustees who are aligned with our community values and will proudly proclaim their commitment to these issues.

I believe that abortion care is health care and is a human right that must be protected. 

I believe that trans rights are human rights and have spent the last few years working on a pro bono case to protect trans-individuals’ right to secure legal name changes in Illinois.  

I believe that Black Lives Matter and that we as a Village should be committed to policies that are actively anti-racist.

I believe that immigrants are a vital part of the fabric of our community. I proudly joined the pro bono attorneys at O’Hare following Trump’s Muslim Travel Ban and ultimately joined the Board of Northern Illinois Justice for Our Neighbors to continue working on these issues.

I will continue Oak Park’s tradition of standing up for our shared values.

15) What role should the Village play in voter registration, education and participation?

The Village Clerk’s office has an important role to play in voter registration, education, and participation. But it is not a role that the Clerk should have to play alone. All of our governing partners in Oak Park have an interest in having an informed and active electorate. We should work collaboratively to ensure that our residents understand how local government works, are registered to vote, and know when elections are occurring.

16) What approach should the Village take towards intergovernmental cooperation initiatives such as the Collaboration for Early Childhood Development? Are there other specific initiatives that you would like to implement or expand upon?

The Collaboration for Early Childhood is an excellent example of the benefits of these efforts–and a national model for how to address early childhood development in a systematic way. 

As with early childhood development, many of the issues we face require intergovernmental cooperation to address in a meaningful way. 

To implement my tax fairness and equity plan, the Village has to work cooperatively with each of the governing partners in Oak Park to share the costs related to challenging the property tax appeals of the largest buildings in Oak Park.  

Tackling gun violence as a public health issue requires working with our schools, libraries, and park district to provide education–and free gun safety locks wherever parents come into contact with local governments.

Given the complexity of the issues we face as a community, we have to be prepared to work collaboratively with other governing parties to move our shared values forward. 

17) What approach should the Village take towards intermunicipal cooperation with neighboring communities? Are there specific initiatives that you would like to implement or expand upon?

Oak Park is less than five square miles. There is no Oak Park only solution to many of the challenges we face. It is still early, but the Cross-Community Climate Collaborative has been successful in bringing state and federal grant dollars to the region to address climate change issues locally. It is a model that we should be working to replicate across the most pressing issues facing the region, including addressing root causes of crime, reducing the availability of guns, and establishing gun violence as a public health issue.

The root causes of gun violence, other violent crime, and theft are poverty and its associated issues: joblessness, food insecurity, and housing insecurity. If our goal is to prevent crime—rather than simply to improve our response after the fact—we must work on a regional basis with our neighbors to address the root causes of crime. 

Visit Oak Park is a great example of an existing inter-municipal effort which has had great success in promoting the region as a tourist destination and bringing in guests from around the world. 

18) Please list the three largest donors to your campaign by dollar amount contributed.

I have received broad support from smaller donors, including 76 donations of $50 or less. At the moment, the three largest donors to my campaign are: 

1. My mother, Gretchen Straw, who moved to Oak Park to be near me–and her grandchildren–has donated $1,500 to my campaign.

2. Mark Brewer, an election lawyer in Michigan who served as Chair of the Michigan Democratic Party when I was president of the College Democrats at Hope College and has donated $1,500 to my campaign.

3. Scott Sakiyama, an attorney, father, and good friend lives in south Oak Park and has donated $1,100 to my campaign.