Public safety, through the police and fire departments, along with basic services like collecting garbage, removing snow and maintaining roads have long been the domain of Waukegan’s mayors, who function as the city’s chief executive. Now, the mayor is expected more than ever to deal with issues related to the federal government in Washington, D.C.
As national programs that provide funding for things like public housing, food assistance for low-income residents and medical care for the underserved, are being reduced or are under the threat of cuts, those needs may need to be met by local governments, at least to some degree.
Waukegan’s mayoral candidates — former Ald. Harold Beadling, 4th Ward, former Mayor Sam Cunningham; current Mayor Ann Taylor and current Ald. Keith Turner, 6th Ward — debated those issues and more during a League of Women Voters forum Saturday at the Patricia Jones Center.
With the city’s fiscal year coming to an end in a little more than a month, moderator Jeanne Kearby asked the candidates in front of a standing-room-only crowd of more than 150 people how they will deal with the uncertainty of changes from the federal government which occur on an almost daily basis.
Taylor said a backup plan is mandatory if grants the city has sought for things like lead pipe replacement and other needs are not forthcoming from Washington. The city has built cash reserves that can be used, she said.
“One minute we’re in one direction, and the next day we’re in another direction,” Taylor said. “In the weeks and months ahead, we’ll get a more clear answer of what things are going to be. We’re waiting almost day to day to see where things are going to be at.”
Cunningham, who said he relied less on grants when he was mayor from 2017-2021, commented that the Community Development Block Grants coming from the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development will likely be reduced. He sees less spending as an answer.
“We’ll probably see cuts,” Cunningham said. “How do we manage that? One simple thing … is control spending. Your budget should not grow over 2% each and every year. Control your spending. That’s how you’re going to control our city government.”
Turner said he anticipates grants will be cut, and more control over spending is mandatory. He said he would take a close look at the money going out. He also sees more efficiency as a solution.
“There have not been any significant spending cuts” Turner said. “We need to reign in our spending, and become more efficient in our spending, more effective in the delivery of our services. We need to be more service-oriented.”
Though Taylor said she is concerned environmental efforts can be impacted if the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is reduced in size, and receives a significantly smaller budget from the current administration of President Donald Trump. Beadling said he is now worried.
“As far as government cuts are concerned, it’s waste, fraud and abuse,” Beadling said. “The EPA, there’s a lot of waste, fraud and abuse in there.”
With the federal government focusing a lot of attention on the deportation of illegal immigrants, Kearby asked the candidates how they would reconcile Illinois’ Trust Law with federal efforts to accelerate immigration enforcement. For Beadling, the answer was short.
“When it comes to violent, criminal aliens who may have come over the border in the last four years, I think they need to go,” Beadling said. “I don’t think anyone in Waukegan wants to live amongst violent people.”
Turner said he would abide by the Trust Act if he is elected, but wants to put more emphasis on dealing with law enforcement in Waukegan with a focus on gang crimes. He would like help from federal law enforcement in that regard.
“If the feds come in with a warrant for anyone, regardless of the immigration status, we’re going to abide by that warrant, but we’re not going to aid immigration officers,” Turner said.
Saying Waukegan has long been a city of immigrants, Cunningham said while he will honor the Trust Law he believes the city should continue to welcome people coming to the area from other countries.
“We, in Waukegan, know how to do immigration,” Cunningham said. “We can teach a thing or two to our national government if they come and ask us. We know what the needs are. We identify the services that are there, and we distribute them.”
Since shortly after the most recent presidential election, Taylor said she has taken steps to protect the immigrant community. She made it clear during the forum her position is unchanged. The Illinois Trust Act of 2021 will be obeyed, she said.
“We follow the laws, and that is the law in the state of Illinois and that’s what we will stay with,” Taylor said. “No exceptions to that. If the federal government goes about things a different way, I don’t know how that’s going to happen because I don’t see it happening in Illinois. I really don’t.”
With Vista Medical Center East furloughing workers and keeping them off the job longer than anticipated, as well as reducing its hours of service in its cardiac cauterization lab, the candidates were asked what they can do to keep a full-service hospital open in the city.
Turner said the city has no control over the hospital because it is a “private enterprise.” The issues with the hospital have been a problem for some time, with different owners over the years, he said. He said he would do what he could, including potential financial assistance.
“We can be a bully pulpit,” Turner said. “As mayor, I will advocate for controls on how the state manages hospitals to ensure this process doesn’t repeat itself. We need to get to the root causes of what their problems are and maybe a short-term bailout.”
Since the hospital has an advisory board of community members, Cunningham said hospital executives should be giving board members more information so both city officials and the residents are better informed.
“This is a regional hospital,” Cunningham said. “Our legislators and governor will listen to this mayor, and (I will) make sure he understands the importance of having this regional hospital at full capacity because the care is necessary to the region and Waukegan”
With a longtime problem getting worse, Taylor said the city must have a hospital, but the city has no control over the situation. She is uncertain of the solution, but has some ideas to offer
“This area needs a regional hospital, but a hospital that does not serve our residents well is worthless,” Taylor said. “We need a hospital that is first-rate. Whether that is making Vista a teaching hospital or whatever, the case may be that is important. We need to have stakeholders held accountable for this.”
All four candidates also answered questions about development along the lakefront and downtown, as well as the role of the mayor, gun control, liquor licenses, dealing with speeding vehicles and the role of the City Council.
With election day on April 1, early voting will continue at the Lake County Courthouse & Administration Building and the Jane Adams Center in Bowen Park through Monday.
