Molly Phelan on the Issues
Molly Phelan on the Issues
Safer Neighborhoods
Everyone deserves to live in a safe neighborhood. Molly Phelan will work for the safe streets we all deserve. Traditionally, we would confront safety issues by providing for more police resources, and Molly supports efforts to do that. However, with a staggering city budget deficit, we need more creative solutions. Molly has creative solutions to make our streets safer. She’ll go after irresponsible landlords who allow gangs and drugs in their buildings. Molly will work to expand access to after school programs. And Molly will encourage business development to make our streets less hospitable to crime. Learn more about Molly’s plan to make our community safer here.
Bringing Jobs to Our Community
Too many commercial spaces in our community sit vacant, depriving too many of our residents of the decent jobs they need. Molly has a concrete plan to revive our commercial districts, bringing jobs to our neighborhoods. She will work with building owners to place emerging art galleries in our empty storefronts, bringing creative energy and more foot traffic to our streets. And Molly will recruit new businesses, promoting Uptown as a regional entertainment industry center, and working with residents to create a community master plan. Learn more about Molly’s plan for job creation in our area here.
Better Business Development
Too many storefronts in our community sit vacant, depriving our neighborhoods of thriving commercial districts. We can change this. Molly has a concrete plan to revive our commercial districts, bringing responsible businesses and jobs to our neighborhoods. She’ll hire a business liaison in the alderman’s office. Molly will encourage building owners to donate vacant storefront space to emerging artists. She will promote Uptown as a regional center of the entertainment industry. And Molly will work with residents to create a community master plan. Learn more about Molly’s plan to revitalize our commercial areas here.
Creating Better Schools
Chicago has the shortest school day and school year in the country. Over 13 years, a Chicago Public Schools student will have 4 years less class time than a student in Houston. That is why Molly will work to add more hours to the school day and more days to the school year. Teachers can have a huge impact on students’ lives, but only if the students are in front of the teacher longer. And Molly will work to move tax dollars out of the Central Office and into the classroom where they belong.
Moving Our Community Forward Through Responsible TIF Management
Tax Increment Financing Districts (TIFs) can be a powerful tool for redevelopment. But when misused and abused, TIFs can become secretive slush funds that divert money from schools, parks, and the city’s general tax revenue to privileged insiders and corporations. Molly will create a transparent TIF budgeting process where residents can share their ideas and make their voices heard. And she’ll work to end unnecessary TIFs early so the tax dollars can again flow to our schools. Learn more about Molly’s plan for TIF reform here.
