CHATHAM — Red-light cameras and economic redevelopment were among the hot topics Tuesday evening at the 6th and 8th Ward Aldermanic Candidate Forum at New Bethlehem Church in Chatham.
Incumbents Roderick Sawyer (6th) and Michelle Harris (8th) squared off against challengers in a mostly civil Q&A session sponsored by the Chesterfield Community Council and moderated by WVON’s Perri Small.
While Sawyer admitted his ward is suffering from a crumbling economic infrastructure, he said he’s been “planning his work,” pointing to his support of an increase in the minimum wage and fight to stop the influx of charter schools in his district.
“Democracy is a tough business,” Sawyer said as he talked about the complexities of the alderman’s office. “Sometimes, you hear people say they want to do things ... There’s an old saying that ‘everyone wants to go to heaven, but no one wants to die.’”
Both sets of challengers had plenty to say about the city’s red-light cameras, with 8th Ward hopefuls Faheem Shabazz and Tara Baldridge accusing the city of preying on residents in vulnerable communities.
“We’re getting pimped,” said Shabazz, who is working with talk radio host and Citizens to Abolish Red Light Cameras director Mark Wallace to bring an immediate end to the program.
Baldridge said she’s willing to sue the city on behalf of residents if necessary.
“One of the biggest issues is the lack of transparency,” said Baldridge. “You have these cameras in our communities, but we’re not building them and they aren’t coming from the state of Illinois. Why are we always going outside of our communities, outside our state, to find someone to do something for us that costs us money?’
While Harris and Sawyer agreed the red-light camera system is flawed, both believe their immediate removal is unrealistic because they generate much-needed city revenue.
Harris said she’s had cameras removed at 89th Street and Stony Island Avenue and 79th Street and Cottage Grove Avenue, but refuses to have the cameras removed at 79th and Stony Island and 95th Street and Stony Island because of a decline in traffic accidents in those intersections.
Sawyer introduced an ordinance calling for the cameras to be phased out over three years, which would allow time for the city to come up with another idea to fill the $60 million hole it would leave behind.
6th Ward Challengers Brian Garner and Richard Wooten, both Army veterans with longstanding community ties, promised to have them removed, with Wooten pointing out that tickets are sent to vehicle owners instead of who’s behind the wheel at the time.
“The cameras are a safety hazard and cause more accidents,” said Wooten, a 21-year police veteran.
All of the candidates agreed that recent increase in charter schools in the community are a huge problem, and all of them vowed to work with city and community leaders to return the focus on improving area public schools.
Sixth Ward candidates will meet up again at an aldermanic forum hosted by Educational Village Keepers 4 p.m. Feb. 7 at Simeon Career Academy, 8147 S. Vincennes Ave.
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