Video Interview of Michael LaFargue

Video Interview of Michael LaFargue - Please Forward - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJctyyOfof4&feature=youtu.be

MICHAEL LaFARGUE IS ON THE 9^th WARD BALLOT

“PUNCH 53”

Michael LaFargue is on the Ballot to be 9^th Ward Alderman. The Election is February 24^th, 2015. Michael’s Punch Number is 53.

The LaFargue Team shares that Michael’s meticulously organized petition(s) was challenged by the incumbent. Essentially the challenge was that the word “Chicago” was not on one page out of 200 pages in the petition. Mr. LaFargue’s Attorney used current decisions, statutes, ordinances and regulations as the defense. He further said the LaFargue petitions were exemplary and should be used as an example in law school on how to organize campaign petitions.

Michael, publicly chosen as the “People’s Choice Candidate” is the front running challenger in the 9^th Ward Aldermanic Campaign. He announced his candidacy on July 19^th after West Chesterfield's Community Unity Block Party. SEIU’s Local 73’s Communities of the Winning, Mr. and Mrs. Ed Gardner and others supported the WCCA event. The incumbent attended the event understanding Michael would make his announcement at its conclusion. Michael opened his campaign office October 17^th to a large gathering and to date has been endorsed by:

• The Fraternal Order of Police
• The 9^th Ward Aldermanic Search Community Council
• Reclaim Chicago / The Peoples Lobby (A Social and Economic Justice Organization.)
• The Chicago Street Journal newspaper
• The Gardner Initiative (Founded by Mr. Ed Gardner of the former Soft Sheen Corporation)

Michael has been happily married for 29 years and a Roseland resident for 22 years. Michael has a wide range of skills to bring to this office. His skills include • Community Leadership, as a community association president and member of the Rosemoor Community Association, South East Environmental Task Force, Far South Halsted Street Chamber of Commerce, Developing Communities Project etc. • Real Estate, he worked for the developer of Stony Island Plaza, the large shopping center at 95^th and Stony in 1999 • Management, as property manager of commercial properties in Willowbrook, Plainfield and Chicago • In Transportation, having worked for CTA and RTA • Customer Service, Michael is a Former IBM marketing representative • Education, having earned a combined Master in Public Administration (MPA) and Masters in Business Administration (MBA) from Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT)..

As alderman Michael will work for the benefit of all the residents of the new 9^th Ward. Michael says the 9^th Ward has smart talented people from Riverdale to Chatham. The ward has beautiful tree lined neighborhoods and great community associations. The 9^th ward is also challenged. At the time of Michael’s announcement 70% of the schools were on probation. There was 20% unemployment in some areas, 61% of the homes are below poverty level in other areas and the Ward’s median home values are three times lower than other wards of the city. Additionally some 9^th Ward neighborhoods are on the top 10 worst crime lists in Chicago.

His condensed City Wide policy and work priorities are:

• Advocating that Chicago Retirees Pensions Remain Un-altered. (Teacher, Fireman, Police…)
• Advocating for an elected school board and moratorium on charter schools.
• Investigating Tax Incremental Financing Reform.
• Protecting Union Jobs and Making any Privatization More Transparent and Accountable
• Looking at alternative income and savings sources for Chicago.
• Eliminating the use of Red Light Cameras.

Michael’s Ward Priorities include:

• Jobs and Economic Development (Red Line Extension and Transit Oriented Development, Michigan Avenue Business Strip Revitalization, Ideas for Job Creation in Riverdale's Altgeld, Golden Gate, Concordia... communities)
• Fostering Enhanced City Services (Work to improve light outage to recovery outages, Increasing a Police presence with beat officers and officers that are representative of the community…)
• Education (Freeze Charter Schools, Push for Elected School Board, and Empower LSC’s)
• Business and Economic Development (The Pullman Historic National Park and Business Development in Riverdale)
• Work Force Expansion (Job Banks, Workforce Development and Training)

Believing in a collaborative approach to government, Michael’s First Initiatives in Office:

• Organize Constituent Advisory Councils on Development, Jobs, Crime, and Education…
• Organize a Participatory Budget Process for the Expenditure of the Alderman’s annual $1.3 million in infrastructure of use of Menu Money.
• Organizing an Office Staff and Processes to provide efficient constituent service.
• Transparency in the Alderman’s Office.
  We truly want to bring better government to the 9^th Ward voters and to Chicago’s City Council:

Michael says, “Vote for Me. Punch 53”!!!