Two Incumbents

This is a unique election in that you have two incumbents. You can directly compare our records. After years of neglect, we agree that $500 million in capital improvements are needed. However, we have very different approaches:

Cunningham's approach is to increase taxes and borrow the money needed. $500 million in improvements would cost taxpayers $750 million with interest and take 22 years to pay off. Further, no one is going to loan the City $500 million. This is a short-term Band-Aid.

My approach is to carve out a budget of $25 million/year through cost reductions and paying down debt, then paying cash for capital projects. Below, you find $10 million more from grants, $9 from investments, $6 million for fixing an error in the water billing systems. In 20 years, $500 million will be paid in cash. This is a long-term solution.

	Ann Taylor	Sam Cunningham
Debt	Reduced our debt by $37 million, freeing up money for capital improvements No new loans	A record level of debt - $146 million A record increase in debt - $69 million $123 million in loans
Reserves	Increased from $18 million to $41 million. I took in $23 million more than I spent. $9 million from Investments for Capital Projects	Decreased from $26 million to $18 million. He spent $8 million more than he took in Credit Rating Lowered to Negative Outlook
Tax Increases	Decreased Housing/ Property Tax 0.2% No Change in City Sales Tax	Increased Housing/Property Tax by 13.5% Increased City Sales Tax by 20%
Budgets	Four Balanced Budgets without Loans	Two Deficit Budgets. Two Budgets Balanced by Loans
Grants	Hired grant writer Increased to $16 million	$6 million annually
Water System	Fixed programming errors in some water meters increasing revenues by $6 million/year	For10 years, we have only billed for 90% of the water pumped.
Capital Projects	$90 million in capital improvements paid in cash	$80 million in capital improvements paid by bonds.
Police and Fire	14% Increase in Officers on the Street 6 new firefighters 12 new vehicles Extra funding of pensions	1.5 fewer police officers 1 fewer firefighters 8 new vehicles Shorted both police and fire pensions by nearly $1 million
Ethics	I have not taken any money from a city contractor or vendor nor from any Waukegan business. All new employees applied to posted job openings, some were interviewed and one selected as most qualified by staff.  No relatives have been hired.	Many of Cunningham’s donations were from companies doing business with the City or seeking project approvals.  Some during the approval process. He hired multiple family members and many more political allies. He has promised dozens of people jobs in return for supporting him.

I have carefully documented my facts in blog articles with links to city documents and articles in the Chicago Tribune. Saying these things about Cunningham is simply holding him accountable.

I am appalled by all the false information and lies being told. There are dozens of trolls, including Eva Ronnell (Margaret Carrasco troll) and Keven Darco Lopez (one of many Keith Turner’s trolls). There is Cunningham’s fake news site, Lake County New Dispatch. Four years ago, it was the Illinois Citizen Force.

While I quote the Tribune, Cunningham quotes himself.

Character matters. Candidates who spread false information through trolls and fake newspapers are not who we want to represent and run our city.

There is Keith Turner's poor judgment about posting a picture of a bone on the beach for political gain, which resulted in his censoring by the council.

NEWS SUN OPINION COLUMN: Waukegan alderman should have apologized for the graphic post - Charles Selle 

NEWS SUN: Waukegan Council censures alderman - Steve Sadin

There is Sam Cunningham's temper, attacking a veteran on Veteran's Day in the middle of Genesee Street for putting a flying on Cunningham's car. Hitting him and threatening to break his neck is inexcusable.

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There is the video of him yelling at a volunteer dressed as an elf at the 2020 tree-lighting ceremony. I myself have been a victim of Cunningham's bullying multiple times at council meetings, including the Six-Minute rant.

NEWS SUN: Despite earning approval for debt plan, Waukegan mayor goes on ‘rant,’ says city must invest in itself - Emily Coleman

Video - Six-Minute Rant

I have strived to represent the city in a professional manner, with dignity.

In this election, voters have a clear choice. We can continue to make progress or return to the old ways of Waukegan, which put our hometown on the decline.