Jim was born and raised on Chicago’s North-West side on a block with 52 kids. He’s thankful for those years and all that it taught him, most notably that it’s ok to not go with flow and learn to enjoy doing your own thing. And that’s what he’s been doing for 40 41 years.
At various points Jim’s been a boy scout, caddy, alter boy, lifeguard, bus boy, waiter, biker, marathon runner, engineer, computer trainer, Harley Davidson biker, entrepreneur, sinner, sewing machine salesman, stand up comic, driving range ball shagger, bum, bartender, business consultant, lawyer, phone installer, software designer, a husband to one (a/k/a spider killer), father to another (a/k/a grilled cheese maker), and long-lost friend to what he hopes are hundreds.
Jim’s think that our fair city is — much like our entire country — at a crossroads. Our city is nearly bankrupt. Our state is nearly bankrupt. Our nation is nearly bankrupt. This is the undeniable reality. Rather than wasting time trying to assign blame, Jim is working on ways to move us forward.
Jim believes the first step to making our nation truly prosperous is comprehensive education reform. When we fail to educate our children we have failed as a city, state, and nation.
Jim also understands that people will not stay where they don’t feel safe. Mothers across the entire animal kingdom will perform any feat to protect their children from harm. We must find and train the best men and women to professionally serve us as police officers who are worthy of our respect. Further, the police need a leader in whom they trust.
Finally, Jim knows we need to overthrow the city’s power-brokers who do not have your best interest at heart. For years, no decades, the taxpayers have funded “Friends of the Mayor“, and “Friends of the Alderman“. That robs each and every one of us of the resources we need to make our city the greatest it can be.
Jim is an optimist. He believes the best days of this city are still in front of it. Chicago is second to none, but she needs some help staying that way.