André Thapedi, Illinois House 32nd District Democratic candidate profile

Candidate profile

André Thapedi

Running for:Illinois State Representative

Political/civic background:Civil Attorney/Illinois State Representative

Occupation: Attorney/Illinois State Representative

The Chicago Sun-Times Editorial Board sent candidates for the Illinois House of Representatives a list of questions to find out their views on a range of important issues facing their districts and the country. André Thapedi submitted the following responses:

Please tell us about your civic work in the last two years, whether it’s legislation you have sponsored or work you have done in other ways to improve your community.

As an attorney dedicated to seeking justice for people that are unable to personally take on large corporate and other powerful interests - I have sponsored and participated in several legal clinics in my community. These legal clinics are designed to support those people facing foreclosure, so called “debtors-prisons,” and perceived insurmountable barriers to employment because of their past mistakes. Often times these mistakes led to arrest, imprisonment, or otherwise being snared by the court system.

The budget impasse with the previous Administration crippled my community in a variety of ways. The loss of violence prevention programs, senior support programs, child care assistance, health care programs, after school programs, MAP Grant funding, and other vital services were devastating to my community. The callousness of the previous Administration forced many people out of their homes, to the bankruptcy courts, and to the court system in general. These vicious acts prompted me to act swiftly.

My hope is that through these legal clinics I helped many people sleep better at night knowing that they possessed legal advise and, in some cases, legal representation. While a movement to incorporate restorative justice reforms for the residents of my community is in play, much more must be done and I plan to continue in this effort.

On a more pleasant note, in these legal clinics I have also worked with entrepreneurs who are looking to start up and/or grow their own businesses. The legislation that I supported to reduce the fees of corporate entities has been very helpful to these entrepreneurs. The sound legal advice spanning from business creation to business governance helps my community move positively in the right direction.

Please list three concerns that are specific to your district, such as a project that should be undertaken or a state policy related to an important local issue that should be revised.

As I continue to walk door-to-door in my demographically and socio-economically diverse district - I hear a few common themes and concerns. The top three that I hear, in no specific order of importance and prevalence are: (1) stopping violent crime; (2) easing the tax burden on people; and (3) increasing job opportunities and vocational training.

Every child is not going to go to college. This is a for a variety of reasons. Yet, we need to insure that every child has a fair chance to be successful in this global economy. Consequently, I filed HB 27 which allows for the creation of two (2) state owned and operated residential trade and vocational schools in the Metro East and Chicago. I identified two large parcels of state owned land in the Metro East and Chicago for the facilities to be constructed. The state owns and operates IMSA in Aurora so this concept is not without precedent.

Similarly, Washburne Trade School taught all of the vocational/trade apprenticeships programs for CPS. When the Unions left, it ultimately closed in 1993. Two state owned and operated trade schools in the northern and southern portions of the state addresses a myriad of issues.

The Labor Unions are fully supporting my Bill. It passed the Executive Committee unanimously and I look forward to completing the job.

The real property and other tax systems in Illinois are broken. I support the Fair Tax plan to insure that the people have the opportunity to decide who bears the brunt of tax burdens. I also supported SB 39 which creates a Property Tax Relief Fund which provides rebates for aggrieved homeowners.

While I support the rights of law abiding citizens to protect themselves, violent crime continues to be a cancer in my community. At the end of the day, the Legislature can not legislate morality. But, I passed legislation creating the Englewood Violent Crime Task Force to assist in the development of solutions to this ongoing problem. The previous administration refused to participate in this endeavor, but I intend to revisit this effort. As mentioned above, I have also drafted legislation to expand job opportunities which further supports the reduction in violent crime. I further supported stronger gun safety measures through SB 1966 which calls for more intense background checks. That legislation also requires police to confiscate guns from criminals as soon as their privileges are revoked.

What are your other top legislative priorities?

Increasing funding for public safety. A few years ago, I filed legislation that would expand the authority of the State Police to patrol one (1) mile East and one (1) mile West of the Dan Ryan from 67th Street to 76th Street. This path would provide additional support for the Englewood and Park Manor communities.

Just recently, a constituent contacted me and said that there was a police shoot out at the gas station on 71st and Indiana and three people were shot a few weeks prior on 71st and State. She explained that people are afraid to sit at bus stops on the major thoroughfares fearing that they will be a victim. If the Chicago Police Department needs support in this area - the state must provide much needed assistance.

It only makes sense as there has been an increase in shootings on the Dan Ryan. In these instances the State Police must conduct their investigations within the surrounding areas.

Increasing funding for mental health services. As discussed below relative to my mother and sister - Illinois must increase funding for mental health services. The lack of funding for mental health services has a poisonous trickle down effect.

The dearth of such funding effects the uptick in violent crime, the quality of health care, the quality of familial relationships, and a host of other issues. I am committed to working with our standing committee on this issue.

Increased minority participation in the expansion of business related to cannabis and gaming. I researched, drafted and filed legislation that would provide constitutional protections for increased minority participation in the cannabis industry as well as the gaming industry. The effect of the “War on Drugs” in my community is well known to those that care to listen. At the same token, as Illinois embarks on a path to be the “Las Vegas of the Midwest,” - it is essential that minorities have some ownership interest and representation in the gaming expansion proposal. Currently, there are no minority owners of any casinos or racetracks. I am committed to pushing those initiatives.

Continued vigilance of legislation effecting the civil judicial system. I have the honor of serving as the Chairman of Judiciary-Civil committee. This position requires extraordinary dedication to the review of proposed legislation and making a detailed analysis of all such proposals. I take this responsibility seriously and will continue to serve with honor in this position.

What is your position on Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s proposed graduated income tax? Please explain.

Illinois’ current tax system places an unfair burden on struggling and middle-class families. In that same vein, the property tax system is unfair and tilted to benefit wealthy land owners who have the resources to obtain the property tax relief that they seek.

After the current Administration finally made an unequivocal disclosure of the rates that would be incorporated into the so-called “Fair Tax” proposal - whereas 96% of my District would see significant tax relief - I supported SB 687. Putting the Fair Tax proposal before the voters and allowing them to decide tax policy is a great step, but regardless of the outcome there is considerably more work to be done.

Illinois continues to struggle financially, with a backlog of unpaid bills that tops $6 billion. In addition to a progressive state income tax — or in lieu of such a tax — what should the state do to pay its bills, meet its pension obligations and fund core services such as higher education?

This past year, for the first time in my legislative career, the budget was completed essentially on time. As mentioned in some of my previous responses, the tactics of the prior administration devastated my community. The administration’s constant attacks on important services like violence prevention programs, health care, MAP Grant funding, education and child care put our State deeper in the hole.

The budget that I supported allocates more than $1 billion to pay down the backlog of bills. A line-by-line detailed analysis helped us identify areas that could be cut, areas that were “untouchable” and areas that required increases. In doing so, we controlled spending while also prioritizing education funding, funding for health care, and funding for senior programs.

Much more work must be done to dig out of this hole. In this vein, during the discussion of the Capital Bill, various potential funding streams were identified to fund such projects. Many of those potential funding streams were not allocated for the Capital Bill. However, they should be revisited to reduce the backlog of bills.

Should Illinois consider taxing the retirement incomes of its very wealthiest residents, as most states do? And your argument is?

No. Our retired seniors have worked very hard the entire course of their lives. Whether they are wealthy or middle-class it does not matter. The knowledge that they bring to our communities is priceless. Illinois is already seeing an outward migration of our residents to the Southern and Western states. This is not a positive thing. Giving our retirees yet another reason to leave our state is not good policy.

What can Illinois do to improve its elementary and high schools?

As I mentioned before, every child will not attend college. Our schools need to recognize this fact and insure that each and every child is prepared and equipped to compete in this global economy.

In Chicago, there were massive closures of schools in my community. In fact, the most devastating action taken by CPS was closing down all of the High Schools in Englewood. While a new school was constructed (which lies in my District) it does not compare to the High School campuses in majority communities. For example, there is no swimming pool in the newly constructed school. Shouldn’t students in Englewood be given the opportunity to learn how to swim? Of course they should.

In the elementary schools, there are few if any smart boards in the classrooms in the schools in my district. Shouldn’t minority students be given the benefit of learning with the best technology available as do the majority students? Of course they should.

The educational system (curricula and facilities) in minority and underserved communities should mirror those in the majority communities.

The schools in minority communities like mine should have reasonable class sizes. Only through equitable funding will this become a reality.

The schools in my community should have adequate numbers of social workers and nurses. That is why I supported the actions taken by Chicago Teachers.

Perhaps all of these inequities will be solved by an elected school board. I have consistently supported that proposition. I further supported legislation that requires school boards to justify their decisions to close schools.

This past session, I supported legislation providing $350 million additional resources for our schools. At the same time, I supported more funding for local public schools; and, further support the release of $400 million in surplus TIF funds for provide added support.

Mass shootings and gun violence plague America. What can or should the Legislature do, if anything, to address this problem in Illinois?

As noted in my responses, mental health funding in Illinois is subpar. At the same time, there appears to be a weak desire in the Legislature to provide adequate resources for high quality education in impoverished communities. Adding still, the job opportunities for people of color continue to dwindle. Moreover, there is little, if any, significant investment in minority communities. Finally, soft gun safety laws further embolden criminals.

Only by addressing these issues will we see some movement in the reduction of gun violence in our state. To do so, there should be increased funding for mental service programs, education, and investment into minority communities. In doing so, there must be a collaborative effort by health care providers, law enforcement, educators, community advocates, clergy, urban planners, and others to develop a comprehensive strategy to address gun violence.

I have consistently voted for these types of initiatives and will continue to do so. For example, I have negotiated, drafted, sponsored, and passed legislation to address issues with both gun trafficking and violence in the Englewood/Park Manor communities. I have voted to ban assault weapons. I have voted to fund community-based violence-prevention programs. I have also voted to provide refuge for our children by supporting increased funding for childcare.

Do you favor or oppose term limits for any elected official in Illinois? Please explain.

As I go door to door talking with constituents, very few discuss this issue. My guess is that they do not do so because I host legal clinics, attend community meetings, have an open door policy for constituents to visit with me and my staff, and otherwise do my best to keep them well informed.

Many of the ideas that I come up with for legislation are the direct result of conversations I have had with constituents.

Having said that, there are some offices that should have term limits and there are others that should not.

Judges, for example, should not be term limited. Their experience on the bench leads, in most cases, to a fair result for the litigants. Said another way, they have judicial “institutional knowledge.”

However, it is vitally important that any measure calling for term limits be very specific to insure that voters have the power to elect whom they choose rather than unelected power brokers. One could argue that term limits empowers the lobbyists who, recently, have come under scrutiny for the legislative activities of some of the bad actors in their profession.

Everybody says gerrymandering is bad, but the party in power in every state — Democrats in Illinois — resist doing anything about it. Or do we have that wrong? What should be done?

I researched, drafted, and filed the first Bill in Illinois, HB 928, seeking financial support for the 2020 Census. This was one of my top legislative priorities and successes this past year.

I represent a district that has a significant “hard-to-count” population. The term “hard-to-count” is one of art. For example, people who are distrustful of the government are hard to count, the homeless are hard-to-count, teenagers and young people who are transient are hard-to-count, ethnic and racial minorities are hard-to-count, poor people are hard to count, seniors are hard to count, and people who live in rural areas are hard to count.

More significantly, because the 2020 Census will primarily be conducted online - people who don’t have readily available access to the internet and those people who don’t use computers are deemed hard-to-count.

Having said that, a fair and accurate Census 2020 count is the first step is the redistricting process. The Illinois Constitution requires that all districts be equal in population, compact and contiguous. With these guiding principles, any approach to redistricting must first and foremost protect minority voters and ensure their voices aren’t disenfranchised or silenced. In 2016, I was one of very few Legislators who rejected a redistricting proposal because it did not, among other things, include necessary assurances that majority-minority districts would not be categorically diluted leading to voter disenfranchisement.

The U.S. attorney’s office in Chicago is investigating possible official corruption by state and local officials. This prompted the Legislature to pass an ethics reform measure to amend the Lobbyist Registration Act (SB 1639). It was signed into law in December. What’s your take on this and what more should be done?

I fully supported SB 1639 because it clarified what is required to be disclosed by elected officials and lobbyists. At the same time, it provides a great deal of transparency by creating a searchable database via the Secretary of State’s office.

I also supported HJR 93 which created the Joint Commission on Ethics and Lobbying Reform to explore further necessary reforms. It is simply undemocratic for high powered lobbyists to control the legislative process.

When people use the internet and wireless devices, companies collect data about us. Oftentimes, the information is sold to other companies, which can use it to track our movements or invade our privacy in other ways. When companies share this data, we also face a greater risk of identity theft. What should the Legislature do, if anything?

The Legislature has been proactively looking for solutions to data privacy issues as it should. We are not just looking at the activities of data holding companies, but we are also monitoring the activities of law enforcement as well. For example, I was the Chief Co-Sponsor of legislation, HB 2134, that prevents a law enforcement agency from obtaining location information of a person or his or her effects without probable cause and a court order.

I also support legislation that provides that a private entity may not collect, use, store, or disclose geolocation information from a location-based application on a person cell phone or other device unless the private entity first receives the person’s permission. Violators would be subject to penalties under the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act.

During my legislative career I have done a good job balancing the interests of working people with those of the business community. My endorsements from both labor and business prove that. As such, I remain open to making strides to determine what is the best path to follow relative to regulation in this space.

The number of Illinois public high school graduates who enroll in out-of-state universities continues to climb. What can Illinois do to make its state universities more attractive to Illinois high school students?

I have addressed this very issue.

I researched, wrote and filed a Bill a few years ago specifically designed to keep our best and brightest students here in Illinois. After a few years of lengthy and intense negotiations and two (2) bruising floor debates — Governor Pritzker gave me a birthday present by signing it into law on August 23, 2019 (my birthday is August 22nd).

Beginning with the 2020-2021 academic school year, students who graduate in the top 10% of their respective class and have the requisite ACT and/or SAT scores - will be automatically admitted to Northern, Southern, Eastern, and Western Illinois Universities.

This sends a message to our top performers that we want them to stay in Illinois, work in Illinois and raise their families here. At the same time, this law opens the doors to minority students who are also top performers to gain entry into our institutions of higher learning. For example, the research shows that the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana only has 5.2% Black students on its campus.

The research also shows that Illinois loses upwards of $776 million in lifetime tax revenue when our students begin their adult lives elsewhere. So this law unquestionably helps make our universities more attractive to Illinois high school students.

At the same time, we must incentivize these students with financial resources to encourage them to stay here. Simply put, higher education must be affordable.

I supported the budget which increases funding for MAP Grants and further supported the proposal to insure that MAP funding would be available for all four years of their college education.

What is your top legislative priority with respect to the environment?

As the Vice-Chairman of the Public Utilities committee and a member of the National Caucus of Environmental Legislators - I am a proud to be one of the first co-sponsors of both the Clean Energy Jobs Act and the Path to 100 Act.

Illinois is currently not abiding by our Renewable Portfolio Standards. At last count, Illinois currently generates less than 7 percent of its energy from renewable sources even though our RPS requires us to be at 16 percent.

These Bills support the expansion of our RPS by increasing our capacity of wind and solar energy and other renewable sources. This will be done, in part, by requiring greater private investment in renewable energy production from energy companies.

At the same time, these Bills represent a collaborative effort of business and labor working together to create thousands of green jobs.

What historical figure from Illinois, other than Abraham Lincoln (because everybody’s big on Abe), do you most admire or draw inspiration from? Please explain.

My mother, Judge Llwellyn L. Greene-Thapedi.

My mother was the essence of a “go getter”. As single mother she maintained our home and shaped a remarkable career as a Plaintiff’s lawyer ultimately becoming a Cook County Circuit Court Judge. She was my best friend and my law partner.

What I did not know until her death - she was enduring constant verbal, written and emotional attacks from my older sister who is mentally ill. After my mother lost her battle with pancreatic cancer and my older sister re-directed her attacks to me, I began to research mental illness and available funding for mental health services in Illinois although my sister lives in Arizona.

The federal government provides funding for mental health services through Block Grants, Medicaid and CHIP. The states role in funding mental health is primarily left to the Legislature. Fortunately for our family - Arizona ranks third in the country for funding mental health services. Illinois, however, is in the bottom 20% of funders for mental health services.

I am committed to working with my colleagues to increase funding for mental health services. I know this would make my mother, Judge Llwellyn L. Greene-Thapedi proud.

What’s your favorite TV, streaming or web-based show of all time. Why?

A Different World. As a graduate of Morehouse College in Atlanta it was awesome to see a TV series about life at a historically Black College. To make it better, I was attending Morehouse at the same time the series was playing. It was like my college life and experiences were on TV!