FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, November 14, 2018
CONTACT:
Rebecca Evans | press@susanamendoza.com
(312) 888-1983
Susana Mendoza is Running for Mayor of Chicago
Launches neighborhood campaign focused on the next generation, not just the next four years
CHICAGO, IL – Susana Mendoza launched her campaign for Mayor of Chicago this morning, committing to a vision that invests in the future of Chicago and its neighborhoods.
A fiscal watchdog and fierce proponent of government transparency, Mendoza has spent the past two years leading the resistance against Governor Bruce Rauner while expanding government transparency and cutting the state’s bill backlog in half as the twice-elected Illinois Comptroller. Her campaign released a video Wednesday morning announcing her candidacy.
“Chicago is so many things: gritty, hardworking, welcoming,” Mendoza says in the video. “It’s a city of neighborhoods, of all kinds of people. And it must become the city of the future.”
In addition to her work as Comptroller, Mendoza has a long record of public service as a state representative in the Illinois Legislature, where she wrote and passed legislation that saved the jobs of 3,000 teachers who would have lost them due to antiquated immigration rules and created the Illinois School Breakfast Program. As Chicago City Clerk, Mendoza modernized the city’s 105-year-old sticker program so people would not have to wait in line for hours and fought Mayor Emanuel’s efforts to dramatically raise city sticker prices.
Mendoza, 46, was born in Chicago’s Little Village neighborhood but at age 7 her family was forced to move after someone was murdered on their block.
“My parents were like so many parents traumatized by gun violence every day in this city,” Mendoza said. “They felt like they had to leave. No family should have to leave their city because their neighborhood isn’t safe.”
After graduating from college, Mendoza moved back to Little Village because she wanted to make a difference there for other families. She was elected to six terms, representing the Southwest side district in the Illinois House of Representatives.
“What happens in any neighborhood, what happens anywhere, affects all of us everywhere,” Mendoza said. “Every parent in Chicago should be able to expect that when they send their child to a neighborhood school, they will get a good education and, most importantly, they’ll come home safely.”
Mendoza certainly understands the importance of safe neighborhoods and a quality education. She and her husband, David, currently live in Chicago’s Portage Park neighborhood with their 5-year-old son who attends a neighborhood Chicago Public School. And they know what it’s like to get a big property tax hike in the mail.
“The job of mayor isn’t for a caretaker or someone who protects the status quo,” Mendoza said. “Every Chicagoan deserves a mayor who every waking moment, every day asks herself one fundamental question: Did I do enough?”
“This election is about the next generation, not just the next four years.”
Watch “Future” (play the video at the top of the page) or on YouTube.
SCRIPT
MENDOZA:
Chicago is so many things: gritty, hardworking, welcoming.
It’s time to make this city work for everyone. This election is about the future of Chicago and I believe in that future.
Yes, we have challenges. And the challenges people face in the city are my challenges too.
We live in a middle-class neighborhood and we pay high property taxes.
My child goes to a Chicago Public School and we’re proud to be Chicago Public School parents for the next 13 years.
Safe neighborhoods, good schools, high property taxes, they’re not just issues to me.
I live them too.
I was born in the city of Chicago. I lived in the Little Village community on the Southwest side.
Violence was an issue then too. I know what it feels like to be scared to walk to school.
And then, there was a shooting right on our block.
My parents were like so many parents traumatized by gun violence every day in this city. They felt like they had to leave.
No family should have to leave their city because their neighborhood isn’t safe.
Every parent in Chicago should be able to expect that when they send their child to a neighborhood school, they will get a good education, and most importantly they’ll come home safely.
As a kid, it wasn’t my choice to leave the city, but after college, it was my choice to come back to try to make a difference.
Because when I see a problem I need to fix it. I just can’t sit on the sideline.
The job of Mayor isn’t for a caretaker.
Every Chicagoan deserves a Mayor who every waking moment, every day asks herself one fundamental question: Did I do enough?
No matter what our challenges, we can tackle them–together.
There is nothing we can’t do.
I’m Susana Mendoza and yes, I’m running for Mayor. We can shape Chicago’s future together. Let’s get to work.
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View and download the PDF version of this release here.
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