Natalia Chi
With the April 4th election in sight, Chicago mayoral candidates Brandon Johnson and Paul Ballas continued their efforts to win support and entice voters on Saturday.
Candidates stopped by the annual Woodlawn Community Summit in the morning before attending a forum at Kenwood Academy later in the day.
“This is a battle between the old politics that have left the black community especially behind, and a better, stronger way forward,” Cook County Commissioner Johnson said on the forum.
The two hour forum was hosted by several groups including the Coalition of African American Leaders. Both candidates answered questions on a wide range of issues including public safety, economic development and education.
“He has been a teacher at a school I built for five years, and since then he has been a union organizer, a union consultant for CTU, and is still on a salary,” said Chicago Public Schools’ Former CEO Vallas said referring to Johnson.
Johnson, meanwhile, said what he plans to do if elected.
“…to make sure the super-rich in this city pay their fair share of taxes,” he said. “It’s actually a democratic value and that’s why my opponent won’t commit to it. He won’t.”
When asked about the comments he made in a 2009 interview, Vallas stated his political affiliation.
“So, at the end of the day, I’ve always been a Democrat all my life,” he said. “That’s my history. These are the offices I run. I always supported them.” ”
Meanwhile, the moderator asked Johnson about the comments he made regarding defunding the police.
“I never denied making a statement, and I said it..and I’m not going to defend the police,” he said.
