What types of transportation do you use during an average week, and how has this shaped your view of transportation policy?

I use a mix of public transit and car throughout the week, and each mode reveals how our transportation system fails working-class Chicagoans. I rely on the CTA train regularly and appreciate that Chicago has better public transit than most cities, but it desperately needs improvement. I've experienced delays, unreliable service, and harassment, and safety is critical because when people don't feel safe, they stop using transit, which harms ridership and funding streams.

I love the bus system, but buses often don't show up or are so delayed they're unreliable for getting to work or meetings on time, forcing people into cars they can't afford. I have to use a car sometimes because public transit can't reach places I need to go, especially suburbs for military duty or when hauling supplies for mutual aid work but car dependency costs working-class people enormously through pothole damage requiring expensive repairs, parking tickets and predatory towing draining budgets, and insurance, gas, and maintenance creating financial burdens.

I would love to bike more, but I'm honestly afraid to ride anymore because our streets aren't safe for cyclists with limited protected lanes, aggressive drivers, and dangerous intersections, meaning cycling remains accessible only to the bravest riders, not everyday Chicagoans. I applaud avid bike riders, and honestly jealous, I want to empower them, I am unfortunately not a strong bike rider.

Transportation is economic justice and climate justice, working-class families/people are forced into expensive car ownership/leases/ubers because public transit doesn't serve their needs. We need massive CTA investment with frequent, reliable, accessible service and fare-free or deeply reduced fares for low-income residents; protected bike infrastructure with separated lanes on every major street; bus rapid transit with dedicated lanes and signal priority; equitable enforcement reforming predatory ticketing and towing; transit-oriented affordable housing; and complete streets serving pedestrians, cyclists, transit users, and people with disabilities, not just cars.

Universal mobility means everyone can get around safely and affordably regardless of ability, income, or neighborhood. Right now, our transportation system serves wealthy car owners and fails everyone else, and that's what I'll fight to change.

What are some transportation challenges in your district?

District 13 faces a transit crisis. The RTA is warning about a massive budget shortfall starting in 2026 that could mean 40% service cuts, fewer trains and buses, eliminated routes, reduced frequency. For a district where people depend on the CTA to get to work, school, medical appointments, and everyday needs, this is devastating. When I was door knocking, when the budget was unknown, it was hard to see how many people were truly scared about their livelihood because they use public transit to get to work, they know service cuts could cost them their jobs.

We're already seeing fare hikes, CTA is raising fares, Metra might increase them 13-15%, while service gets worse. Buses don't show up, trains are delayed, and people working non-standard hours or making multiple daily trips get screwed the most. The funding crisis also threatens long-term improvements and expansions we desperately need, meaning neighborhoods that rely on transit won't just lose service but won't see upgrades either.

This hits low-income residents, people of color, students, seniors, veterans and anyone without a car the hardest. Public transit is how working-class people access jobs and services, when it fails, mobility and opportunity disappear. We've also lost our third hospital in six years, so reliable transit is literally life-or-death for getting to emergency care.

Beyond funding, we need protected bike lanes because cycling isn't safe, better bus infrastructure with dedicated lanes, and complete streets that work for pedestrians and people with disabilities. Car-centric infrastructure forces expensive car ownership on families who can't afford it, while predatory ticketing and towing extract wealth from working people.

We need massive investment, equitable policies, and a system designed for universal mobility for ALL and not just cars.

The Illinois Department of Transportation (“IDOT”) plays a significant role in transportation throughout the state, in Chicago, and Cook County. What is your opinion on their role with the Chicago Department of Transportation, Cook County Department of Transportation and Highways, local communities, and the impact that has?

IDOT has a major role to play in coordinating transportation infrastructure across state, city, and county levels. Regarding CDOT, the relationship seems to have improved recently before, developments were frustratingly slow, which caused needless accidents and deaths. The multi-layered bureaucracy really slowed progress. In 2023, better collaboration led to actual results, but we still need more coordination and streamlined project timelines.

For Cook County and local governments, IDOT serves a vital role in improving major arteries and providing funding to municipalities who can't afford to immediately fix their roads. The issue is that this can be a frustratingly slow process, and some communities feel left behind. In Burbank, it took years to finally get 79th Street repaved, Burbank had the money but couldn't legally do anything since it was under IDOT's jurisdiction. I'd like to see more flexibility when it comes to these jurisdictional issues so communities aren't stuck waiting while their infrastructure crumbles.

IDOT also needs to prioritize transit equity and complete streets in all projects, not just car infrastructure. State transportation policy should center public transit investment, protected bike lanes, pedestrian safety, and accessibility. Right now, IDOT too often defaults to car-centric solutions when we desperately need multimodal infrastructure serving everyone. Better coordination between IDOT, CDOT, Cook County, and municipalities could accelerate the transit improvements and safety upgrades District 13 needs.

How do you view the Illinois General Assembly’s role in setting IDOT’s priorities for public transit, passenger rail, and strengthening accessibility in transportation?

As a state legislator, I know roads and transportation are the government services residents use most. We must ensure IDOT has proper funding for transit projects, especially with federal cuts under Trump making progressive revenue streams like the Illinois Revenue Alliance platform critical. IDOT should work with the CTA, Metra, and Pace to build transit corridors, ensure disability access, and uphold environmental standards. We as legislators can modify state funding formulas to prioritize public transit, protected bike infrastructure, and complete streets, not just highways.

Residents consistently tell me they're tired of construction taking forever. The U.S. stands out for how slow and expensive our infrastructure projects are compared to Europe, projects taking years here get done in months elsewhere. This isn't acceptable. People's lives and livelihoods are on the line. Every day wasted means higher accident risk, and every dollar wasted means less for other projects. I'll work with stakeholders and unions to speed up construction without jeopardizing safety or worker protections, we've seen it work in Europe and via emergency proclamations in Pennsylvania and California, so there's no reason we can't figure it out in Illinois.

The General Assembly must push IDOT to prioritize transit equity, accessibility for people with disabilities, climate-friendly transportation, and complete streets. State transportation policy should center public transit and universal mobility, not car-centric infrastructure failing working-class families.

States like Colorado, Minnesota, Virginia have passed legislation that has shifted their transportation infrastructure spending towards projects that prioritize safety, transit and cycling, and greenhouse gas mitigation. What’s your position on Illinois’ current transportation infrastructure spending, and if you could change anything, what would it be?

The new $50.6 billion infrastructure plan announced in October is the largest in the state's history and a much-needed boost, but we still need more. We're ranked 41st in per capita spending for infrastructure. For total funding we fare better at 8th, but states like Pennsylvania, Texas, and Florida shouldn't be outspending us on infrastructure.

On transportation specifically, I'm happy we finally passed the long overdue $1.5 billion transit funding in October. Combined with the new plan, we can shift away from a highway-centric system to a more multimodal one where residents have access to various means of transportation.

There are a few things I'd change. First, I want more aggressive and publicized climate targets for these projects, especially transportation. Funding should modernize our buses and trains to use less energy through hybrid or electric vehicles. Second, I'd prefer higher allocation toward public transit to improve connectivity, modernize stations (like was done for the Argyle Red Line stop), and improve reliability. Third, we need to improve safety, many municipalities lack sidewalks, bike lanes, or proper lighting at night. Our pedestrian fatality rate increased nearly 10% from 2023-2024, which doesn't get enough attention from legislators. Lastly, transit safety is paramount. If people don't feel safe, they won't ride. We need agencies and organizations coordinating to improve safety through mental health services, community-based approaches, better lighting and staffing, not just more police, which often makes people feel less safe.

Illinois should follow Colorado, Minnesota, and Virginia's lead in prioritizing transit, cycling, pedestrian safety, and climate mitigation over highways. That's the transportation future we need.

This fall, the Illinois General Assembly passed a historic investment in transit operations – as well as significant governance reforms in the establishment of the Northern Illinois Transit Authority. How do you view the Assembly’s role in ensuring both the short- and long-term success of this legislation?

The legislature cannot just pass funding and assume things will pan out as planned. Implementation is key. This means ensuring the proper people are in charge and held accountable for results.

The state legislature needs to hold regular hearings to receive updates and ensure not only that money is being used efficiently, but also to address any problems that arise immediately. This includes everything from the governing body working smoothly to passenger experience and safety. The goal shouldn't just be providing funding, we want to encourage and increase ridership.

That means aggressive oversight on service improvements, transparency on how funds are allocated, and responsiveness when riders report problems. When I was door knocking, people told me they're scared about losing their jobs because they depend on transit to get to work. We owe it to them to make sure this historic investment actually delivers better, more reliable, safer service, not just bureaucratic reshuffling. The Assembly's role is ongoing accountability, not just passing legislation and walking away.

What is your position on investing to expand passenger rail service in Illinois, including the development of high-speed rail?

I think this should be an infrastructure priority. More connectivity would lead to increased economic activity and lower carbon emissions. For people who cannot drive, connectivity creates more opportunities and is a matter of equity and accessibility.

High-speed rail would be an amazing development. I'd love to expand rail connecting major hubs like Chicago, Detroit, and St. Louis. However, we have to do it properly. We should learn from California's mistakes their $33 billion estimate turned into over $128 billion with no completion in sight. Examples like this make the public less trusting of government. When this occurs, it becomes harder to build political capital for necessary investments since people assume more waste with no results.

High-speed rail can work we see it succeed in Europe and Asia but it must be planned properly and not fall into political and bureaucratic traps that plagued California's project. That means realistic cost estimates, strong project management, accountability measures, working with unions to ensure quality construction, and avoiding the endless delays and cost overruns that kill public trust. If we're going to invest in high-speed rail, we need to do it right the first time and deliver results that prove government can build infrastructure efficiently. The public deserves that, and our climate crisis demands it.

Federal funding for Illinois transportation projects – such as the Red Line Extension and Red-Purple Modernization projects – has come under threat from the Trump administration. How can legislators shore up funding for critical infrastructure projects under a hostile federal climate?

Given the dire circumstances of our infrastructure projects under Trump's attacks, we need to consider all options. That includes implementing new progressive revenue streams outlined by the Illinois Revenue Alliance platform to generate billions in state funding, exploring public-private partnerships to secure loans and investments for critical projects, investing in companies who can provide green energy infrastructure, cancelling projects that haven't yielded results, and revisiting budgets immediately as Trump announces more cuts.

I'd be in favor of creating a reserve fund for projects that rely on federal funding, should that funding cease to exist, the reserve can fill in the gap as much as possible. We also need to coordinate with other states facing similar threats to challenge illegal federal funding cuts through lawsuits and interstate coalitions. Illinois cannot let Trump's hostility destroy critical transit projects that our communities depend on.

Most importantly, we need political courage to pass progressive revenue now rather than waiting for a federal government that's actively trying to harm us. I am working on legislation such as the RIFL Act to generate creative streams of revenue from gun manufactures but at the end of the day, I want to tax the billionaires, closing corporate loopholes, capital gains taxes, can generate the revenue we need to protect our infrastructure independent of Trump's sabotage. That's the kind of bold action this moment demands.