Note to readers: This is another in an occasional series of conversations with local leaders about the state of south suburban communities and plans for their future.
CHICAGO HEIGHTS | Shakespeare wrote of greatness that some are born to it, some achieve it and others have it thrust upon them.
When the City Council voted for Alex Lopez on April 30 to fill the vacancy left by Anthony DeLuca's departure for the state Legislature, the 43-year-old lifelong Chicago Heights resident became the first Hispanic ever to fill the post.
Though it did not come through a traditional election by the voters, the greatness of that vote was not lost on him.
"It's a historical moment," he said at time. "Within the community, we have a large number of Hispanic population. I've gotten a lot of feedback that so many people are proud to see the first Hispanic mayor."
Lopez, however, was not plucked from obscurity. Prior to taking the mayor's seat, he served two years as the alderman from the 2nd Ward. The 1983 graduate of Bloom Township High School also serves as superintendent of the Chicago Heights Park District and served on the Park Board from 1995 to 2005.
In addition, he is chairman of Hispanic Empowerment Chicago Heights Organization.
Now, the buck stops at his desk when it comes to providing for the health, safety and welfare of fellow Chicago Heights residents.
In a question-and-answer session with The Times, Lopez discusses the challenges facing Chicago Heights and how those challenges are being addressed by his administration.
QUESTION: What issues are most important to the residents of Chicago Heights?
LOPEZ: There are many important issues to the voters of our city. The most critical ones that need addressing are: Lowering the Community Service Fee; Providing job opportunities for our residents; Handling gangs and crime and making our city safe; Providing quality city services without raising taxes; Dealing with the adverse effects of increased foreclosures in our city; Local flooding issues; and the number of potholes on our streets.
Q: How will you deliver?
LOPEZ: By cutting expenses and restructuring debt, we should be able to reduce the Community Service Fee.
We are collaborating with other organizations in our city and our township to provide summer employment opportunities for our youth. We will continue to work with local businesses to provide economic incentives to provide more job opportunities.
We are also aggressively seeking both federal and state grants to help us finance projects such as road resurfacing.
Q: How has the recession impacted your plans?
LOPEZ: The recession has caused our revenues to decline because the majority of the budget revenue is derived from taxes. Unfortunately, the increased foreclosures and increased unemployment rates in the city have resulted in a huge strain in our budget. This has caused us to focus our energy around stopping the losses and dealing with the day-to-day operations versus expanding and growing the city.
Q: Where have you made progress?
LOPEZ: We have made progress in all the above mentioned areas. Last fall, we refinanced previous bonds to allow for better cash flow. Some of the bond money was designated to improve many roads throughout the city. We have provided youth employment to 80 of our youth last summer, which helped them stay busy and out of trouble. It also helped put dollars into their pockets which helps with their self-esteem.
In addition, we started the FIND program, which gives a home purchaser between $5,000 to $10,000 if they purchase a vacant home in Chicago Heights. The FIND program is designed to help prospective new homebuyers with down-payment assistance. The ultimate goal is to stimulate the city's housing sales market while also stabilizing and revitalizing our neighborhoods by reducing the amount of vacant and foreclosed properties in town. The FIND program will be infused with $500,000 from the Capital Projects Fund (aka the funds realized from the sale of Thornwood Apartments) to assist the potential homeowners with down payments.
We also received $1.6 million in grant dollars from Cook County to rehab and develop homes on the East Side. We have committed to spending $1 million per year to improve our sewer systems throughout the city.
So far, we have made great progress. Many communities have had layoffs and furloughed days off, while we have been able to maintain our staff.
Q: What does 2010 hold for Chicago Heights in terms of growth, expansion and redevelopment?
LOPEZ: The forecast is good. We are developing the Lincoln Highway Corridor. We have a new Dunkin' Donuts there along with many other franchises. We are getting a new grocery store, Food For Less, and we know this will attract more businesses to the area.
The Chicago Road Corridor is also another target area for expansion. With Los Compadres Grocery Store now open we believe this will attract more business to this area.
Alco Spring will be expanding their operations during the upcoming year. We are looking to develop a recycling company on the State Street Corridor. We have tremendous opportunity because of the transportation systems that are here.
We are also working through plans with the state of Illinois to expand the Metra line to Chicago Heights.
Q: Are there any unforeseen issues that make economic development more challenging?
LOPEZ: The collection rate on our property taxes and state sales taxes has been less than anticipated, and this has made it more difficult to operate the city.
Q: Has the city initiated any new programs to help residents?
LOPEZ: The city has initiated the FIND down-payment assistance program to help families purchase homes in Chicago Heights. We initiated a 50-50 program to assist families with installation of overhead sewer systems to help with possible flooding issues. The city pays half of the overall expense. We also were awarded a $1.6 million grant, which will help to develop the East Side and allow families to move into a more modern and efficient home.
QUESTION: Anything else?
LOPEZ: We are working to change the culture and the image of city government in Chicago Heights. We are working as hard as humanly possible to provide our residents with a government that they can be proud of. We have made great strides in the past 10 months to improve the way of life for our residents.
'The Heights' at a glance
-- The original village of Thorn Grove was renamed Chicago Heights in 1892
-- By 1901, the village had a population of more than 5,000 and officially became a city.
-- The 2005 census showed the population of Chicago Heights was more than 31,000 residents.
-- The original residents were German settlers. In later years, the city became a haven for Italian, Polish, and Irish immigrants. Many African-Americans and Hispanics now call Chicago Heights home.
