Affordable, Safe, Green, & Growing
Patrick's Priorities for Illinois
We have so much opportunity in Illinois. We've listed issues I'll highlight on my campaign, but I want to hear what matters most to you. I've written a bit about further priorities that are vital to our district and top of mind.
The Crisis & the Moment
This is Illinois' moment for leadership. We need leaders in Springfield who will stand up to Trump & ICE and protect our communities from a lawless federal government.
From gutting Medicaid funding to purging federal workers to sending masked agents to disappear neighbors in our communities, faith in our federal government is at an all-time low and state government has never been so important.
Reliable Healthcare at an Affordable Price
Access to healthcare in this state ought to be a right, not a privilege. I'll fight to champion and protect abortion rights, expand healthcare access, make healthcare more affordable and more accountable, and do everything I can to shorten the distance and bring down the costs between patients and care.
Green Illinois: Energy, Water, & Prairies
Sustainability is the lens through which I see the world.
I will fight to build an Illinois powered by sustainable, clean energy sources. Native planting, rewilding, green infrastructure each have a role to play in restoring a resilient and green Illinois.
Our clean, fresh water is perhaps our greatest natural asset. We must be thoughtful, long-term stewards of the Great Lakes and our watersheds.
Kids, Teachers, Parents & World-class schools
Education makes our communities thrive. My mom raised four kids with the help of our public schools. She served on the D225 school board and led PTAs across each of our schools. My family includes teachers, parents, and kids, and I believe that well-supported teachers and a community-wide focus on teaching are the building blocks for great education.
Safety for our communities
I am fighting for a safer Illinois: safe from masked federal agents; safe from anti-Black racism, antisemitism, and religious hatred; safe to access reproductive healthcare and safe from gun violence in our schools; safe for LGBTQIA+ friends and loved ones; safe for victims and for individuals moving through the legal system. Safe because of investments made to address root causes of crime.
Affordability & Prices
Prices are too high. From groceries to utilities to rent and housing, we're simply paying too much for too little.
In Illinois, the state government can prioritize policies that help bring costs down: we can build housing, rewire the electric grid, encourage food production and small business ownership. I'll pull every lever and lift every stone to bring down prices in our district.
Growing Illinois
Illinois is a great state. It's time we get growing again. Illinois hasn't meaningfully grown in thirty years. That's because we are an older, wealthier, more established state with a temperate climate. But it's also because decades of overlapping rules, forms, and fees - as well as unfunded obligations - make job creation, business formation, or the prospect of moving here too challenging.
DISTRICT ISSUES
District Priorities & Patrick's Positions
Above, I highlight issues that strike me as urgent, relevant, and even inspiring as my campaign develops. But we know there are many important issues and priorities facing our district and Illinois. Here are a few, and my positions, including issues I'm learning about from you. I want to hear from you! What issues matter most to you?
Reviving journalism and a free, local press: I believe every community in Illinois deserves substantial local news coverage. For generations, we've relied on subscriptions and advertisement to fund our free press, taking for granted its vital role in our democracy and way of life. Now, the market has failed and local journalism is collapsing, leaving businesses and governments unaccountable and the people uninformed. Illinoisans deserve local journalism and I strongly support efforts to support it.
Implementing public transit reform: NITA transformed public transit governance in northern Illinois and added more than a billion dollars to critical operational and infrastructure funding, with a goal of achieving frequent, reliable, and equitable public services. My priorities are implementation and equity. We must now ensure a successful launch of NITA and seamless transition to dependable, affordable, integrated services. Dedicated bus lanes with signal priority, on-time service, and real frequency will make public transit a preferred choice rather than a last resort in our region. We must focus on Purple Line accessibility and fight for a South Evanston Yellow Line station, reconnecting communities cut off for more than 70 years. I’ll advocate for first and last-mile solutions, protected bike infrastructure, and local bus enhancements.
Open spaces, conservation, & nature: Conservation and green spaces are dear to my heart. As Executive Committee member and Board Director of Openlands, I have advocated for and invested in green spaces and trails, hiking, biking, birding, and camping, habitat restoration, wetlands protection, prairie rewilding, and more. I will always advocate for a sustainable ecological balance in the Prairie State that can be appreciated and enjoyed by all for generations to come.
Confronting Hate & Anti-Semitism: There is no place for hatred in our state. Racial, ethnic, religious, or gender-based bigotries belong in the past. Anti-semitism is unacceptable. I will always stand up for communities which are singled-out, targeted, or marginalized.
Ranked-choice voting & ballot access: Could not come soon enough. The simple fix of ranking our ballots makes it easier for voters to share their preferences and causes candidates to reach across communities, districts, and even partisan differences. Ranked-choice voting is simple, popular, and is a first step towards supporting competent, diverse, and thoughtful candidates for office.
Campaign finance reform: Money in politics is corrosive and dangerous. I will always advocate for regulating and limiting political money or at the very least, making it transparent and accountable.
Active transportation: I'm an amateur (amateur) cyclist but I care deeply about active transportation and will champion state programs that prioritize accessible, green, safe bikepaths, rulemaking that accommodates a cycling lifestyle (such as the safety stop), improve licensing instruction and manuals to focus on rules of a shared road and transportation system. I'll also ensure that bicyclists are protected under the law. Biking, walking, and active transportation are great for our health, great for our air, amazing for families, and good for small and local businesses.