Running for Mayor of Evanston in 2021 gave me the opportunity to learn more about issues impacting thousands of residents; one of the most significant being the rising cost of living. Evanston is a municipality with a high population density (10,041 people per square mile) which is more comparable to Chicago (12,060 people per square mile) than its suburb neighbors. With limited available real estate, revenue generation becomes an issue; and as large tax-exempt entities purchase more properties across the City, significant amounts of tax dollars are lost leading to higher property taxes, fees, and fines to make up the difference.

Advocating for the increase of taxes is a cardinal sin for most political candidates, which led me to research ways for Evanston to generate revenue that wouldn’t further burden residents and price out those who have lived here for generations. A possible solution arose: Payment-In-Lieu-Of-Taxes or PILOT.