Robert Murphy is an architect and photographer who has lived in Forest Glen since 2007. Like his fellow candidate Joe Laiacona, he seeks to put an end to Margaret Laurino's two-decade-long tenure in City Hall as alderman of the 39th Ward.
He invited Windy City Times to his campaign office in order to discuss why.
Windy City Times: Your campaign states that in 2010—when you were part of the 45th Ward before redistricting—you felt the system was "broken down." Is that what has spurred this run for the 39th?
Robert Murphy: My goal has always been to try and work for the community. I was the president of the Forest Glen neighborhood association for three years, a founding member of the FAiR [Allocation in Runways] coalition and of the Jefferson Park Sunday market. I'm running to build a better ward, to involve communities and residents in the decision making process of how ward money is spent and how development moves forward. I've been trying to work with the current ward office for three years and initiatives keep stalling.
WCT: Specifically?
Robert Murphy: We were trying to make a pass-through from Balmoral Avenue underneath the Metra to connect with Mariano's. Metra was on board with it but we needed to work with businesses to make it happen. The alderman was supposed to help get us a meeting. It never happened. The city and the FAA decided to put all this [air traffic] over the most densely populated areas.
The most important player is the city because it owns and runs the airport. When I was with the FAiR coalition, I went to [Laurino] and asked for a meeting with the mayor. She was not interested. I've tried to work with her office to try and push things forward but we've got nothing. This is one of the wealthiest wards in the city but when you look at economic development, there really is nothing here. There are empty buildings that could house businesses. The alderman really isn't making an effort. Marge is the last machine on the Northwest Side. When people come to her with ideas, she just turns them away.
WCT: What are some of your disagreements with the Emanuel administration?
Robert Murphy: He's not very good at listening and being open to input that is something other than his initiatives. We saw this with the closing of the 50 schools. I've seen this personally because we've reached out to him eleven different times to meet with us [about O'Hare] and instead of acknowledging that community concerns exist, we've had silence. He doesn't even respect people who want to discuss options.
WCT: What do you see as the greatest issues facing the LGBT community in your ward post-marriage?
Robert Murphy: The teenage homeless problem. I would look to the LGBT community to gather ideas and sponsor legislation that would move the ball forward. I would encourage non-discrimination in any initiatives through the city as far as infrastructure projects and the expansion of classes in elementary and high schools which teach that [being LGBT] is not evil or deviant. I don't think there's a silver bullet to end bullying but the fight against it needs to happen on a citywide scale.
WCT: You are for an elected school board. Some aldermen say it just won't work and will open the city up to more corruption. How do you challenge that?
Robert Murphy: I don't understand how a school board that is completely appointed by the mayor—a lot of them big donors and some who stand to earn money off their investments—is not already a messed-up system. What the elected school board means is people having more of a say in how the schools operate and their priorities. Right now when the mayor wants to close 50 schools, it just happens. The time for people to trust that the administration has their back has passed.
WCT: You agree with many candidates about the increase in police numbers. The transgender community has often alleged discrimination by the CPD. How do you put a stop to that?
Robert Murphy: There have to be consequences for abuse and zero-tolerance for it on the part of City Hall who have tended not to stand up for people. No community should be profiled or set up for more police attention because of who they are. Police training has to get better.
WCT: Laurino has co-sponsored an increase in the minimum wage to $13 per hour by 2019 but maintains $15 would be too much for small businesses. Your thoughts?
Robert Murphy: It's extremely important that people who have families are able to make the money they need for a place to live and to put food on the table. We have made a start and we are going in the right direction, finally.
WCT: So why should people pick you over Laurino or Laiacona?
Robert Murphy: I've known Joe for four years and we're pretty much running for the same reason. For years, Laurino has been a crushing force on the ward and we need to open it up to ideas and community. I have experience as a community leader working with elected officials to get things done and partnering with diverse groups within the ward. It's about treating people with dignity and opening up the ward to different voices. So I will be an advocate for LGBT issues. This is going to be a ward office that moves us forward because that's what needs to happen.
Visit: www.murphyfor39.org .
More election-related articles at www.windycitymediagroup.com/gaynewsarticles.php .
