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Mayor Rahm Emanuel (left) and Jesus "Chuy" Garcia on Tuesday get ready for their final debate at WTTW studio in Chicago.
Nuccio DiNuzzo / Chicago Tribune
Mayor Rahm Emanuel (left) and Jesus “Chuy” Garcia on Tuesday get ready for their final debate at WTTW studio in Chicago.
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Chicago’s April 7 runoff election is looming, and there are plenty of people undecided about whether they’ll hand Mayor Rahm Emanuel another term or go with the new guy—Cook County Commissioner Jesus “Chuy” Garcia. So we’ve rounded up the top issues and where the candidates stand to help you, dear reader, be a good American and make an informed decision.

RED LIGHT CAMERAS

Emanuel:

Announced in March the removal of 50 cameras at locations where crashes have been reduced and installation of pedestrian countdown timers—often used as a gauge for drivers approaching intersections—on cameras that remain. He maintains the cameras are up to eliminate side crashes and free up police officers to focus on combating crime instead of writing traffic tickets.

Garcia:

Calls them “Emanuel’s red light rip-off” and wants to remove them if elected mayor. Has not shown the how money the cameras generate in fines would be replaced.

AFFORDABLE HOUSING

Emanuel:

Backed a move to strengthen the city’s Affordable Requirements Ordinance, which essentially will encourage more developers to include affordable units in new residential buildings.

Garcia:

Says the Chicago Housing Authority is sitting on unoccupied affordable units as well as money earmarked for housing vouchers that, as mayor, he would make the housing authority distribute.

BUS RAPID TRANSIT

Emanuel:

Backs a proposed $160 million express bus system along Ashland Avenue called “bus rapid transit” that would transform car traffic lanes into bus-only lanes to speed bus service along that popular corridor.

Garcia:

Would support the proposed Ashland BRT if a compromise can be reached to satisfy some business owners and residents who worry about reducing the number of car lanes, but as the proposal stands, “there are multitude of concerns.”

BROWN LINE BYPASS AT THE BELMONT STOP

Emanuel:

Supports a $320 million CTA proposal to build a ramp that would allow Brown Line trains to bypass Red and Purple Line traffic at the Belmont stop in Lakeview. The CTA said the ramp is needed to increase the number of trains in that area to meet ridership growth.

Garcia:

Calls the proposal “an unnecessary expenditure of taxpayer funds.”

POLICE HIRING

Emanuel:

Says he successfully shifted officers from desk positions to street beats—and denies his challenger’s claim that he blew an old campaign promise to put 1,000 new police officers on the streets.

Garcia:

Says he’ll hire 1,000 new police officers by using some of the $100 mil-lion now spent on police overtime.

JOB CREATION IN NEIGHBORHOODS

Emanuel:

Floated a concept to create tax-free zones in “economically depressed neighborhoods” to attract manufacturers and employers, provide help to those businesses in cutting through the bureaucratic red tape and connect them to job-placement programs. As part of that effort, he points to redirecting the focus of Chicago’s community colleges toward industries of health care, transportation, advanced manufacturing and professional services to create a skilled workforce.

Garcia:

Would require businesses that benefit from tax incentives and subsidies to hire locally and appoint a deputy commissioner to attract the manufacturing to neighborhoods. He pitched the idea of a voter referendum to issue $100 million in bonds for a jobs program patterned after a tech-based economic development initiative in Ohio.

SOURCES: REDEYE, TRIBUNE