DeKalb mayoral candidates lay out priorities ahead of April election

DeKALB – Four candidates are asking voters for their support this spring as they compete for the DeKalb mayor’s seat.

Incumbent Cohen Barnes seeks reelection against 7th Ward Alderman John Walker and two candidates who are employed at Northern Illinois University: educator Linh Nguyen and IT support staffer Kouame Sanan.

The consolidated election is April 1. Early voting begins March 7. Readers can view more information on races throughout the county and read full candidate profiles at our Election Central webpage.

All candidates were asked the following question. Their answers have not been edited and are published in full. Candidates are listed in alphabetical order.

What are your top three priorities for our city, and how do you plan to address them?

Barnes:

Economic growth and job creation: Driving economic growth and creating more jobs remain at the forefront of my priorities for DeKalb. When I first ran for mayor four years ago, I committed to addressing the heavy property tax burden that had long weighed on our residents. High property taxes not only strain household budgets but also deter potential businesses and investors from choosing DeKalb as their base of operations. To create a more favorable economic environment, reducing property taxes was essential.

Before becoming mayor, I served as the president of the DeKalb County Economic Development Corp., where I collaborated closely with the city of DeKalb to attract major corporations, thereby diversifying our tax base. This strategy successfully brought over a billion dollars in investment to DeKalb, fueling job creation and stimulating our local economy.

As mayor, I introduced the annual Tax Summit, a gathering of all taxing bodies to discuss responsible governance and explore strategies for reducing property taxes. With historic economic growth occurring on the south side, my message was clear: We must prioritize taxpayers in our decisions. By reducing the overall tax rate from 11.5% to 8.1% for the upcoming year, we’ve not only alleviated the financial burden on our residents but also made DeKalb a more attractive location for businesses.

Lower property taxes increase DeKalb’s competitiveness, encouraging new businesses to set up operations and existing ones to expand. This, in turn, generates more job opportunities for our community and further strengthens our local economy. By creating a business-friendly environment, we can continue to attract diverse industries, ensuring sustained economic growth and prosperity for DeKalb.

Enhancing quality of life: Improving the quality of life in DeKalb is another core priority. Public safety is one fundamental part of this vision. We have added 28 first responders to our police and fire departments and created a police social worker program. Additionally, we have taken a firm stance against landlords who fail to provide safe and high-quality housing for tenants. If reelected, I will continue to enforce accountability and uphold property standards to protect our community.

However, quality of life extends beyond safety. We have made substantial investments in revitalizing our downtown, transforming it into a vibrant hub of entertainment, dining and community engagement. By reducing traffic lanes, we have created a safer and more pedestrian-friendly environment, making downtown DeKalb an even more welcoming space. Our commitment to public art has also contributed to the cultural and aesthetic appeal of our community, and I am eager to expand these efforts in the future. I ran for office with a vision to increase the number of fun and engaging activities in DeKalb. While we have made great strides, there is more work to be done. I am dedicated to continuing our progress in enhancing the quality of life for all residents.

Infrastructure improvement: Since my first day in office, infrastructure improvement has been a top priority. Before I took office, road maintenance was severely underfunded, with an average of $700,000 allocated annually. Recognizing the need for better infrastructure, I championed a significant increase in funding, tripling the road maintenance budget to $2.5 million while maintaining a balanced budget. All of this was done without increasing taxes.

I am especially proud of our most recent accomplishment: passing a budget to invest $4.5 million in our roads for 2025. This represents an impressive increase in just four years. While we acknowledge that more work is needed, we are moving forward in a direction that the community has long anticipated.

An additional noteworthy achievement is our comprehensive lead pipe replacement program. Lead pipes are a nationwide concern, posing serious health risks. I am proud to announce that by 2026, we are on track to have replaced all lead pipes in DeKalb, ensuring clean and safe water for every resident. In fact, the city of DeKalb water was ranked in the top six best-tasting water supplies in North America (see www.cityofdekalb.com).

I am dedicated to sustaining this momentum by investing in economic growth, enhancing the quality of life and improving infrastructure. By focusing on these priorities, I am committed to building a safer, more vibrant and more connected community for all residents of DeKalb.

Nguyen:

My top priorities are improving the roads, increasing sustainable development and renewable energy, responsible tax management, a thriving inclusive economy and creating a great place to raise children! The city of DeKalb has a five-year plan to repair our roads. (You can see that plan at www.cityofdekalb.com.) Under my leadership, we would increase the budget by $500,000 annually, covering more roads faster and ensuring that roads do not degrade to such disrepair that more substantial repair is needed. Over time, this will save the city money, as we will not have to go all the way down to the base layer of the roads to replace the entire sub structure.

Climate change is threatening our way of life and our farming capabilities in DeKalb, where we have the richest soil in the nation. We need to be on the leading edge of resolving this, paving the way for other farming communities to do all we can to preserve our way of life and the world’s access to food. Under my leadership, I would ensure the strength of the Citizen’s Environmental Commission, implement their sustainability plan, and encourage and support an updated sustainability plan.

My priority will be ensuring that every tax dollar is accounted for and used with utmost care and consideration. Transparency and accountability will come first, with monthly reports to keep you informed. I will ensure we are pursuing federal and private funding sources to accomplish our goals and dreams, making this an inclusive community that serves all. Part of achieving that dream is ensuring that our taxes remain on a downward trend, to make life and homeownership affordable.

A strong local economy increases public safety and reduces the tax burden, supports local businesses, and expands vocational and apprenticeship opportunities. Ensuring opportunity exists for everyone equally will rise all tides!

Sanan:

My three priorities for the city are to make it stronger, safer and more affordable.

First, to make the city stronger, I will focus on fostering relationships among residents, encouraging local spending and prioritizing local businesses over those in neighboring cities. I will also promote our cultural and historical assets to boost the local economy.

Second, to make the city safer, I will engage the community through local meetings to increase awareness and cooperation, improve street lighting to deter crime and enhance safety, and establish a clear channel for residents to connect with law enforcement. I will host workshops on safety topics to address specific concerns, collaborate with law enforcement to reallocate resources effectively, and create and support youth programs that steer them away from unlawful activities.

Lastly, to make the city more affordable, I will work to increase the supply of affordable housing, support the use of land trusts and inclusionary zoning, and collaborate with landlords and renters to find fair solutions that benefit both parties. I will work with the city manager to provide a sustainable property tax by regularly assessing property value fairly to make sure taxes are based on current market value; implement a gradual tax rate adjustment to give property owners the opportunity to adjust their taxes and avoid sudden hikes as the rate changes over time; and implement property tax relief for seniors, low-income homeowners and individuals with disabilities, helping protect them from losing their homes due to rising taxes. Lastly, I would cap or freeze property taxes for long-term homeowners, ensuring that those who have lived in their homes for more than 30 years aren’t taxed out of them.

Walker:

Lowering taxes – A) diversify and increase the property tax base B) working with economic development committee on strategic methods to get retail and restaurants to come here and prosper

Public safety – Support police, fire and first responders in any way I can as the mayor, giving them all the resources we possibly can for them to keep us safe and protected.

Civic infrastructure – Create solid committees, commissions and boards with people who all think differently. I will eliminate the friends and family element of how the civic infrastructure is now. I’ve learned that bringing people together who don’t always agree with me or each other only fuels great dialogue in rooms, and I benefit more from those conversations than being around a bunch of “yes people.” DeKalb will change under my leadership for the better. There is no “I” in team! This isn’t my city, this is “our city,” so we all should add something to it.