
(File photo by Crystal Donaldson/WJBC)
By Howard Packowitz
BLOOMINGTON – On the eve of her swearing-in as Bloomington alderman, local activist Jennifer Carrillo was in Washington on Tuesday appearing on the same stage with Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders.
They were among the featured speakers at “The People’s Wave” Convention.
Carrillo said her priorities include free public transportation, improving community policing, and affordable housing.
“Tomorrow is the day that we start co-governing to deliver what folks in our community want, need, and deserve; free and clean energy-powered public transit, real community policing, affordable housing, protections for local workers and their families, a sustainable and green new infrastructure for our city, and so much more,” Carrillo said.
The alderman-elect also talked about her election victory against 20 year council veteran Karen Schmidt.
“We went toe-to-toe with neoliberal establishment politics, and we won,” Carrillo said.
“So tomorrow, I’m going to fly back home and have the honor of being the first Latinx person in our city council’s history to be sworn-in,” she said.
Carrillo will be sworn-in Wednesday evening as Ward 6 alderman, covering the city’s west side.
Also taking their city council seats are Donna Boelen in Ward 2, Julie Emig in Ward 4, and Jeff Crabill in Ward 8.
Howard Packowitz can be reached at [email protected]