There’s several competitive races in the primary election in Rockford. Here’s a profile of the candidates for alderman in the 11th ward.
The 11th ward is about 25 percent Latino, which is just above the city’s total percentage of 20 percent.
Isidro Barrios
The incumbent is the only Latino on the city council. He was appointed to the council in 2023 to fill the seat left by Tuffy Quinonez who passed away while in office.
The 64-year-old retired union carpenter said he wants to continue the job he’s been doing to improve the district.
“We've been making progress all over the place” he said, “fixing up streets, sidewalks and alleys, and also the infrastructure, new programs for neighborhoods. So, since day one I've been working really, really hard.”
He said his priorities for the ward include ensuring safe drinking water.
“Also, we have to concentrate on the neighborhoods,” Barrios said, “public safety, also the police department and the fire department, and make sure they get all the all the things that they need.”
Regarding his approach to tackling the need for affordable housing he said it starts with jobs.
“We got to start thinking about how we're going to produce those good jobs,” he said. When there’s work you can conquer pretty much everything like housing.
He said one approach is to support apprenticeship programs for roles such as carpenters and plumbers.
One of the decisions that he said the city council has not yet made is how to spend tax revenue from the Hard Rock Cafe casino. He supports the arts but said funds for improving services should be prioritized.
“If you see a mural on a wall, is that going to do any good for the fire department?” Barrios asked. “Or is that going to do any good for our police department, or is going to benefit the condition of our streets?”
Jaime Salgado
The other candidate in the Democratic primary is Winnebago County Board member for the 12th District Jaime Salgado. He’s been on the board since 2016.
The candidates faced each other in 2020 when Barrios unsuccessfully challenged Salgado for his seat on the Winnebago County Board.
Salgado said If he wins the election, he will resign from his seat on the board.
“I want to shift over because I don't see the leadership there, and I want to see changes,” Salgado said, “through more economic development from that perspective, especially on Broadway corridor and Midtown district.”
The 43-year-old works in the aerospace industry in the finance department. He said one of his priorities if elected alderman is to address the number of vacant buildings in the neighborhood. He said there’s programs at the county level that can be leveraged “to get these properties back on the tax rolls and get good tenants on there.”
“As part of being an alderman," he said, "I would be having an impact on that, and I would love to do that on a city side.”
On housing, there’s certainly been development of high-income housing in Rockford’s downtown area, but Salgado said it's important that housing solutions are also found for working class families in the 11th ward.
“One of the things we need to look at maybe small homes that are comparable to assessment values in that neighborhood — [$]90,000, 80,000,” Salgado said. “If you put a small home, a tiny home, whatever you want to call it, they might cost you $35-50,000. That’s a lot cheaper than building a $200- 300,000 home.”
Ultimately, Salgado said he wants to be the next alderman to bring visibility and dollars to the 11th ward.
“ I feel like I have that leadership,” he said, “that I can work with these individuals and at least have a seat at the table and put pressure on the city to look at Ward 11.”
The race does have a write-in candidate — Terri Schierer. There are no Republicans candidates running for the seat.
The last day to vote in the primaries is February 25.
