Thursday, March 24,2011
A ward-by-ward look at the candidates and the issues, from potholes to garbage pickup, sidewalks to the city budget. Politics doesn’t get any more grass-roots than this.
By Illinois Times Staff
As Springfield heads to the polls April 5 for the general election, many voters will be focused on their choice for mayor. But just as important is the makeup of the city council, with 10 aldermen drawn from across the city. Together, their decisions will set the tone for Springfield’s future even after their four-year term is over. We’ve highlighted the six contested races citywide and provided some context that will hopefully make it easier to understand both the election and city government thereafter.
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Ward 7: Three is a crowd
Ward 7 spans some of the most well known parts of Springfield, including the historic Washington Park and Botanical Garden and part of MacArthur Boulevard.
Three candidates are running for one seat, making the contest visible and competitive. The candidates are Michael Higgins, 63, owner and chef at Maldaner’s Restaurant; Joe McMenamin, 58, an attorney and former candidate for the 19th congressional district; and John Laurenzana III, 30, director of marketing and public relations at Capitol Care Center and endorsed by the Sangamon County Republican Party.
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McMenamin, a self-described “fiscal watchdog,” is a tax attorney soon to be retired from the Illinois National Guard after 30 years of service. He plans to open a constituent office on MacArthur Boulevard with weekend and evening hours.
Higgins and McMenamin focus heavily on infrastructure and city beautification, while Laurenzana’s focus is on redevelopment and incentives to draw businesses to Springfield. Laurenzana is a former Marine with 10 years of marketing and consulting experience but is a newcomer to political campaigns.
The budget is equally critical for the candidates. Higgins says that he has looked at the budget and will not “raid” infrastructure funds if elected to the city council. He would like to turn the vacant Kmart building on Wabash Avenue into a retail open-space and residential small business center and landscape deteriorating parking lots to draw residents from all over Springfield.
McMenamin has seen the city’s budget and wants to boost revenue streams by increasing fees on vacant commercial buildings and property like the Westwood Plaza on Wabash Avenue.
“Unless we take the initiative and put pressure on the property owner, it’s likely to get worse,” he says.
He and volunteers painted over graffiti on the backside of the vacant Kmart building last winter, and he wants to implement a low-cost, high-impact plan to beautify crumbling parking lots with landscaping.
Joe McMenamin for Ward 7 