Author: joeward7

The State Journal-Register
Steven Spearie

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In other wards, all of the incumbents in contested races won. They include Ward 1 Ald. Chuck Redpath, Ward 4 Ald. John Fulgenzi, Ward 5 Ald. Andrew Proctor, Ward 6 Ald. Kristin DiCenso, Ward 7 Ald. Joe McMenamin and Ward 10 Ald. Ralph Hanauer.

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In Ward 7, McMenamin defeated Brad Carlson, a member of the Capital Township Board, 59 percent to 41 percent.

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The State Journal-Register

The State Journal-Register
Editorial Board

Two-term Ward 7 Ald. Joe McMenamin is being challenged in the April 2 election by Capital Township trustee Brad Carlson, in a race that’s frequently become personal over issues of effectiveness and the ethics of campaign donations.

McMenamin, a lawyer, has focused for much of his tenure on the city’s rapidly mounting pension debt for police and firefighters, pointing out that the city owes more than $300 million and virtually all city property tax revenue goes toward meeting that obligation. McMenamin also has been actively involved in development issues on MacArthur Boulevard, and touts his involvement in the building of Hy-Vee and the renovation of the once-troubled MacArthur Park Apartments into The Boulevard Townhomes. He also cites

Brenden Moore
The State Journal-Register

City council candidates in Wards 7, 8 and 10 made a final pitch to Springfield voters at a candidates’ forum Thursday evening as Election Day closes in.

It was the last of three forums hosted by The State Journal-Register and 94.7 & 970 News/Talk WMAY this week, where voters were offered a last glimpse at where the candidates stand on the major issues facing their wards and the city as a whole.

There was more back and forth than the previous two forums held this week,

Bernard Schoenburg
The State Journal-Register

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Back in 2011, when Ward 7 Ald. JOE McMENAMIN first won election to the city council, his campaign sent out a letter of support from ROBERT E. FOSTER, touting McMenamin’s Army National Guard and legal experience.

Not pointed out until after the election was that the address given for Foster on the envelope was c/o (in care of) Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 755, where Foster was quartermaster.

The post, a tax-exempt organization, isn’t supposed to participate in a campaign, and the commander at the time said the letter from Foster was personal.

Brenden Moore
The State Journal-Register

Springfield ICON, a group that advocates for the city’s older neighborhoods, endorsed a mix of incumbents and newcomers on Monday for city offices in the April 2 election.

The group, comprised of about 40 people involved in various neighborhood associations, endorsed Mayor Jim Langfelder and Treasurer Misty Buscher for re-election. The group also announced its support of Rianne Hawkins for city clerk. She is challenging incumbent Frank Lesko in a rematch. All three were endorsed by ICON in the 2015 municipal elections.

In Ward 1, the Rev. T. Ray McJunkins, the pastor

Brenden Moore
The State Journal-Register

There was mostly praise from members of the Springfield City Council last week for the developers of a proposed hotel and entertainment center that would be built at Fourth and Washington streets.

If built, the development — 95 hotel rooms, 17 luxury apartment units, ground level and rooftop retail space, a “one of a kind” rooftop bar facing the state Capitol, about 200 public parking spaces and entertainment center — would replace a dilapidated,

Bernard Schoenburg
The State Journal-Register

The race for Ward 7 alderman pits two-term incumbent Joe McMenamin against Capital Township Trustee Brad Carlson.

“As an experienced self-employed attorney with broad knowledge of government and the private sector, I bring seasoned judgment and knowledge to the city council,” McMenamin said. “Now with eight years on the council, I am deeply familiar with all the Ward 7 neighborhoods and their

Bruce Rushton
The Illinois Times

Ald. Joe McMenamin has drawn the ire of fellow aldermen whom he has excoriated for accepting campaign contributions from labor unions and entities that do business with the city. There have been arguments at council meetings to the point that some aldermen at the receiving end of McMenamin blasts have suggested that council members deemed unruly should be removed.

“Does he have his issues? Yes, he does,” says Michael Higgins, who twice has lost aldermanic elections to McMenamin but has endorsed him in the April 2 election against Brad Carlson, a Capital Township trustee and

Brenden Moore
The State Journal-Register

After a few concerns were addressed, the use of $7.65 million from the Central Area tax-increment financing district for a hotel and entertainment complex at Fourth and Washington streets is one step closer to a final vote.

Springfield City Council members, after hearing a presentation from the project’s developers at Tuesday’s Committee of the Whole meeting, placed the TIF request on the consent agenda for next week’s city council meeting, basically guaranteeing

The State Journal-Register

Yes, Alderman Joe McMenamin is a maverick on City Council matters. We mention two. First, McMenamin has voted against every budget since he was elected, and for the same reason: Each budget failed to adequately address the city’s ever-increasing pension liability (which is $350 million, more than $30,000 for every resident). McMenamin believes kicking this problem into the future will make the lives of our children and grandchildren much poorer. He knows tackling the problem now will be painful; it will require some mix of reduced personnel costs, fewer public services and higher taxes, but he is willing to