Obviously, I hope you all vote for me. But besides that, there are a couple of candidates that I also endorse for Peoria City Council: Beth Akeson and Gary Sandberg.
Beth is a former Heart of Peoria Commissioner, school board candidate, and city council candidate. She lost her bid for the third district seat two years ago by just 12 votes. But she doesn’t give up. She’s running again this year — this time as an at-large council candidate. I support Beth because I share her vision for Peoria. She’s not content with the low standard of “better than nothing,” but rather aims for excellence. She’s accessible. She does her homework–often making calls and traveling to other cities to gather first-hand information. Just as one example, when researching the East Village TIF, she not only attended the presentation of a city planner from Decatur, but then followed up by visiting Decatur to see their residential TIF for herself and asking follow-up questions of the planner there. If you’ve been to any of the candidates forums, you will have heard Beth say that she’ll be a “full time council person.” Believe it. I saw how much she poured herself into her work as a Heart of Peoria Commissioner; she’ll do the same as a City Council Member.
Gary has the same philosophy I do about the purpose of municipal government: it exists to provide basic, essential services to taxpayers in the most efficient and cost-effective manner. His votes are always consistent with that philosophy. Having been on the council for several terms, and having been a city employee before that, Gary has a lot of institutional knowledge. He too is accessible and does his homework. The criticism against Gary is that he’s often the lone “no” vote on controversial issues. I think this criticism is misplaced. Given that even his critics concede that Gary is often right on these controversial votes, a critical eye should be cast toward the other council members who mysteriously vote in concert on nearly everything, often without any public deliberation or discussion. I don’t think Gary should be held responsible for the apparent collusion of the other council members. Instead, we need to reelect Gary and replace the other council members with candidates who share a basic-services philosophy.
Although I agree Sandberg and Akeson would make good fellow council members, I hope the people that support you give you all five of their votes. In a small turnout election, I think Sandberg already has enough of a following, and Akeson’s done a better job of getting her name out there through her previous council run and better advertising. I fear that most of the voters in this election might not read blogs.
My biggest fear is that most of the people voting in this election only read yardsigns. With all my qualms about Azouri & his overwhelming inexperience & ineptness, at least the kid knows how to advertise.
Well said, C. J. I have continued to endorse you, Beth, and Gary all along for the very reasons you have stated. The three of you have consistently used logic and research upon which to base your ideas. Your concern for the citizens of Peoria shows in the manner in which you present yourself, and the rational reasoning with which you present your case.
Best of luck to you, Gary, and Beth.
We need fewer 9-1 votes and some real discussion and 5-5 or 6-4 votes.