Downers Grove is nearing the 2015 election season.
Current Mayor Martin Tully is up for reelection. He is running for his second and final term as mayor.
Village Commissioners Geoff Neustadt, Sean Durkin, and Becky Rheintgen have expiring terms as well. Neustadt has elected to enter into the mayoral race, rather than continue as commissioner. This is his first attempt at running for mayor.
Despite their prominent positions, the candidates are fairly unknown among DGN students. Based on results from an Omega survey, 25% of students at DGN were able to successfully identify Tully, and 4% identified Neustadt.
Senior Andrew Ferrini is among those who were able to identify the candidates, and plans to vote in the upcoming election.
“[This election] will be the first I am eligible to vote in. I know a fair amount about each candidate, […] although I am unsure as to who I will be voting for,” Ferrini said.
Tully ran unopposed for mayor in 2011 after former mayor Ron Sandack elected to pursue the 81st district seat in the Illinois House of Representatives. During Tully’s first term as mayor, the village received Standard and Poor’s highest available bond rating.
Additionally, property taxes have remained flat or declined for most residents over the past four years.
In spite of the village’s success with property taxes, the state’s poor financial situation may have an impact on Downers Grove’s finances.
“The fact is, with all of the State’s financial challenges, the sums provided from the State to all municipalities could be negatively affected,” Sandack said.
If he is reelected, Tully has stated his goals for this term include making the village financially independent of the state with looming budget cuts coming for the village.
“We need to be prepared when Springfield takes away some of our revenue [funding],” Tully said.
This year will mark Neustadt’s first mayoral campaign. The 39-year-old has served in multiple village positions including mayor Pro-Tem, a position akin to vice president, and Transportation Advisory Commissioner. Under Neustadt’s watch the Belmont Underpass and train station remodeling were constructed. If Neustadt was to unseat Tully, his largest goal is to increase community access to the mayor’s office.
“I am committed to my town, I am a municipal employee and I want to be transparent and approachable,” Neustadt said.
The election will be held on the first Tuesday of April. Any student who is 18 on or before the election can register to vote.
A driver’s license or another form of photo identification is needed to register for the election.
