Dual Elected Duty: Elmhurst Has Decisions to Make

My jaw dropped when during the opening of the City Council meeting Monday night. At the last minute he threw his support behind Alderman Mark Mulliner’s minority report from the Finance Committee and asked the council to place the dual elected duty referendum on the November ballot. 

The majority report, signed by Chairman Steve Hipskind and Alderman Scott Levin, would have delayed the vote until next April. Why this was their opinion, I have no idea, but it doesn’t matter anymore. Alderman York did not sign his name to either report. I don’t know why. 

The foundation of one-person, one-office will be preserved for future generations by Elmhurst voters. Yes, I am extremely confident this referendum will pass and we will, by example, show our neighbors that we are a town of principle. We will teach our children about preserving freedoms and liberties defended by those who lived before us. 

This is an opportunity for Elmhurst to lead. It's a chance to tell Springfield “QUIT TREADING ON ME” and to tell Cook County politicians to stay on their side of the fence. This is Elmhurst and DuPage County, and we will manage it as we see fit.  Our DuPage County neighbors will follow.  We will resist power consolidation.

We will vote YES, in restricting dual office holders. 

We must also look to April 2013. There may or may not be a vacancy at the mayor’s office depending on whether or not Mr. DiCianni is elected to the DuPage County Board. He has promised to resign as mayor if elected, and the referendum will guarantee it. If he loses, he has every right to remain mayor and run for re-election in the spring.

But it is time for an alternative vision for Elmhurst to be communicated. It is time that a mayoral candidate come forward to give us another choice. These are crucial times for our city, as state debt and never-ending property tax increases will keep our housing market flat for years to come. 

I am asking my fellow Elmhurst residents and neighbors to email Alderman Mark Mulliner of the 7th Ward and encourage him to announce a mayoral candidacy.  He is a man of ethics and conviction. His motivation in opposing dual elected duty was done out of obligation to his constituents, not for personal gain. 

You can contact him at mmulliner@comcast.net

Three months ago when I started sending emails to council members asking for help in opposing dual elected duty, he was the only one to get on board and help.  Without him, our constitutional right to decide the structure and qualification of local officials would have ignored by City Hall. He would not allow that to happen.

There are good people at City Hall. But currently, qualified candidates are limited.  Frankly, I do not endorse or trust the Generation X members of the council. And that hurts to say; it is my generation. But their hesitation and silence over the course of the last six months has proven them unprepared. 

The members of the Finance Committee, who put forth the majority report to try and delay our voice until April 2013, should pay a political price. It was wrong, and at the last minute, they were abandoned by Mayor DiCianni. If I were them I’d be feeling a little burned. 

Although Alderman Mulliner has a tenured career on the City Council, he is not a power hungry man. He is a get-things-done man. He helped our former Mayor Marcucci during his terms. Think of what they accomplished. THEY brought the new hospital to town. THEY revitalized our uptown district. Remember when we were kids and the only place to eat uptown was Elmhurst Chop Suey, Bailey’s, and the Red Dragon? All good establishments, but now there is so much more.

And look at what they did at Route 83 and St. Charles. There is a thriving retail area.  One we never had before, because everyone could simply shop in Oak Brook.

Alderman Mark Mulliner has the experience, ethics and vision to fix some things that need fixing. If Mayor DiCianni is elected to the DuPage County Board and resigns his office, an interim mayor will have to be appointed by the council.

He is the obvious choice, but because of political ambitions of other council members, they may pass by the person who would best serve and lead our community. Don’t let it happen. 

It is our council. They work for us. 

So I am asking my fellow Elmhurst citizens to encourage Alderman Mulliner to run for mayor. If he chooses to do so, he will have my full support and effort. I believe he will also have the support of the team that opposed dual elected duty.  And so far, it has been a pretty effective team.