February 20th,
2008 - The Beacon News - Author: Andre Salles
Kifowit plans run for mayor of Aurora
AURORA - The 2008 primary election is barely over,
but the 2009 mayoral election already is shaping up. Alderman Stephanie Kifowit
, 3rd Ward, announced Tuesday that she is planning a run for the city's top
office. She has not formally announced her candidacy, but plans to in the
next few months.
Kifowit,
a mother of two and former U.S. Marine, was elected to
the City Council in 2003. She was re-elected in a landslide
last year, defeating challenger Jim Nesbitt. Kifowit
pulled in 72 percent of the vote in that election, which
she believes shows the wide support voters have for her.
Kifowit
's first term was punctuated by a number of clashes with
Mayor Tom Weisner, most notably over the fate of the
Hi-Lite 30 drive-in in 2006. But, she says, her time
in office also has brought hundreds of thousands of dollars
in grant money to her ward and forward movement on some
important projects. She also announced the platform for
her upcoming campaign, including bringing a city manager
form of government to Aurora. Some neighboring communities,
including Naperville, operate under this system, which sees
the appointed manager handling the day-to-day operation
of the city.
"It removes
politics from the operation of the city and gives more accountability to
taxpayers for the job they do," Kifowit said. Her press release also
noted her desire to "return to a trustworthy, transparent
and accountable local government," which she
says is not a swipe at Weisner but rather a comment on the
state of politics in general.
"Nobody would
argue with the fact that we need more accountability, trust and transparency
in government," she said. Weisner responded that there is no administration
more transparent than his, and he disagreed that a city manager form of government
would meet the needs of the people more thoroughly, since a mayoral election
allows residents to decide for themselves who should lead the city. But he
would not confirm whether he plans to run for office again, merely saying
he "is seriously thinking about it now." Alderman Rick Lawrence,
4th Ward, also is considering a run for mayor, though he has not announced
his plans.
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