The 1st District Council race is tricky

It's been very interesting watching what's going on with the 1st District City Council race. Truth be known, the 1st District is the sexist District in the City. Anything of importance going on in Peoria, is being played out in the 1st:

The Museum, crime, Warehouse District, drugs, the Pere @ the Marriott, guns, Cat Visitor's Center, failing schools, new roundabout, crumbling sidewalks ... Sexy.

To have three people vying for one seat draws attention to the possibilities in the 1st - if the right person gets the seat.

Now we look to the Election Commission to make a decision on the residency of Gary Sandberg. We have all seen Mr. Sandberg take City Code and interpret the nuances in a way that any man can understand. That's what we like about him isn't it?

So, I read this and if the information is accurate, there just may be a loophole in the "district" residency requirement. But why would Mr. Sandberg want this seat via loophole? What would that do for his street cred, as the one guy who stands up for any man? AND, if Mr. Sandberg's understanding is that there is no district residency requirement, why is he going about the business of trying to establish one? Tricky.

What now Mr. State's Attorney?

Today is Wednesday, March 4, 2009.

Tom Bride, executive director of the Peoria Election Commission, said the beginning of absentee, in-person voting at his office could begin as soon as today, Wednesday, March 4, 2009. Bride also said that once any type of voting begins this week, withdrawal requests won't be accepted (from pjstar).

What now Mr. State's Attorney?

Audacity of Illinois politicians - The General John Parker edition

As General John Parker has made clear to the citizens of Peoria that he “will not quit”, his campaign rolls on. A quick look at Parker’s website shows the following events:

February 28, 2009 - Fundraiser for General Parker for Mayor. Join us in celebrating Peoria’s Black History! Keynote speaker is Former Fire Chief, John Parker. Located at the Holiday Inn City Centre. 500 Hamilton Blvd. Cocktails at 6:00pm; Program at 7:00pm. Come share a night with good friends, good food, networking and dancing. Retired Fire Chief John Parker will speak about Peoria’s Black History as he remembers it. TICKETS COST $35.00 each.$350.00 Table of 10 Sponsorships Available from $500 on up. To purchase tickets call: (309)397-3104

March 1, 2009 - Campaign Kickoff

March 2, 2009 - Candidate's Night, Paparazzi's Restaurant at 6:30pm, 4315 N. Voss in Peoria Heights

March 4, 2009 - Candidate's Night Moss-Bradley Resident's Association at 6:30 p.m.
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General John Parker, the only other candidate who is running against the incumbent, Mayor Jim Ardis. I suppose I should mention, General John Parker is black and Jim Ardis is white. However, the broader issue is Parker's legal issues:

I have been letting this issue marinate for several days. However, I cannot help but continue to wonder, why is Kevin Lyons taking such a strong stance against General John Parker? We all have known for some time (since December) that Parker is a convicted felon, so why is Kevin Lyons forcing Parker’s hand at this juncture?

Why did Lyons wait until Parker's name was on the ballot? To remove his name from the ballot at this time would be costly. Absentee voting is set to begin at the Election Commission as early as Thursday, March 4.


Other bloggers are also questioning why the State’s Attorney is picking this fight with Parker now. Recently, Mr. Lyons made the following statement in the PJStar about Parker:

"I gave Mr. Parker a courtesy week to withdraw mainly because most people seek public office, you hope, in a sense of altruism," Lyons said. "You would like to afford them the opportunity to self-correct an ineligibility or conflict. I don't think anyone believes Mr. Parker was interested in self-correcting."

Really? Mr. Parker is a politician, just like Mr. Lyons and Mr. Ardis. How altruistic is any politician... really? Why is it necessary for Kevin Lyons to deal with John Parker in such a condescending manner? Is it because Parker is an ex-convict? Is this the type of treatment every ex-convict can look forward to, regardless of how much they may have turned their life around? It looks to me like Mr. Parker has done a lot of self correcting.

According to PJStar.com City Council members have barely commented on the mayoral race and Mayor Jim Ardis could not be reached for comment. However...


From what I understand, anyone could have registered a complaint about Parker's candidacy five days after the election's filing date, which was Dec. 15, 2008, and no one did.

Has some one registered a complaint about Parker's candidacy since then? Did I miss that news story? Oh, I get it, this an example of the State's Attorney, making an altruistic effort, to protect the citizens of Peoria, from the likes of General John Parker?