David Dewar Seeks To Unseat O'Shea In 19th Ward

CHICAGO - David Dewar, a Mount Greenwood resident, is challenging incumbent 19th Ward Ald. Matt O'Shea in the 2019 city of Chicago municipal aldermanic election. Dewar, a first-time elected office seeker, will be on the ballot opposite O'Shea for 19th Ward voters in Mount Greenwood, Beverly and Morgan Park on Tuesday, Feb. 26.

Dewar has laid out the focal points of his campaign, which include pension reform, property tax issues and public safety. He spoke on camera at WTTW about his plans should he be elected alderman.

"Taxation is not the solution... being honest with the public about systemic solutions is the key," Dewar told Beverly-Mt. Greenwood Patch in a phone interview.

Although he has been a Republican election judge at Mt. Greenwood Park for the past eight years, Dewar, a neighborhood resident since 1984, says this is the first time he has run for office and the first time he's even considered it.

The Chicago ward races are all non-partisan, and Dewar says he is running his campaign as an independent.

Dewar works in the financial industry and owns a company called Tax Free Retirement Solutions. Just last month, he was named a member of the Oak Lawn Chamber of Commerce board of directors.

"I will vow to put money back into the pocket of those in the 19th Ward and be honest with them about real solutions," he said.

"Over the last few years I've watched as the city has declined with pensions going unfunded, high property taxes and concerns with public safety. We have so many problems, and I'd like to keep residents in the loops and honest and viable solutions."

Dewar says the police consent decree has caused "a big divide between the police and the public."

"(Police) are afraid to do their jobs, and as a result public safety has declined," he said, adding that the department has at times failed to discipline "the bad apples."

Pensions for firefighters and teachers have only been funded at 20-22 percent in recent years, he said. The cost to do business in the community has skyrocketed at the same time, he added.

"There's been mismanagement of funds, a lot of pay-to-play and those in power do not want to negotiate or put anything on the table to get us fiscal responsibility and transparency."

He says "the public sector unions are cannibalizing the private sector through higher taxes to sustain and fund these pensions that are economically unsustainable to fund."

Dewar's campaign motto is "We The People... not 'We The Politician.'"

"We have too many rubber stamp alderman who go along with the mayor all of the time, and I do not think that is good," said Dewar, who pointed to O'Shea's record of voting with current Mayor Rahm Emanuel on issues more than 90 percent of the time.

"This is my first time running for office, and I am getting an education," he said. "It has been a great experience talking to people and finding out what is important to them."

Dewar hopes O'Shea will accept his invitation to take part in a debate planned for 7 p.m. on Feb. 11 at 115 Bourbon Street. The event will be hosted by the Southwest Side GOP Club.