Elmhurst Alderman Attacks Mayoral Hopeful

ELMHURST, IL — Elmhurst Alderman Jim Kennedy is not saying who he will vote for in the April 6 mayoral election. But this week, he revealed who he won't support.

The Ward 6 alderman wrote a letter to the editor of the Elmhurst Independent laying out the case against Ward 3 Alderman Michael Bram. He said his longtime colleague should not be the next mayor.

In the letter, Kennedy did not name the other two candidates, aldermen Scott Levin and Mark Mulliner.

Kennedy, who is not seeking re-election, called himself "uniquely qualified" to provide his perspective, saying he has served more than a decade with all three candidates.

Kennedy said that in his review of Bram's voting record, the alderman consistently voted against money for stormwater improvements. And Kennedy said Bram voted against the Southwest Wet Weather Control Facility, the York Commons Park Project and the pending projects in the Crestview and Brynhaven neighborhoods. Without funding, he said, those projects cannot happen.

He also criticized Bram for opposing tax-sharing agreements and other business incentives to keep and attract businesses. Such tools, he said, have been used to retain Elmhurst BMW, Roesch Chrysler Jeep Dodge and Wilkins Hyundai Mazda.

"Car dealers are among our top tax-generating businesses," Kennedy said. "Without them, we'd all pay a lot more in taxes."

Kennedy also said Bram voted against the downtown tax increment finance district and the projects that have resulted, including FFC fitness center, the Plass Building redevelopment, the First Street and Addison Avenue parking decks, and five of the new housing complexes in downtown. These improvements, he said, have attracted visitors to shops and restaurants and are a big reason why downtown business vacancies are among the lowest in DuPage County.

At a City Council meeting in September, Kennedy and Bram locked horns. They disagreed over whether the Elmhurst Park District would work with the city on a stormwater project in the neighborhood next to Crestview Park.

Bram said the park district indicated it would, while Kennedy contended it would not. Kennedy told Bram, "If Mayor Morley were here, he would tell you that the door has been shut. You can shake your head all you want, but it has been shut."

Bram had a different take.

"We can speculate all night on what has been said,"Bram said. "I can just say what I have been told by park board members. And I have been told that they are willing to work with us, just not with what was put forth. So for an individual to tell another individual what they heard was not accurate, I think, is a fallacy."

In his letter to the Independent, Kennedy said his position on Bram was based on fact and experience, not emotion and opinion. Kennedy wished Bram the best in the future.

Kennedy also posted his letter to the editor on the Elmhurst, IL News and Comment Facebook page. But he may not have received the feedback he was hoping for. As of Thursday morning, most of the Facebook comments supported Bram or criticized Kennedy for saying who he was against, rather than who he was for.

One woman wrote, "If you had a candidate you were endorsing, that's one thing, but to write a hit piece on an alderman who has been elected by the people again and again is just plain gross." A man thanked Kennedy for helping him decide who to support. "I wasn't sure before, but now I am. I'm voting for Bram," he said.

Bram, whose City Council term expires in May, was first elected in 2001.

Elmhurst Patch left messages for comment with Bram and Kennedy.