Another candidate enters race for Des Plaines mayor

Second Ward Alderman Marty Moylan, 57, has joined the quest to succeed incumbent Des Plaines Mayor Tony Arredia, making it increasingly likely that there will be a crowded field for the post.

Moylan was voted in two years ago as alderman, his first elected post, going after a seat vacated because of term limits, as Arredia's post will be. He received about two-thirds of the vote.

One of his competitors in that race, Michael Lake, also is planning to run for mayor. He got about a third of the vote. Also planning to run is Dick Sayad, former 4th Ward alderman.

Moylan, a union representative for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, said that he has been receiving encouragement from his 2nd Ward constituents to run. "They want someone who's going to continue on the mayor's path," he said.

The challenge for the next administration will be keeping city services high and property taxes low in the face of a slowing economy, he said. The current budget, while difficult because it eliminates a dozen positions, fulfills that goal, he said, limiting the property tax increase to 1 percent to help fund police and fire pensions.

"We had to make hard choices," he said.

Key issues he said he plans to emphasize include continuing work on flood control and fighting overcrowding housing.

He said he supports plans for a new police station, believing it could be funded without a tax increase by using money from a downtown tax-increment financing district. In such districts, increased tax money generated by rising property values with redevelopment is used to pay for public improvements or development incentives.