'Teflon' Chicago Heights Mayor Gonzalez Unfazed By Challengers

CHICAGO HEIGHTS, IL — Chicago Heights Mayor David Gonzalez is running for his third term as something of a Teflon Don.

Maybe not so much "Don," as in "Gotti," because that could imply mafia-like connections and no one accuses him of being part of a mafia despite the city's connection to Al Capone. It's the Unity Party, his party, that his critics and fellow contenders — one on the ballot, four write-in — accuse of using old-school, strong-arming political tactics. More on that later. But Teflon, for sure.

In 2011, Gonzalez captured the mayoral seat with 57 percent of the vote. In 2015, he sailed through with 86 percent of the vote. On Tuesday, he'll have five other names that in other municipalities could dilute the vote. But elections watchers say only Arthur Wiggins could give him a run for his money and that voters are likely to overlook the tough times Gonzalez and the city weathered during the past term.

For example, in 2015, Chicago Heights was stopped from giving a police chief a second pension. The city suffered the loss of St. James Hospital. Chicago Heights also has been digging the city out of the red.

In 2016, the Better Government Association came out with a scathing report that showed Gonzalez's accounting firm, GW & Associates, grew by taking on 22 new government contracts after he was elected. That became a flashpoint for this election.

"He's benefitting from his office," Wiggins said. "That's wrong and I would not do that to the people of Chicago Heights."

Wiggins, former write-in candidate Joshua Deabel and others also say the Unity Party, on the mayor's behalf, use unfair, machine-style tactics to try to stop them from challenging him. Wiggins, for example, has been improperly cited for property violations and he believes that was to intimidate him from running for local offices. Deabel claimed that phony election surveys went out in January.

Sebastian Calvin Ghiles, Wiggins and Deabel also were tossed from the ballot earlier this year, although Wiggins overcame the challenge. Ghiles is running as a write-in candidate. Deabel did not prevail.

For his part, Gonzalez is firmly standing his ground.

"GW & Associates has provided public accounting services to local government units long-before I became mayor of Chicago Heights," he said about the BGA report. "No question has ever been raised challenging the cost, quality, or adherence to the public bidding rules to which contracts are subject regarding the public accounting services provided by GW & Associates. GW & Associates has earned its clients the old-fashioned way: hard work."

As for the allegations of unfair politicking and ballot challenges, he said: "Individuals seeking elected law-making jobs have an obligation to adhere to the state’s election law regarding ballot access. If they are unable to follow election law regarding their candidacy, then they disqualify themselves because serving as mayor or on a city council is not amateur hour. Adhering to established law is a basic responsibility of elected officials when law making."

Gonzalez also took the dramatic step of lowering his $40,000 mayor's salary to $1,000 to save the city money, he said. The change goes into effect in June, as the article written by his public relations representative shows.

Let that sink in. The next mayor, unless the council decides otherwise, will earn $1,000 for holding public office.

Teflon, indeed.

Finally, he said, his record speaks for itself.

He did not participate in Patch's voters guide, so in the interest of fairness, Patch published the "statement of candidacy" Gonzalez sent for this article. Patch added the link below:

"Economic development, job creation, storm and sanitary sewer investment, and street repair are top issues in Chicago Heights. My administration has made the successful revival of light manufacturing and retail development a priority since day one. In recent months, JMI Industries, NuFarm and Nortrak have expanded operations in the City, with new industrial investment including RelaDyne and Copart . The revitalization of the Halsted business corridor, with Taco Bell, Mega Furniture and Dunkin’ Donuts opening their doors, has created good paying jobs and new tax revenue. My administration has invested $13.8 million to repave 40 of 90 miles of streets. We are investing $6.25 million in sanitary and storm sewer upgrades to fix the flooding problem on the city’s West Side, the first phase in a comprehensive citywide flood plan. These issues are the priorities of Chicago Heights’ residents, and I will continue to fight for their interests.

My plan is to ensure that additional economic development, more job creation, further storm and sanitary sewer investment to alleviate flooding, and street repaving continues. Economic development, such as the proposed solar project, would transform vacant city land into a solar farm that could become part of ComEd’s solar energy program. The solar farm would convert a brownfield to green energy that is environmentally friendly, renewable, and would provide an economical energy alternative for our residents and businesses and create new jobs. The comprehensive plan to alleviate flooding will focus on additional infrastructure improvements and new retention/detention areas citywide. My administration has been successful at obtaining a total of $980,000 in grants from the Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA ) to help fight housing blight and was recently awarded an engineering grant from the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) to update the condition and classification of all city streets to assist us in prioritizing further resurfacing projects. By focusing on these priorities, Chicago Heights will set the stage for long-term business and neighborhood revitalization.

My proven record of bringing new businesses to Chicago Heights, creating new jobs, repaving half of our city’s streets, and addressing flooding on the West Side merits another term as mayor. I have kept my promises and have delivered results for residents."