Kotowski announces candidacy for 28th Senate District

Park Ridge Sen. Dan Kotowski officially announced his candidacy for the 28th Senate District Tuesday.

The newly drawn 28th contains much of the two-term Democrat’s current 33rd Senate District in Park Ridge, Elk Grove Village, Des Plaines and Chicago’s Northwest side. It also includes Roselle and Schaumburg and extends west to Hoffman Estates, Hanover Park and Bartlett.

Kotowski’s handwritten release, “Waste, Mismanagement and Politics as Usual,” touts his efforts to “shake up and clean up state government,” not mentioning he’s running again until the very end of the last line.

“I’m making the case for why I’m running again,” he said.

Kotowski was first elected in 2006. He serves as Senate Appropriations Chair and was recently appointed chair of Gov. Pat Quinn’s Budgeting for Results Commission.

In his five years in office, he has led Democratic efforts for the state to implement a zero-based budgeting model. He sponsored legislation cutting lawmakers’ pay and opening up state contracts for competitive bidding. Kotowski currently has no Democratic opponents in a primary bid.

Roselle Mayor Gayle Smolinski and Park Ridge businessman Jim O’Donnell have, in recent weeks, announced plans for Republican primary bids in the district.