State Rep.'s son to run for Arlington Hts. village board

D. Court Harris, a two-time Afghanistan veteran and the son of state Rep. David Harris, said Thursday he will run for a seat on the Arlington Heights village board in the April 2015 municipal election.

Harris, 29, picked up his nominating petition on Thursday and said he is looking forward to what will already be at least a six-way race for four trustee seats. The four incumbent trustees who are up for election - Mike Sidor, Robin LaBedz, Carol Blackwood and John Scaletta - have already picked up nominating petitions, as has Bill Gnech, the resident who tried, but failed, twice to get a referendum on term limits in Arlington Heights on the ballot.

"There are four incumbents running and there are four open seats," Harris said. "That presents a challenge to someone who is not an incumbent, but I welcome it."

Harris attended West Point Military Academy and served two combat deployments in Afghanistan before retiring from the Army last year as a captain. He served on the youth commission while a student at Hersey High School and was appointed to the Police and Fire Commission last year by Mayor Tom Hayes.

"Arlington Heights has played a big role in my success," Harris said. "It's in my nature to give back to a town that's done so much for me."

Harris said he understands that to get elected he will have to unseat an incumbent, but he isn't targeting anyone in particular.

"I don't think this is necessarily about the other trustees," he said. "I don't view them negatively. This is more about my desire to serve, my abilities as a leader and my abilities as a resident of Arlington Heights my whole life."

Harris, who would be younger than the other trustees if he is elected, said he sees his youth as a positive, not a negative.

"Within those 29 years I've done a lot," he said. "I think there's a gain to be had with a fresh voice, a new voice."

Harris said his father - who was a state representative from Arlington Heights from 1983-1993 and was again elected in 2011 - didn't influence his decision to run.

"This is not a family decision. My dad didn't play into it," Harris said. "He supports me as any dad would, but he didn't guide me in any way."

Harris said he doesn't plan to become a full-time politician or to have higher political aspirations than the Arlington Heights village board.

Nominating petitions for the April 2015 election are available now at the Arlington Heights village clerk's office. Candidates must file them between Dec. 15-22 to be eligible for the ballot.