Levine will seek re-election in Wheaton

Wheaton City Councilman Howard Levine is the first member of the board to publicly announce his intentions to run for re-election in 2009.

All four regional district seats on the council will be up for grabs come April 7. Levine is the councilman who represents the South District.

Levine is in his first term as councilman. Still, he says he's helped accomplish enough positive achievements in the city to earn another go around.

The changes Levine triggered started during the last campaign, when he upset longtime Councilman Bob Mork. Levine said he found many residents of the South District hadn't had any contact with their council representative in a long time, or ever.

"I thought that was a big thing," Levine said. "In five minutes they had more contact from me than in the last 12 years."

Wheaton's implementation of a smoking ban long before the statewide law was cited by Levine as one of the accomplishments he's helped push through. Other highlights for Levine include the hiring of more police and firefighters and the construction of many more sidewalks in the community, he said.

Levine said he's running again because there are important decisions to be made in the next several years that will shape the future of the city's economy. Chief among those issues is sorting out the city's budget problems. The city currently is operating with a $3 million deficit, using savings to make up the difference.

"It's not a good plan to use your reserves for day-to-day expenses," Levine said. "All of our expenses seem to be going up faster than our revenue sources."

So does that mean some type of a tax increase is in order?

"It's certainly something that has to be considered," Levine said.

A better plan is finding new tax revenues for the city, Levine said. Redeveloping the existing site of Hubble Middle School is one way to do that. Another way is revitalizing the Wheaton Grand Theater.

"Hubble is certainly the biggest development project and the most important development project in a long time and, maybe, ever in the city's history," Levine said.

He's looking for a mix of retail, offices, open space and affordable or senior housing. He doesn't want to see more condos or townhouses because those types of developments already are struggling to find buyers in the downtown, Levine said.

As far as the theater, Levine said funding its reopening with city-backed general obligation bonds is not an option because the city has its own revenue problems. However, he would consider any other form of assistance depending on the amount.

If those tasks can be accomplished in a second term, Levine said it would be his last.

"Public service is tremendous," Levine said. "But it's probably my intention to just serve one more term as long as we have the chance to accomplish the things that I have in mind. That would be a great way to complete my service."