A fresh start at Aurora city hall

I am writing to express my support of Richard Irvin for mayor of Aurora. The April 7 election is our opportunity for a much-needed fresh start in city hall. I first met Richard many years ago when we were both prosecutors in Aurora. Richard was born and raised on the East side, served in combat in Desert Storm, got his law degree and returned to Aurora to fight the same type of crime that surrounded him as a youth. When we met, he was working as the community prosecutor, developing the Weed & Seed Program. This program was designed not just to prosecute criminals after the fact, but to remove conditions and incentives that make the criminal life attractive in the first place. It is this type of proactive, comprehensive approach to problem solving that Richard will bring to the mayor's office.

After leaving the state's attorney's office, Richard opened his own law firm here in Aurora. He and his associates and staff work to solve the problems of members of our community every day. This experience, combined with the experience of running a small business in this city, give Richard a breadth of perspectives on our city that the other candidates cannot match. I have had the honor of seeing Richard at work in the courtroom, in his law office, as an alderman, and as a candidate for mayor. I have had the pleasure of getting to know him and his family as friends. In each capacity I have found Richard to be intelligent, hard working, dedicated and considerate of others. As mayor, he will be a unifying presence, a progressive leader and will continue to be a dedicated public servant. I urge my fellow Aurorans to join me in voting for him.

Mark Wade

Aurora