Endorsement: Moylan over Sweeney for House 55th District

Martin Moylan is a political climber — two years as Des Plaines alderman, 3½ years as mayor and now a campaign for state representative. There’s nothing wrong with ambition, when it’s coupled with dedication to the job at hand, and Moylan brings that spirit to the race for state House from the 55th District. So far as mayor, Moylan has shown he can make tough decisions to cut the city’s budget and help the city build $18 million in fund balances where it once had next to none. He’s protected Des Plaines’ interests (i.e. the casino) as much as possible. An electrician and business rep for the I.B.E.W., Moylan wears his union ties proudly, yet the city cut union jobs as part of its austerity measures. Moylan makes frequent trips to Springfield. He knows the players and they know him, which means he can hit the ground running. Moylan’s campaign against a well-funded writein effort by Republican Susan Sweeney has been less than stellar. He paints her as a Tea Partyer, which she denies. The area that is now the 55th was represented for years by Rosemary Mulligan, a moderate Republican. Moylan is left of the district as a whole, and Sweeney is to the right. But because of his experience, we believe the district will get the most out of sending Moylan to Springfield.