Burns best choice for Congress

of money buys lots of newspaper space and direct-mail pieces, you'll see and hear plenty between now and the Feb. 5 GOP primary about two wealthy candidates named Lauzen and Oberweis in Illinois' 14th Congressional District race.One is a state senator and CPA whose most notable accomplishment during 16 years in Springfield has been to isolate himself on the far right edge of the right wing of his party, and to alienate potential coalition partners with an often obstinate personality. Is that a recipe for success in Congress?The other is a successful dairy owner whose loose-cannon tactics and social ultraconservatism have made him unsuccessful at getting his party's nomination for statewide office -- three times in the last five years.A hard look at both Lauzen and Oberweis indicates that neither of these well-funded gentlemen would represent the sensible mainstream of most of the 14th District. On a more practical political level, that means nominating either of them carries the strong risk of losing former Speaker Hastert's Congressional seat to the Democrats.No, the Republican Party's only logical choice for Congress is Kevin Burns.At 43, Kevin Burns is not a wealthy man, as he's raised his family on the relatively modest salary of a nonprofit-sector professional -- building resources, contacts and public visibility for health-care institutions and higher education, as well as the U.S. Olympic Committee, the Muscular Dystrophy Association, and Aurora's Paramount Arts Centre.In government service, Kevin Burns has built his 18-year career as a public servant on a foundation of cultivating productive relationships and treating every citizen with genuine respect. His emphasis on listening and consensus, while standing firm on basic principle, turns opposition into collaboration and potential adversaries into partners. It's made his seven years as mayor of Geneva (population 24,000) remarkably productive. His work has enhanced Geneva's reputation as a premier shopping and tourist destination and as a great place to live and do business. He's patiently led the way to building more stable supplies of electricity and drinking water for his community -- while cutting the city's tax rate by almost 20 percent.It's no wonder he won his first mayoral election in 2001 with a 72 percent majority over an incumbent, and was unopposed for re-election in 2005.Now this dynamic young man is offering his skills at relationships and consensus, and his experience in crafting solutions, to voters throughout Illinois' 14th Congressional District.Kevin Burns will be an effective Congressman of whom we can all be proud.Kurt WehrmeisterGeneva