Simonian ready to spend on bid to become Geneva's mayor
Geneva Alderman Tom Simonian is putting his money where his mouth is, as far as what he thinks of Mayor Kevin Burns.
Simonian has formalized his bid to unseat the mayor in April, by establishing the Simonian for Geneva Inc. campaign committee and lending it $75,000 of his own money.
He also has a campaign website up and running, has begun distributing literature, and has lined up endorsements from current and past aldermen. One of them, Alderman Richard Marks, is treasurer of the campaign.
"I plan on making a little noise," Simonian said Tuesday.
Burns is seeking a fifth term as mayor.
Simonian is campaigning on several themes:
• Burns, after four years as an alderman, then 16 as mayor, is in "career politician mode," and no longer putting residents' interests first.
• Burns is more concerned about the welfare of the city's employees than he is about the desires of residents and customers.
• Burns relies too much on the staff, letting the city administrator run the city.
• The city needs new ideas and "out of the box" thinking on matters such as taxes, spending and economic development.
Simonian, 57, has been the 5th Ward alderman since May 2013. He was appointed to the post by Burns, who had consulted with two aldermen. Simonian replaced the late Ralph Dantino. In 2015, Simonian was elected to a two-year term that expires in April.
He has criticized having a city administrator negotiate union labor contracts, because the benefits agreed to are then available to all employees, including the administrator. An outside agent should negotiate the contracts and present them directly to the mayor and council, he said.
Simonian also pushed back against an increase in the cost of employee benefits, saying the city should hold to the amount it had budgeted and look to perhaps increase deductibles or the premiums workers pay. He has voted against contracts that contained raises over the rate of inflation, and suggested the city ask the unions to take a pay freeze in 2017.
"All I'm asking is for wages to fall in line with the rest of the world," Simonian said at a budget discussion in March. "We don't have a responsibility to the employees here … other than to deliver to our shareholder, which is the taxpayer."
Burns later read a letter from an employee who found the remarks demoralizing. Simonian then sent an apology to all employees, saying he valued them and their work.
Burns was elected alderman in 1997, then ran for mayor in 2001.
"I'm proud of my record of achieving greater financial security, enhanced transparency and accountability, full community engagement and continuous relationship-building," Burns said Wednesday.
"This success is rooted in selfless leadership, strategic planning and mutual respect for all stakeholders. I look forward to sharing my vision with the citizens and businesses of our community.".
Election petition filing starts Dec. 12. The election is April 4.