Moylan backs Bogusz for Des Plaines mayor

Outgoing Des Plaines Mayor Marty Moylan is backing 3rd Ward Alderman Matt Bogusz, who will be one of three candidates vying for the mayoral post in April.

So far, two other hopefuls have filed candidate petitions for mayor: former Des Plaines mayor Tony Arredia and 6th Ward Alderman Mark Walsten.

Moylan is expected to step down before he is sworn in as state representative in the 55th House District in January.

An alderman will be appointed to complete his term.

“When I took over, the city was going to the wrong direction,” said Moylan, who served as 2nd Ward alderman for two years before winning the mayoral seat in a four-way race.

“We had approximately $1 million in reserve and now we have $18 million,” Moylan said. “We haven’t raised the tax levy in four years (not including the county tax extension). We have increased our credit rating to AA2. We’re saving residents thousands and thousands of dollars in interest payments each year because we reduced our debt.”

Moylan said Bogusz was instrumental in helping improve the city’s fiscal health as the finance committee chairman.

“He’s been in on all these (budget) negotiations,” he said “He worked with the administration.”

Arredia left the mayor’s office reluctantly in April 2009 because of voter-imposed term limits. He endorsed Moylan to succeed him days before the election.

Arredia previously served as 8th Ward alderman for six years before being appointed mayor Jan. 5, 2000, replacing Mayor Paul W. Jung, who died in October 1999.

Bogusz previously served on the Des Plaines Public Library board and is completing his first term as alderman.

The part-time mayoral post comes with roughly $9,000 yearly salary.

The deadline to file candidate petitions for the April 9 consolidated local election is Dec. 26.