04292019 - News Article - After Republican ousted from office due to corruption conviction, 4 Democrats seek to be Portage mayor

After Republican ousted from office due to corruption conviction, 4 Democrats seek to be Portage mayor
Post Tribune
April 29, 2019
https://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/post-tribune/news/ct-ptb-portage-dem-mayor-preview-st-0429-story.html

Portage residents will end up with three mayors, and possibly a fourth, over 2019-20, but local leaders said they hope for stability and better communication from the next mayor by the time the political dust settles.

The tumultuous political year for Portage began with Republican Mayor James Snyder being removed from office by state statute after being convicted on two federal corruption charges in February. He was followed in the mayor’s office by Councilwoman Sue Lynch, D-At large, who was city council president and according to Indiana law, became the next mayor until a Republican caucus was held to name the mayor that would fill in for the remainder of this year.

Former Councilman John Cannon, R- 4th, moved into the City Hall office after being selected by the city’s Republican precinct organization in the caucus.

If Cannon, who is unopposed in the May 7 primary, beats his Democratic challenger in the November general election, he will be the city's third mayor in one year. If he loses, the Democratic winner will Portage's fourth mayor over 2019-20, after being sworn in in January.

Cannon will either face Lynch, who entered the race for the Democratic nomination along with Clerk-Treasurer Chris Stidham, businessman Leo Hatch Jr., owner of Portage Real Estate, and Andy Maletta, Portage's economic development director and son of former Mayor Sammie Maletta.

Even with the top government job at stake, a number of local leaders declined to comment on the race, including Porter County Democratic Chairman Jeff Chidester and Portage Township Schools Superintendent Amanda Alaniz, neither of whom returned repeated calls for comment.

Porter County Republican Chairman Mike Simpson, who called the caucus that voted in Cannon as mayor for the rest of this year, was not shy about the mayor's race, though he said party politics may not be as prominent in the local races is they are in county, state and federal races.

“(Portage) residents are thinking about selecting a leader that will continue the dynamic growth and improvement they've seen in Portage,” Simpson said, throwing in a plug for Cannon. “It's always been less about party and more about what local people, the residents who've been there for a long time and are engaged in the city, want to see, which is to move the city forward.”

Mark Oprisko, D-At large, the longest serving city council member, said the next mayor must be a good listener who can continue the forward progress the city has been making, but, political party still matters, he said.

“I think you have to have a mayor who is a strong manager and who works with the (city) council,” said Oprisko, who is running to hold his seat on the council. “Even with the troubles we had with Snyder, you've had people who have moved the city forward, but, people still tend to focus more on party, especially at the local level in the primaries.

“People remember what party leaders do.”

Councilman Scott Williams, D-3rd, who is unopposed in May's primary, called for the next mayor to be transparent, honest and visionary.

“People want to know when information is being communicated to them, it's true and straightforward,” Williams said. “The mayor also needs to be visionary and needs to be a good listener. They can't go in with all the answers.”