March has its Final Four in basketball, and Naperville has its Final Three in the mayors race. Naperville mayor Steve Chirico decided not to run for re-election, which he most likely would have won for a third term if he was so inclined. He gave us a great eight years of strong leadership.
That opens the door of opportunity for mayoral candidates councilman Benny White, newcomer Tiffany Stephens, and lifetime resident Scott Wehrli. Watchdog’s choice for mayor was easy, first of all by eliminating one; Tiffany Stephens. She is an advocate of the Joe Biden strategy of winning an election by not campaigning. It worked for sleepy Joe, so it could work for her, though I seriously doubt it.
She started out by needing approval to run by Naperville’s Electoral (three-member) Board, when the issue of residency was challenged. By a vote of 2 to 1 she was approved to remain on the ballot. She was represented by an attorney, making it so she didn’t have to speak much, leaving it up to someone else to present her case. Once confirmed on the ballot, she all but disappeared from campaigning, including not participating in mayoral candidate forums. If she was elected, Naperville doesn’t need a mayor who is a no-show during city council meetings. A candidate is either in it to win it, or simply a spectator. Stephens appears to be a spectator.
That leaves Benny White and Scott Wehrli. Both appear more than qualified, both look great in uniform, White in the military, Wehrli with local law enforcement, both have handsome looking families, , both participated in mayoral forums providing politically correct answers to bland questions; so is there any differentiation?
White has experience on the city council, while Wehrli has experience in owning and building a company; bingo, that’s the difference. That is what has made Mayor Chirico successful as mayor, and there is no reason to think that Wehrli would not be successful. Wehrli was born and raised in Naperville, has been active in numerous non-elected Naperville groups and activities, never running for public office.
Watchdog endorses Scott Wehrli for Mayor of Naperville. He is the right person, for the right job, at the right time.
Does Wehrli own the business or is it a family business? He’s not the CEO or even the vp. He’s the secretary treasurer of the family business.
Not sure that is relevant, but you should check to make sure both are paying property taxes.
Wehrli is purposely vague on everything. He doesn’t own the business. Wehrli is the poster boy of privilege. I’ll vote for for the military veteran who gave 22years of his life to our country!
Jack, who is both?
Wehrli is a conservative who believes less government and taxes allows citizens the maximum freedom possible. He, also, is a common-sense rational individual versus some of the crazy politician out there. I would vote for him any day over the alternatives.
Wehrli is a crazy cat. He has had everyting given to him in his life. He was adopted into the wealthy wherli family and now still works at daddys business. Hi is the epitome of privlidge
This is not my reply
Scott Wehrlis family business is no stranger to OSHA violations and even responsible for the death of an employee by the companies carelessness. If Scott’s carelessness in his family run business caused the death of a worker, how can we expect his carelessness impact our
City? The city is in great shape and has been, don’t fix what isn’t broken. We vote Benny White
While we totally respect the Watchdog’s opinion, we have to disagree with his endorsement.
Naperville has an opportunity to right the wrongs of its terrible racist past by electing Benny White. The evidence of how racist Naperville truly is is all around you if you look. By electing Benny White we are sending a message to all the residents of Naperville your racism will no longer be tolerated!
It’s the right thing to do! By electing Benny it will be the first step to rectifying Naperville’s racist past. The next step would be enacting local legislation to start paying reparations to our fellow black citizens that have endured years of such racism in Naperville. As we pointed out in a previous post, Evanston is now going to start paying reparations to their black residents. We can do the same in Naperville! Elect Benny!
You chicks are crazt
I am going to assume you did not mean to imply that anyone who is not black and lives in Naperville is a racist. Yes, there are racist in Naperville, and they should be called out whenever they are identified. But it is counter productive to the causes of tolerance, acceptance and diversity to accuse a resident of being racist because of they live in Naperville and are not black.
Discussion of reparations are always complicated. Take Illinois for example, which was not a slave state. It is a state with a strong history of supporting the abolitionists and the underground railroad, as well as providing this nation with the president that lead the war to end slavery in this country (the president that emancipated this country’s slaves). Further, after the Civil War Illinois became a destination for the “Great Migration” because the opportunities this state provide to newly freed slaves. So discussions of reparations based on slavery make no sense in any part of this state.
In California reparations are being based on economic disparity, basically saying state culture and laws over the centuries denied black people the same economic opportunities as white. There is easily proven legitimacy in this argue, but why stop with black people. Native Americans were experiencing this in California long before black people. The same can be said for people of Hispanic decedent. The Chinese also suffered this same fate when they immigrated to California in large numbers.
And why stop with race? Doesn’t economic disparity do equal harm to any targeted group even when it is not based on race? For example religion. Jews were prevented from working in many businesses because of their religion, denying them opportunities outside those narrow few businesses they were allowed to be employed in. And for centuries gays were denied the same economic opportunities as heterosexuals. Of course the elephant in the room is the centuries of economic disparity that continues today targeting women.
So as you can see the discussion of reparations, what is fair compensation for injustices, is not as simply as some would make it sound. It only gets simple if you put on blinders and only focus on black people with its clearly self defeating rationalization.
Mayor Chirico chides Democrat on City Council for dirty politics
https://dupagepolicyjournal.com/stories/640341129-chirico-the-mailer-that-has-been-talked-about-here-was-inappropriate-it-s-dirty-politics
**** Not surprising that someone would use Anonymous to post misleading information****
Chirico’s comments were solely directed at Sullivan, not Democrats or Liberals. These comments were directed at a mailing Sullivan’s PAC (not Democrat PAC) sent about book banning.
Chirico was pointing out this is something that is not happening in Naperville. This mailing, linked to Sullivan, implying conservatives in Naperville were engaging in this practice was misleading.
So this post is at least just as misleading and two wrongs don’t make a right.
Benny White and Ian Holzhauer taking advantage of property tax exemptions not intended for them.
https://dupagepolicyjournal.com/stories/640419566-ives-naperville-pol-property-tax-exemptions-taking-advantage-of-a-law-that-was-not-intended-for-them
**** Not surprising that someone would use Anonymous to post misleading information****
There is absolute no proof that the VA certified disabilities that White and Holzhauer have are not legitimate. Anyone having such concerns and genuinely interested in stopping such abuse show be filing a complaint with the VA not trying to using this kind of misleading information to promote their political position.
As to who this property tax exemption is intended for, that is for the township and county to determine. Exactly what in the rules governing property tax assessment and levy says only certain people that qualify for this exemption are intended to receive it? And what in these rules explains your claim this exemption was not intended for them?
I, as a Vet, have absolutely no problem with any veteran taking advantage of any benefit they are legally qualified to receive. Communities adopt benefits policies like this, for Veterans, as a show of appreciation and respect for the sacrifices all who serve in the military make. Trying to turn these programs and policies into divisive political issues disrespects all veterans and dishonors their serve.
Why would anyone even consider voting in a mayor who has used an obvious tax scam to dodge their civil responsibility to the community?
So you consider a tax exemption for VA certified disabilities an “obvious tax scam” and a “dodge of civil responsibility”.
First if it is a tax scam you need to take this matter up with the township and county governments that approved this policy and the application of this policy to this person.
Second, to imply someone with 20+ years of military service is in someway an irresponsible citizen is not just ludicrous, it is obnoxious and disrespectful of all that have ever served in the military.
As a veteran the disrespect implied in your statement can never be forgiven, but that is just my personal position. You can ask my fellow veterans for forgiven for your disrespect and some they may choose to grant it.
When you run marathons and post pictures of yourself doing so it invites skepticism. You can excuse it all you want but it looks really bad.
Running marathons is recognized as a legitimate physical therapy exercise for certain disabilities. So involvement in this type of physical activities does not prove anything.
Again, as I and other Vets have pointed out, you don’t have to be an amputee or paralyzed to be a disabled vet and to have the VA certify you as such.
I ask you again, have you reported your concerns to the VA? Because if you are truly concerned about people scamming the VA then you should. Otherwise you are only pushing this rhetoric to promote you own political agenda.
Yes
A few facts the Watchdog over looked.
First Chirico had experience in municipal government before being elected mayor, something Wehrli does not have, but White does.
Second there is no study that has concluded a person with business experience is any more successful as an elected official then a person with no experience. The misconception that business experience is equal to or better then government experience is a long standing fallacy in some political circles and was started by Reagan. The fact is, at best, it is equal to no experience.
Here is a link to White’s response to all the property tax misinformation being spread by some people.
https://scontent-ord5-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/337429659_765242161818278_587247442332016489_n.jpg?_nc_cat=110&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=730e14&_nc_ohc=qHksR1_WQr4AX9Wx0rh&_nc_ht=scontent-ord5-2.xx&oh=00_AfDy3DYsvOXgDsgstfaOfc31JZfyLPjFQWdIx-_lnZJOlQ&oe=6427A5BF
Of course he and Ian refuse to say what their “disability” is. I would too after I posted tons of pictures on my Facebook pages of me out running, riding bikes, working out at health clubs. Anyone who knows anything about the VA knows guys like Ian and Benny know how to skirt the system to their advantage. Vets with real injuries get really upset when they see guys like these two take advantage of a system not designed for them. It makes it worse on truly disabled Vets. Benny and Ian are both scam artist.
https://dupagepolicyjournal.com/stories/640419566-ives-naperville-pol-property-tax-exemptions-taking-advantage-of-a-law-that-was-not-intended-for-them
The fact is the VA recommends many of the activities, you claim disqualify Benny or Ian as being truly disable, as physical therapy for certain disabilities. Were do you get the idea that running, biking, working out in health clubs, etc are not legitimate physical therapy of activities? Are you a qualified physical therapist?
Sorry but again your attempt to turn a VA benefit into a divisive partisan political issue come off looking irrational and as such a complete failure.
It needs to be made clear the Dupage Policy Journal is not a legitimate news source. It was created by a conservative group a few elections ago to push conservative talking points. The information in many of its “article” have been proven inaccurate in the past.
As has happened with the claim in this article that White pays no property taxes because of his VA certified disability.