Peoria City Council candidates square off as election approaches
PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — With the Consolidated General Election coming up April 1, Peoria City Council candidates debated each other at Ward Chapel Church Friday evening.
The event was hosted by the Peoria branch of the NAACP and Delta Sigma Theta Peoria Alumni Chapter.
A myriad of topics were discussed, from juvenile crime to attracting businesses to improving infrastructure.
The 1st District race is between incumbent Denise Jackson and James Kemper.
Kemper previously ran for city council unsuccessfully but is back for another go. He focused on what he would like to see changed, from addressing the high tax and crime rates to fixing the intersection of Main Street and University Street.
He also wants to use his business acumen to attract new businesses to the city, believing adding to Peoria's tax base will lead to growth. He also wants to take a page out of East Peoria's book, saying that they are more friendly to business than their counterparts across the Illinois River.
In addition, Kemper wants an 'urban plan that works,' saying the city's current way of doing things needs to be changed.
Jackson disagreed, saying the rebuild is already underway and that another plan is not necessary.
She added that she is a 'champion of neighborhoods,' wanting to invest in the community and improve infrastructure.
Jackson also noted the numerous housing developments that have been established under her tenure, as well as investing in resources such as Market 309 to address food insecurity.
In terms of addressing juvenile crime, Jackson said that she 'sees the problems 'as an educator at Elise Ford Allen Academy.
She said it can be 'difficult' to reach children, and that even more problems can arise when trying to reach the parents. Jackson ended her response by saying that trust needs to be built between parents, children, and external forces like teachers.
Kemper said truancy has become an issue in the school system, and that there needs to be 'something to aspire to' in terms of more job opportunities.
District 1 encompasses the Warehouse District, South Peoria, and parts of the West Bluff.
The 2nd District race features two political newcomers in Alex Carmona and Estrella Diaz, both vying for the seat Chuck Grayeb is leaving behind.
Carmona moved to Peoria a few years ago with his family from Colorado and called the city a 'hidden gem.'
He believes the city's downtown, part of the 2nd District's area, is 'ready to boom' if government leaders want it to. Similar to Kemper, he wants to make Peoria more 'business-friendly,' and believes the city has untapped potential for growth.
Diaz, a lifelong Peoria resident, said she is running because she wants to change the status quo and look out for those who feel left behind.
Similar to 4th District Councilman Andre Allen, she wants to set up monthly meetings with constituents and 'meet people where they're at.'
She centered her campaign around people, saying people are the 'soul' of a city.
In terms of addressing juvenile crime, Carmona thinks that providing young people with good role models is essential to lowering the crime rate.
'I have friends in the trades, and I'd try to show them there's a real, viable way to earn a living here in Peoria. But it takes a little bit of work and some discipline. But more than that, it takes guidance,' he said.
Diaz echoed Carmona's sentiments about showing more support for young Peorians.
'It's all about helping out one another and setting up our kids for a brighter future. If we invest in the youth, we invest in our future,' she said.
Incumbent 4th District Councilman Andre Allen is going up against Jamie Messmore, and business talks occupied the majority of the debate between the two.
Allen spoke about the investment in entertainment options such as Tilted 10 at Northwoods Mall, and the soon to be built Raising Cane's. He also spoke about how he listens to what his constituents want and believes he's done enough to be elected to another term.
Messmore talked about how she wants to fix the roads, have safer neighborhoods, and attract more businesses to the city.
The main source of conflict between the two came during a discussion about Best Buy moving from Peoria to East Peoria.
Messmore said the store is taking $750,000 in property taxes across the river, which Allen disputed, saying the city received $11,000 from the business in terms of property tax revenue.
'For them to cut a check to the city for $750,000, that is a lot of MacBook Pro's,' he said.
Messmore defended her claim.
'The average Best Buy does $43 million in revenue, so taking the percentage of sales tax, they do sell a lot of MacBooks and a lot of other things as well,' she said.
Allen questioned her source of information, saying he wasn't sure if she used ChatGPT, an artificial intelligence program, to come up with the data.
Incumbent Denis Cyr is going up against Hind Abi-Akar in the 5th District race, which covers most of the northern part of the city.
Cyr has been part of the council for the past 8 years, having moved to the city after his professional hockey career, where he played for teams such as the Chicago Blackhawks, St. Louis Blues, and Peoria Rivermen.
He was questioned about his voting record concerning black-owned businesses trying to obtain liquor licenses, as well as the public camping ban.
Cyr defended himself by saying he tries to vote for the interests of his constituents, and that he felt his vote reflected their views.
Abi-Akar said she wants the voice of the people to be the driving force and that she doesn't think it's been the case recently.
She hopes to implement data to find solutions to problems, and that she enjoys working with people in order to achieve this.
Cyr said he 'loves' serving his district and hopes to serve another four years, bringing up his support with the Homeowner's Associations within his district.
Elections will be decided on April 1.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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