Incumbent Theilen faces former city spokesman Slottag 

Kris Theilen is a self-described “computer guy.”

The Ward 8 alderman is seeking a third term on the Springfield City Council, and he’s using his computer skills to bolster his campaign. From a list of about 11,500 people registered to vote in his ward, he eliminated those people who have moved, haven’t voted in recent elections or have died, narrowing his list to about 3,000 people. He’s intensely focusing his campaign efforts on that short list, hoping to overcome challenger Ernie Slottag.

Although Slottag, 68, faces an uphill battle against a well-organized incumbent with a strong ground game, his own strengths include name recognition and an in-depth knowledge of city government gained by serving 17 years as the city’s spokesman under four mayors. He retired from that post and now runs a consulting business called Slottag Communications.

Ward 8 covers an area west of Springfield’s downtown, stretching west just past Veterans Parkway. Theilen, a 41-year-old management systems specialist at the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, was first elected to represent the ward in 2007 and ran unopposed in 2011.

“The way I view my position as an alderman is this: I’m your elected neighbor with a voice,” Theilen said. “There have been votes where I have gone back to the public, to neighborhood association meetings, and I’ve said, ‘We’re going to have this vote coming up. How do you feel about this?’ I feel that I represent Ward 8. I’m not elected to think for Ward 8.”

Slottag says he doesn’t have any major gripes about Theilen’s performance, but that he would try to include the constituents of Ward 8 in more decisions.

“We don’t have as much activity in Ward 8 as we need to have,” Slottag said. “Some things are getting attention and some things are not. I just think we need a more proactive approach to getting things accomplished.”

Theilen responds that he already has strong engagement with his constituents, responding to about 1,000 emails and 500 phone calls every year. He even lists his home phone number on his campaign literature. Theilen says that citizen input helped him determine the highest priorities for his two terms, including successfully passing an ordinance banning loud car stereos, getting road signs put up to warn of children at play and pushing for repairs to streets and sidewalks in his ward.

“There are big things that need to be accomplished as an alderman, but I think it’s the little things that give a better quality of life to your neighborhood,” he said.

Slottag says he hopes to spur more job creation in Springfield if elected. He points to Des Moines, Iowa, which last year welcomed a data center being built by software giant Microsoft. Springfield City Water, Light and Power already has an underutilized fiber optic communications network in place, Slottag notes, adding that the city council should play a role in attracting new businesses here.

“I don’t think we’ll ever make tractors again,” he said, referring to the nowdemolished Fiat-Allis factory in Springfield that employed about 6,000 people before it closed in 1985. “But there are other things we can do and other good-paying jobs we can attract if we really get proactive about it.”

Theilen is endorsed by former state senator Larry Bomke, Sangamon County Sheriff Wes Barr and former sheriff Neil Williamson, among others. He says his campaign has sent out several direct mail pieces and given out promotional items like jar openers, magnets and notepads. He has raised about $15,000 in this election cycle, much of it from labor groups. Slottag says he has raised more than $10,000.

Slottag says he has been going door-todoor in Ward 8 every weekend, reaching about 2,400 households since the day he turned in 719 signatures to get his name on the ballot; the minimum needed is 275 signatures.

“It’s really exciting to see what people have to say and what their concerns are,” Slottag said. “For too long, they’ve been kind of outsiders, and we need to bring them in.”

Theilen says he’s the ultimate outsider, with no political background before running in 2007.

“I see myself as being the voice for the little guy,” he said. “Anyone who knows me or my family knows we’re just down-to-earth people.”

Contact Patrick Yeagle at [email protected].

Read a longer version of this article online at illinoistimes.com