Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2009

St. Clair County board member wants Gordon Bush's job as county assessor

Many incumbents file primary petitions

BELLEVILLE -- St. Clair County Board member Ed Cockrell, R-New Athens, plans to break the Democrats' stranglehold on countywide elected offices in next year's general election.

Cockrell, the chairman of the County Board finance committee, on Monday filed his application and nominating petitions for Democrat Gordon Bush's job as county assessor. Monday was also when Bush filed his application and petitions.

Monday was the first day candidate applications and petition signatures could be submitted for the primary in February. The deadline for filing is 5 p.m. Monday.

Stephen McArthur, of Belleville, filed as a Republican candidate for St. Clair County sheriff, which Democratic incumbent Mearl Justus has held for seven four-year terms. Justus filed for re-election to an eighth term Monday.

In Madison County, Frank Miles, director of the county's Planning and Development Department, announced he plans to run for county treasurer as a Democrat. Incumbent Fred Bathon, a Democrat, is retiring later this year.

A Republican, Kurt Prenzler, had previously announced he is running for county treasurer.

Miles, a former chief of staff for U.S. Rep. Jerry Costello, said he plans to communicate with taxpayers on how their tax dollars are spent.

He said he plans to create a "taxpayer help desk" to "answer any questions related to finance raised by county residents, and a taxpayer education program that is second to none in the state of Illinois."

He added, "I also intend to create a bi-partisan, citizen-based taxpayer advisory board to assist my office in the development of new programs and policies."

Other Madison County filings were unavailable Monday.

St. Clair County's state lawmakers and their challengers filed their applications and nominating petitions for the February primary ballot, including:

* Incumbent state Rep. Dan Beiser, D-Alton, for the 111th District seat.

* Incumbent state Rep. John Cavaletto, R-Salem, filed for the 107th District seat he won in 2008.

* Incumbent state Rep. Dan Reitz, D-Steeleville, for the 116th District seat. The Republican primary will be a race between John W. Piazza, of Columbia, and Glenn Farley, of Waterloo.

* Incumbent state Rep. Eddie Lee Jackson, D-East St. Louis, filed for election in the 114th District seat. He was appointed to replate the late Wyvetter Younge..

Among St. Clair County Board members, the following incumbents filed for the February primary:

* John West, R-O'Fallon, District 15

* June Chartrand, D-Dupo, District 16

* Charles Lee, R-Mascoutah, District 20

* Wally Baltz, D-Millstadt, District 22

* Claire Prindable, D-Belleville, District 23

* Marty Crawford, D-unincorporated St. Clair County, District 24

* Ken Sharkey, D-Fairview Heights, District 27

* Carol Clark, D-Caseyville, District 29