Normal’s mayoral hopefuls gathered Tuesday night to discuss challenges facing the town at a WGLT forum at Illinois State University.
Town council members Kathleen Lorenz and Chemberly Harris shared the stage with incumbent Chris Koos to discuss the housing shortage, tax policy, the Uptown underpass and more.
Koos has served as Normal’s mayor for 22 years, and positioned himself accordingly. Discussing his tenure, he touted economic development, infrastructure improvements and job creation.
Lorenz has served on the town council for 10 years, plus several years each on the zoning board of appeals and planning commission. Lorenz campaigns on addressing “unchecked budget growth” and aims to more strategically use existing resources.
Harris is in her second term on the town council. She also draws upon experience working with the Illinois Municipal League and National League of Cities, where Harris says she’s helped push key priorities like infrastructure.
Housing shortage
The first topic raised to the candidates was how to address the community’s housing shortage.
Koos said there are many factors coming together to worsen the crisis for developers and towns. The volatility of federal policy was an occasional specter throughout the night, and Koos said it could worsen those contributing factors.
“It’s hard for a developer to bring a project to fruition. We’ve seen it all across the country,” Koos said. “It’s a very systemic problem facing the United States right now. I’m sorry to say, given what’s going on with tariffs in Canada where most of our lumber comes from, it’s going to get worse.”
Koos said the town should be acting as a partner with developers to help facilitate new housing, a framing echoed by the other candidates.
Lorenz was optimistic that cooperation between the Twin Cities would bring more effective solutions.
“It is not something that is insurmountable,” Lorenz said. “I think a couple of two or three coordinated projects with Bloomington will be able to get this done.”
It’s important not to forget that the community’s housing woes hit hardest in the increasing number of people rendered unhoused, she said.
On a similar note, Harris said it's important that what housing is added is affordable to the people who need it.
“What are we going to do about some of our issues and gaps we have with transitional housing, and making sure that we have equitable housing, meaning people at all income levels have housing available?” she asked.
Harris suggested policies that answer those needs should be prioritized.
Taxes and fees
Where housing was marked by a general sense of shared goals between the candidates, it was on tax policy that clear differences emerged. On the town council, Harris and Koos have recently been in favor of keeping a local grocery tax and increasing the property tax levy. Lorenz voted against them.
Lorenz frequently referenced the idea that 1-2% less spending in the town’s budget would be sustainable under her leadership, and that controlling budget growth would help flatten or cut tax increases. She also demanded transparency in how mental health funding is used in the community.
Though all three candidates declined to specify how they will vote on a proposed 1% sales tax for school funding also on the April 1 ballot, Lorenz said she worries it would drive big-ticket purchases out of the county and therefore push away some revenue.
“What’s going to keep me staying here to buy that car or that new watch,” Lorenz said, “versus going to Peoria, where maybe the [total sales tax] is only 9%?”
Though many other counties in Illinois have a similar school funding sales tax, some do not.
Harris and Koos were of similar minds on taxes and fees, answering Lorenz’s ideas by asserting that flat or reduced taxes mean cutting services. Harris said the town always carefully considers the necessity of taxes and fees, referencing hikes in water rates.
“We’re not saying, ‘I did it because I’ve done it before,’” Harris said. “We’ve taken a look at why it’s still needed, and those explanations are given to us.”
Koos also referenced water services as a point where gradual rate increases in rates have yielded positive results for Normal, where other communities have been forced to compensate with larger rate hikes. Lorenz has repeatedly voted against the town's recent 2% annual water rate increases.
“One big issue is replacing galvanized and lead lines, and communities across Illinois are struggling with that,” Koos said. “We will finish up this fall on having that completely replaced. Every year we invest in our infrastructure — new water lines, relining sewers, things like that.”
Koos and Harris aligned in arguing reducing taxes and fees can mean degrading services the community relies upon, while Lorenz maintained some spending could be shaved off.
Electric bikes and scooters
Until now, there's been no movement on electric scooter regulations in the Town of Normal. City Manager Pam Reece said in December the town will not recommend approving use of e-scooters as an intended use on streets and sidewalks. This does not amount to a ban, but concerns have been raised over pavement maintenance and safety.
Koos echoed those concerns, saying design elements like small wheels can make many such vehicles unsafe over anything but very smooth terrain.
Harris said there are types of small vehicles beyond e-bikes and e-scooters, and it would be important to carefully consider how to best regulate them so they can be used appropriately. Emails routinely come in about such vehicles in places like the Constitution Trail, Harris said.
Lorenz took a cautious stance, adding that she thinks discussions on these vehicles with local officials have been closed to the public, an assertion Koos denied. Lorenz said she wants the public more involved with deciding the issue.
The hard choices
The candidates were asked to put forth an example of making an unpopular choice they believed was in the community’s interest.
Harris’ example was being in favor of a rule giving 24 hours of notice before landlord entry for Normal renters, which would have been up from 12, which Harris framed as protecting the rights of Normal residents. Harris cited her studies in political science and experience working in the National League of Cities, emphasizing her enthusiasm and desire to engage the entire community.
Koos drew once again on his record, discussing projects in Uptown like the Children’s Discovery Museum. While some were initially unpopular, Koos said, working with the community brought new asserts as proposals moved forward. In his final pitch, Koos portrayed himself as the “steady hand” to guide the town and the only candidate with experience leading through a Trump presidency.
Lorenz answered the question with her vote against the grocery tax. While moderators noted it wasn’t necessarily a publicly unpopular move, it did put her in the minority on the council. According to Lorenz, her approachability and listening would be important features of her leadership. She drew on her education in industrial engineering throughout the evening as she argued for maintaining the town’s important services while seeking to relieve taxes and fees.
Early voting in the mayoral election is in progress now, with Election Day on April 1.
Tuesday's forum in the Bone Student Center Brown Ballroom was sponsored by WGLT, the Vidette, the ISU Center for Civic Engagement, the ISU Student Government Association, the McLean County League of Women Voters, and the Bloomington Normal NAACP.
Video: Watch the Facebook Live video stream from Tuesday's event below:
