With less than two weeks before the April 5 runoff election, new television commercials for City Council candidates are starting to appear.
Ads for three candidates — 25th Ward Ald. Daniel Solis, 38th Ward Ald. Timothy Cullerton and 45th Ward candidate John Arena — are currently airing on cable television. The commercial touting Arena is paid for by the Service Employees International Union, which endorsed him over John Garrido in the runoff to replace retiring Ald. Patrick Levar. SEIU State Council President Thomas Balanoff said the union plans on spending $100,000 to keep the ad running until the election.
The pro-Arena ad accuses Garrido of favoring the privatization of city services, including the city’s heavily-criticized lease of its parking meter system. (Scroll down to see the ad.)
Garrido supported the privatization of county assets during his unsuccessful run in last year’s Republican primary for Cook County board president, but he said he has since changed his position.
“I’ve learned more about how these deals go through,” Garrido said. “I’ve seen the city doesn’t do its proper research.”
The SEIU commercial for Arena also alleged that Garrido “took cash from the corporation making millions from the parking meter deal.”*
That was a reference to a $500 contribution that Garrido received from Juan Gaytan, the president of Monterrey Security, a subcontractor for the private operator of the city’s street parking system.
Garrido said he met Gaytan through the Metropolitan Leadership Institute, a civic executive training program for Latinos operated by the influential United Neighborhood Organization. Gaytan said Garrido did not solicit the campaign donation and regretted that it has become an issue in the race.
“I feel horrible that it’s a campaign issue against him,” Gaytan said. “I just felt like donating to a smart man like John. I want to continue to support him but I don’t want to take away from what the issues are.”
“They’re trying to draw me into their nonsense,” Garrido said of the SEIU ad. “I’m not going to jump into the gutter with Arena and start going back and forth.”
SEIU’s Balanoff accused Garrido of trying to hide from his past.
“I don’t think it reflects on Arena one way or the other. This is about [Garrido]” Balanoff said. “This is his record, and people who run for public office shouldn’t run away from their record.”
Arena said he has not seen the SEIU ad, which ends with a plug for his campaign.
“We’re talking about my message [and] my record on what I’ve done in the community,” Arena said. “If John wants to make this about one ad SEIU is doing, I think he should spend more time defining who he is as a candidate and less time telling me I’m not doing things the right way.”
Balanoff said SEIU may air radio commercials for other candidates it is supporting in the runoff, but the Arena ad will be its only television spot of the extended campaign.
In the 25th Ward race, Solis said he plans on spending about $90,000 on his cable tv ad and will also debut a radio ad this weekend on Spanish-language stations featuring U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez. Solis is facing Cuauhtémoc Morfin in the runoff.
In the 38th Ward runoff, Cullerton said he was unsure of the cost of his ad, which takes aim at challenger Tom Caravette.
All three ads were produced by Ken Snyder and Terrie Pickerill of the Snyder Pickerill Media Group, which handled media strategy for Gery Chico’s mayoral campaign.
*Correction: The original article incorrectly stated that the ad accused Garrido of accepting contributions from LAZ Parking, the company that operates the city’s parking meter system.
As a 45th Ward resident, I find it hard to believe that Mr. Arena has not seen one of the attack ads made on his behalf by SEIU. I had originally been supporting Arena for alderman, but have since changed my mind because of the fact that what was once a decent grass roots campaign on his part has now been turned over to a labor union. What is SEIU’s interest in the 45th Ward anyway?
We need an alderman who will represent OUR interests, and not those of SEIU. John Garrido has run an honorable campaign based on the issues. As such, he will receive my vote on April 5th.
Hopefully others feel the same way.
The SEIU is a union that represents city workers.
The SEIU is backing John Arena.
There will come a time where the city has to sit down at a negotiating table with the SEIU to work out a contract. And if John Arena wins the SEIU will be sitting on both sides of the negotiating table.
If you are gonna “Truth Squad” an ad you should get it right. The ad does not say Garrido took money from LAZ. It says Garrido took money from a company that made millions off the parking meter deal. That is different and describes Gaytan’s Monterrey Security. Get it right next time Hunter.
With respect to the Arena campaign you may want to read what people in the know are saying at http://concerned45thcitizen.wordpress.com/2011/03/20/part-ii-john-arena-antics-in-the-45th-ward-race/
John Arena talks about his “record” in the 45th. WOW look down Milwaukee Ave. by Six Corners, I dont like that record, and his message spells “Blight”.