Journal Editor

An estimated 150 political supporters of Mayor Tony Arredia were treated to a thank you party on Tuesday, Apr. 12 at the Fountain Blue banquet hall in Des Plaines.

Among those who attended were six of the city's eight aldermen and the individual Arredia defeated in the last mayoral election four years ago. The only alderman not invited was Carla Brookman (5th), who in recent years has been critical of Arredia.

"I threw a small party for people who were ready to help me in the Apr. 5 election if we had had one," said Arredia. Some of those were people who had circulated nominating petitions on behalf of Arredia to have his name placed on the Apr. 5 ballot One of those circulators was Eldon Burk, the former Maine West High School assistant principal who Arredia defeated in the 2001 mayoral election.

Arredia said he paid for the party, which included hors d'oeuvres, beer and wine, from money deposited in his campaign fund, which totaled about $12,000. What he did not spend on the party, Arredia said he gave to local charities such as veterans organizations $2,000; the Des Plaines Senior Center, $1,000; Des Plaines Healthy Community Partnership $3,000; Special Olympics $500; and Des Plaines Theater Preservation Society $500.

"What was I going to do with $12,000?" Arredia asked. "I'll clean out my campaign fund to zero. I don't believe in holding onto it. If I run for office again I'll collect money back. I started with zero."