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News
Sugar Grove mayor to challenge Lauzen : News : Oswego Ledger-Sentinel : Hometown Newspaper for Oswego and Montgomery, IllinoisSugar Grove mayor to challenge Lauzen
| Michels says long-time GOP incumbent 'just hasn't been effective'
| by Tony Scott
| 10/29/2009
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The mayor of Sugar Grove is poised to challenge State Senator Chris Lauzen in the upcoming Republican primary election.
Village President P. Sean Michels filed candidacy paperwork with the State Board of Elections in Springfield on Monday, which was the first day candidates can file for the Feb. 2 primary. Candidates can file through next Monday, Nov. 2.
Lauzen, R-Aurora, also filed paperwork with the Board of Elections, marking his formal bid for re-election to a sixth term in office. Lauzen was first elected as state senator in 1992.
Leslie Juby, a member of the Geneva School District Board, also filed Monday for the February primary, as a candidate in the Democratic Party. As of press time, she is unopposed in her party's primary.
Michels has been village president of Sugar Grove since December of 1999. He is a graduate of Kaneland High School and holds an associates degree from Waubonsee Community College in Sugar Grove, a bachelor's degree in finance and economics from Illinois State University, and a master's degree in business administration (MBA) from Aurora University.
Michels suggested that Lauzen hasn't been effective as state senator.
"Chris Lauzen's been in office for 17 years, and just hasn't been effective, and maybe I can go down there and bring some tax dollars back," he said.
Michels said he wants to make Illinois "a business-friendly state."
"That's the only way we're going to work our way out of this recession: get people employed," he said. "Over the last couple years, Illinois has not been very business-friendly. We need to work on bringing jobs back so we can get people to work."
Michels listed the accolades Sugar Grove has received over the years, including a Governor's Home Town Award this year for the "Alive At 25" safe-driving program for teens the village runs with Kaneland High School and Waubonsee Community College. He said Business Week named Sugar Grove as the best affordable community in Illinois in December of 2007.
"That was based on low crime, affordability of homes, commute times, and things like that," he said.
Michels also touted that the village hosted the Solheim Cup golf tournament over the summer, which he said attracted over 120,000 visitors to the Sugar Grove area.
Michels also said Sugar Grove's financial rating increased from an 'A' to an 'A-plus' since 2008.
Michels has been a Republican precinct committeeman for eight years. He said he also served as a trustee for the Sugar Grove Township Park District.
Michels resides with his wife, Valerie, and four kids in Sugar Grove.
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