Voters in this election have two choices for the Libertyville mayor seat. Incumbent Donna Johnson is seeking another term and is being challenged by Village Trustee Matthew Hickey.
Johnson first ran for trustee in 2007 and won. In the office, Johnson served as chair of the Streets Committee. She also became known for lobbying to increase the pay for elected officials, arguing that it would increase the quality of candidates holding office.
She was recruited by outgoing mayor Terry Wheppler to run for the seat. She was unopposed in the race and sworn in on April 6th 2021. As she seeks re-election, Johnson is running on a platform of “smart growth” and “good decisions” on behalf of the Libertyville community.
Johnson was successful in selling the Libertyville Sports Complex to a Canadian developer. The facility had been loosing money arising from accumulated debt. Johnson is also the subject of controversy stemming from the effort to develop the Libetyville Theater site. As we reported, a development team ran into substantial roadblocks in the permit process finally resulting in costly litigation being filed. Libertyville has earned a reputation for making new projects unnecessarily difficult. Johnson is also said to be pushing for a grocery tax increase.
Matthew Hickey became a Libertyville Trustee after running successfully in 2021 and has served as Chair of the Village Finance Committee. Hickey first moved to Libertyville with his family in 2005. He has an advanced degree in Urban Planning & Policy and his career is in financing community development projects.
Hickey is running on a platform of supporting local business, tax fairness, community safety, competitive bidding, smart development and maintaining Libertyville’s traditions.
In an interview Hickey expressed that he would focus on “openness” and “community-driven decision making.” Hickey said, “Growth must align with infrastructure needs so roads, schools, and public spaces keep pace. Supporting small businesses through zoning improvements and economic incentives will strengthen our local economy.”
While we respect Johnson’ service, we see Hickey as an agent for positive change He has the education, professional experience and enthusiasm to move Libertyville forward while respecting those community aspects that residents enjoy.