Fresh start: Aurora's new mayor, city council take office
AURORA, Ill. - Aurora's new leaders say they’re charting a new path.
More than a thousand people were in attendance Tuesday night for the city’s aldermanic and mayoral inaugurations, including former Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn and the Counsel General of India.
The Paramount Theater was filled with business owners, students, seniors, city employees, and of course, long-time Aurora residents.
Nearly every chair was filled to witness the swearing-in of city council members and the outgoing alderman—now mayor—John Laesch.
Laesch succeeds two term Republican Mayor Richard Irvin, who's been criticized for running an alleged pay-to-play administration, specifically awarding millions of dollars in city subsidies to big campaign donors.
Laesch, who is a military veteran, has lived in Aurora since 2008. On the campaign trail, his priorities included reducing city debt, investing in green energy and modernizing Illinois' second-largest city of 175,000 residents.
Incoming Ald. Keith Larson made history at 29 years old as the youngest person ever elected to city council in the western suburb.
Also historic, one-third of council members are now Latino.