News and Features

Two candidates to face off for 4th District alderman

Containing costs, development are key

Jan. 9, 2009

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Two candidates will run to occupy the 4th District aldermanic seat on the Wauwatosa Common Council during the spring election.

Incumbent Jill Organ will run against challenger John Hallanger to fill the seat for one year. Both residents filed candidacy papers by the Jan. 6 deadline, Deputy Clerk Susan Van Hoven said.

The winner would represent the 4th District until 2010, the remainder of the four-year term formerly filled by Mayor Jill Didier.

Didier appointed Organ to temporarily fill the aldermanic seat after winning the mayoral post last April. Now that Organ has gotten her feet wet in city government, she would like to continue.

"This is a chance to make a solid impact," she said.

For important issues facing the city, she names redevelopment of Hart Park, future economic development, and encouraging staff to continue to find creative ways to save money without reducing services.

"I have learned that what I believe is not necessarily what the residents of my district want, and I work hard to vote the way the people in my district want me to vote."

Winning the election would give Organ the opportunity to fill the remainder of the term on the council, where she has been serving on the Budget and Finance, Legislation and Licensing and Communications committees and the Parks and Forestry Board.

But Organ will receive competition for the position from Hallanger, who has been involved in many political campaigns - he supported local aldermanic candidates and served as the Obama/Biden team leader and Get Out the Vote Director for Wauwatosa - and has decided to run for city office.

"I have enjoyed working with others in Wauwatosa as a volunteer leader," he said in an e-mail. "I have seen what can be accomplished when citizens work together under energetic leadership. This is a crucial time for Wauwatosa, given the state of the economy: there is a great need for leadership on the Common Council to keep our costs down while maintaining necessary services."

He cites keeping city costs low while maintaining necessary services, crime reduction and the need for detailed long-term planning for business development as three important issues facing Wauwatosa.

Stefanie Scott can be reached at (262) 446-6618.