Companies donate to former Sunset Hills mayor
Eight companies that share an address with the McEagle development company in O’Fallon, Mo. contributed to the campaign of former Sunset Hills Mayor John Hunzeker a week before the April 8 mayoral elections, a campaign finance report from his campaign committee shows.
The companies contributed a total of $2,600 — $325 each, the maximum that state law allows to a candidate in a jurisdiction of Sunset Hill’s size. They occurred April 1, several days after the time for reporting contributions eight days before the April 8 election.
The St. Louis County Election Board received the report last Monday. It was due 30 days after the election.
McEagle wanted to redevelop the Heimos nursery on Eddie and Park Road just east of Lindbergh Boulevard. The company proposed two versions of a redevelopment that included office buildings of up to four stories which nearby residents strongly opposed.
A reporter could not reach anyone at McEagle who could explain the relationship of the eight companies with McEagle.
Hunzeker lost the mayoral race to Alderman Mike Svoboda, 4th Ward. The former mayor spent $13,755,08 in his unsuccessful effort to win a second term. Hunzeker raised $12,138.96 in that effort, the report said.
The campaign committee that helped elect Svoboda reported raising $9.259.16 and spending $7,470.12 thus far. It reported raising $470 and spending $225, mainly for a brochure design, from April 1 to May 3.
Hunzeker in a reporting period from March 28 to May 3, raised $5,125 and spent $3,048.65. Most of the spending was for campaign paraphernalia.
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John Hunzeker was a huge disappointment. He rode in as a white knight for the beleaguered residents of Sunset Manor, promising ‘change’. We all know that ‘change’ is an emotional appeal in politics that doesn’t usually deliver much substance. In Hunzeker’s case, he didn’t really want change at all, as his Westfield-funded political campaign really sought to preserve Sunset Manor just as it was (is). And the ‘fix’ he promised for Sunset Manor (state and federal government assistance for area improvements)never materialized. To John’s credit, that is not his fault, because it takes years for that process to occur. But don’t tell the voters that…just believe in ‘change.’
And now we see that he was in yet another large developer’s pocket (McEagle), working on a project unpopular with the affected residents. This comes on top of the John’s unsuccessful effort to expand the office park next to the Viking, which also was unpopular with the residents.
Hypocacy? YES. But what are the lessons we learn from this? One: commercial real estate professionals should not be allowed to hold municipal public office, as the conflicts of interest are insurmountable. Two: Voters at any level should not vote for candidates who simply run on the promise of ‘Change’. This is a hollow platform. (Beware Barack Obama here.)
Mayor Svoboda, here’s to winning the election on your own merits and without the help of Joyce Aboussie & Co. Now go forward with transparency. One suggestion: hold public forums to allow residents to develop a long-range plan for the Sunset Hills community. Then you will have everyone on the same page. Including developers. This document will become the cornerstone of your administration.