DeKalb Times

Dixon Mayor Liandro “Li” Arellano is focusing on the positives.

“Anytime we can show Mike Madigan (D-Chicago) the door as Speaker of the House is a good day for Illinois,” Arellano told the DeKalb Times. “We’ve waited a long time for this day to come, and with Madigan finally gone, I feel like real reform finally has a chance to come to Illinois.”

Lawmakers in Springfield on Jan. 13 ended Madigan’s tenure as House speaker when Democrats picked Rep. Emanuel “Chris” Welch (D-Hillside) as his successor.

Pressure for Madigan to step aside grew as he was embroiled in a federal investigation over alleged corruption involving ComEd and a pay-for-play scheme.

Arellano is hoping the Welch era comes to represent a different time for Springfield.

“He says he supports things like fair maps and term limits, issues that could truly mean a difference in Illinois,” Arellano said. “You have to hope he means it. You want to give him the benefit of the doubt because it means so much for Illinois. We’ll find out soon enough if he means what he says about reforms or if it’s just more talk.”

With Madigan still in position as a state representative and chairman of the Illinois Democratic Party, Arellano is hoping Springfield’s break from his control is as thorough as it can be.

“He still has enormous influence in the Democratic Party with members, especially when it comes to fundraising connections and control he still figures to have,” he said. “I’m convinced over the first month or two, Welch and his team have to make a clean break from the past. How quickly that happens will tell us a lot about what we can expect in the future.”