Will County News spoke with Joliet Mayoral candidate Andy Mihelich at the recent Informate, Get Informed Candidates forum held at the Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish Banquet Hall in Joliet.
First, in regards to salaries of City of Joliet employees, Mihelich said that City of Joliet "salaries and fringe benefits have to be sustainable, they have to be the right size to meet the needs of the citizens of Joliet without a property tax increase."
Next, Will County News asked Mihelich what he thought of a recent report by the Warehouse Workers for Justice which argued that many jobs in area warehouses are temporary and do not offer benefits. Mihelich responded: "I don't consider a good job anything less than $10 dollars an hour with benefits. We should not promote, we should not incentive any project that pays less than $10 an hour."
Mihelich said that if elected, he would implement an aggressive economic development program to include an economic development commission which would promote Joliet as Joliet, not as a suburb. Mihelich also said he would create partnerships with local business groups and community resources such as JJC.
Mihelich said he would ensure minority contractor participation meets its goals.
Mihelich also said Joliet "needs to utilize the Latino business owners on Collins street as an example of good entrepreneurship and use of private capital that creates jobs in local neighborhoods."
