Riverside Party Announces Filing of 2009 Candidates and Releases Platform

The Riverside Party today (January 20, 2009) filed its slate for the 2009 Riverside Village Board Elections: for Village President, Kevin F. Smith; and for Village Trustees, David Lesniak, Anthony Miezio, and Kelly Navarro.

“The Riverside Party slate represents a range of views and ideas about the future of our Village,” said Kevin Smith, RP Presidential candidate. ”I’m pleased to run with a group of dedicated individuals who are not single-issue candidates. We are all independent, strong-minded people who share a mutual desire to work together for the betterment of our Village. The Riverside Party stands for independence, positive leadership, and proven commitment to our Village.”

The Riverside Party also today released its platform, with a focus on protecting Riverside’s natural beauty, preserving its financial security, revitalizing its business districts, maximizing the value of its public facilities, and keeping its residents better informed of Village affairs. In furtherance of these goals, the RP candidates point to their strong professional records in finance, law, and architecture and their experience in government, business, and civic affairs.

The RP candidates emphasize that as a slate they are all committed to a better Riverside, but that as individuals they will make independent judgments on Village issues. They point to their diversity and ability to offer a range of experience and fresh perspectives. And they emphasize their broad ties to Riverside through their many volunteer efforts. “Our slate has a strong background in community involvement,” said Kelly Navarro, RP candidate for Riverside Village Trustee, and past-President of the Riverside Junior Woman’s Club and Charity. “If we can engage our Village’s existing volunteer groups in common purpose, great things will come.”

The Riverside Party looks forward to vigorous and broad-reaching public discussions about the future of our Village, and has called for public debates. “All of the Riverside Party candidates have been active in the Village for years in various groups, our schools, and our recreational programs,” said Smith. “Certainly my views are well known because I have always been vocal about what I believe is best for our Village. We owe it to the voters to publicly and clearly state our views. Then the voters can evaluate the competing visions and capabilities of all the candidates.”

More information on the Riverside Party candidates and their platform is available at www.riversideparty.org.