Dupage Policy Journal

Village of Roselle mayoral candidate Andy Maglio wants to lead the charge against two threats from above: power lines and airplane noise.

The village trustee and longtime public servant is taking a stand against a proposal from Commonwealth Edison to erect high-tension power lines at the northern edge of the village along Illinois Route 390.

Maglio said Roselle residents are concerned that living in proximity to power lines could be detrimental to their health.

“Its sad, but I’ve already had people moving out of the area,” Maglio told the DuPage Policy Journal. “People are scared.”

Maglio and the village are pushing for alternative methods, such as burying the power lines, but ComEd maintains that the proposed plan is the least-expensive option.

“We want what’s right for our residents because the biggest investments they have is their home and their health,” Maglio said.

He also raised the possibility that the project will hurt property values and the local tax base.

“If it goes through, property values will change drastically, and if property values change drastically, then property taxes will change drastically,” Maglio said.

On another front, Maglio wants to give residents some peace and quiet, rather than having to hear planes flying in and out of nearby O'Hare International Airport.

The airport used to alternate runways every six weeks, but it recently stopped the practice, meaning residents get no break from the noise.

“Its sad when the weather is nice and you can’t open the window because of the sound,” Maglio said. “Its a quality of life issue.”

While Maglio and his mayoral opponent Wayne Domke agree on these issues, Maglio says the difference is his experience in public service roles in the village. Maglio has been a trustee since 2009. Prior to that he served both as commissioner and chairman of the Village of Roselle Planning and Zoning Board. He has also been a member of the Roselle Chamber of Commerce since 1982.

Maglio touted his financial oversight as a trustee, claiming that since he began serving on the board, the village has gone from a deficit to an surplus of approximately $875,000.