Jim Montelongo considering run for Peoria mayor.
By Chris Kaergard
Journal Star political reporter Nick Vlahos
Journal Star reporter
When contacted last week, Montelongo said he wants to run again for the council seat he first won in 2013, after he served as an at-large representative from 2007 to 2011. But he also said the mayoral job is tempting."I think I possess different skills and experiences than what our current leadership has, and I think our city needs to be going in a different direction on how we get things done," said Montelongo, who didn't elaborate. "I think I have a different vision for where we need to go."The way things run, it's all based around what the mayor wants to do, and that's where it goes. I think things are already planned ahead of time. His go-to votes are usually there for him. It's a little frustrating."Among the biggest frustrations for Montelongo, apparently, is the tax-hike package the council approved last year. Montelongo joined Beth Akeson, Beth Jensen and Ryan Spain in the minority of 7-4 votes that approved a budget and the tax increases."I think if we wouldn't have got ourselves in the position we're in right now, we probably wouldn't have needed to raise taxes," Montelongo said. "This is a kind of cumulative over the years of robbing the streets to pay for other things."I don't think we've always spent money on basic city services first."