Illoway Centering Mayoral Run On Roads And Revitalization

Pete Illoway says fixing the roads and revitalizing downtown Cheyenne would be among his top priorities if he is elected Mayor of Cheyenne.

Illoway says his solution to fixing potholes on city streets would consist of having city crews focus on fixing potholes in a given area of the city on a regional basis, rather than going from pothole to pothole around the city as he says is current city policy.

He says that might mean crews would spend two or hree days in a certain area or ward of the city, which he says would be a more efficient approach to the problem. He says as long as crews are in the area "let's fill potholes" rather than spending time traveling from pothole to pothole in different areas of the city.

Illoway says streets in general are in disrepair, which he sees as a major issue. He also says downtown Cheyenne needs attention.

"Downtown's not broken" he says. "We need to do something to move it forward," he adds.

Illoway says he "is a consensus builder with the skills to help diversify downtown Cheyenne."

He says he sees problems with the Children's Museum of Cheyenne asking for seventh penny funding on the November election ballot because the law would require proceeds from the seventh penny tax to be allocated across the county rather than just to the museum. He says other communities have their own development needs "and I don't see them sending their share back to Cheyenne" for the museum.

Illoway says he would support putting part of the cost of the museum--perhaps $10 million--on the sixth penny ballot. But he says he is wary of asking to fund the entire project through 6th-penny sales tax money "because there are other needs" for sixth penny money.

But he does say he supports the museum in general.

Illoway is a long-time Laramie County resident who served 14 years in the state House of Representatives. He is currently chair of the Cheyenne Airport Board of Directors and also is a member of the Wyoming Business Council.

He joins Amy Surdam, Scott Roybal and Marian Orr in the race for Mayor of Cheyenne.