Closer to Home: What Makes a Good Mayor

Federal races dominate the headlines, but the officials with the most direct effect on daily life are the ones running your town: the people who decide when the garbage trucks come, which streets get repaved, and how quickly the plows reach your block after a snowfall. On this episode of A Political Talk Show on WRMN 1410, municipal law attorney Jim Vasselli of Vasselli Law joins the program to ask what makes a good mayor. The conversation looks at why local leaders face more direct accountability than any state or federal official, often fielding complaints in the grocery store aisle, and why character and neighborliness weigh so heavily in local elections. Vasselli highlights Lake County mayors who balance public office with private careers, including Zion's Billy McKinney, a former Northwestern and NBA standout. The episode closes with some practical advice on early voting and on researching down-ballot candidates.