Another candidate in the 2025 Peoria mayoral election comes from inside the Peoria City Council.
Former at-large and current Second District representative Chuck Grayeb announced his candidacy for the city’s top spot on Tuesday morning. He's been on the city council for a combined 23 years.
Grayeb’s announcement identifies crime and the unhoused as “clouds that need to be dispelled” over the city, priorities if he is elected.
“I believe that we have been moving down the road to diversify our economy, but we have to ensure people want to continue to live in our city,” said Grayeb, 74. “And when they’re hearing gunshots every night and they’re worried about their children going out to play, this is not sustainable.”
The former Peoria Public Schools teacher said he doesn’t have specific actions the city would take, as “no mayor, certainly not in Peoria, can do anything unilaterally.”
But he intends to work collaboratively with law enforcement, crime and homelessness-related agencies and other mayors in “similarly situated” cities. He believes his years of experience on the council make him a persuasive and effective leader at the helm.
“These aren’t optional changes anymore, these are changes that have to be made for us to continue to be a prosperous, safe community where people want to live,” he said.
Grayeb cited unhoused encampments as one issue that requires change.
“I’m keenly aware of the consternation on the part of many people who love our downtown, go to our downtown, who have mega investments in our downtown, about some of the distractions that are there,” he said. “Very real distractions, from things as unpleasant to talk about as folks who go into our parking decks and use them as toilets. No great city can allow that to happen, and encampments that are out and about, all over.”
When asked if he would support a change to city code to have them cleared, similar to a recent change in Pekin, he said he is still reviewing the possibilities.
“Hopefully, and this is where I’m coming from, hopefully, whatever we do, whether it looks like Pekin’s, or, you know, something that’s Peoria-fied, it will help give [the unhoused] that little extra assistance to get them in a safe, clean environment,” Grayeb said.
Grayeb joins a field of current mayor Rita Ali, who has officially announced her re-election campaign, and at-large council member John Kelly, who confirmed to WCBU he was seeking the position last week.
Grayeb rejoined the city council after an absence as the Second District representative in 2013. This announcement means his seat will be open for the election in 2025. He said he’s not concerned about handing over the reins.
“There are a lot of talented people, I believe, who will be throwing their hats into the ring to be Second District city council,” he said. “And I have been in conversation with some of those who might be interested in throwing their hats into the ring here fairly soon.”
Grayeb did not provide any additional details on who may be seeking the seat.
The official candidate filing period is Oct. 21-28. Grayeb’s entrance in the race means there will be a primary election on Feb. 25, 2025. The mayoral election will be April 1, 2025.
