Elmhurst Mayor Takes City Contractor's Campaign Donation

ELMHURST, IL – Elmhurst Mayor Scott Levin's campaign accepted a $1,000 donation from a city contractor in January.

The money came from Rosemont-based Christoper Burke Engineering, which does work for many suburbs.

Over the last two years, Levin's campaign has taken $3,000 from the firm.

It's a relatively small amount compared with mayors in towns such as Bensenville and Lyons, who regularly take many contributions from their towns' vendors.

Asked about Burke's donations, Levin said last week he knew the firm did a lot of work when Elmhurst embarked on major stormwater projects 15 years ago. But he said he was unaware of the current monthly work.

After Patch's inquiry, Levin said he called city staff, who informed him that Burke was the city's consultant on the Spring Road stormwater project.

Since October, Elmhurst has paid Burke nearly $50,000 for its work, according to city records.

Levin said he did not take part in the contract decisions involving Burke.

"Burke is the leading engineering firm with respect to stormwater, and I am sure the recent contracts with Burke are because of its knowledge of the City's stormwater issues and our past relationship," Levin said in an email.

He said he had known Christoper Burke for many years, long before he took the helm in 2021.

"His recent contribution is relatively small and not in an amount that one would expect to influence city decision-making," the mayor said. "I can assure you that it has not influenced mine."

The recent donation, Levin said, was made in conjunction with a January fundraiser. Although it is not an election year, Levin said he was trying to erase a $40,000 campaign debt that remained after his 2021 and 2025 elections.

Levin said his before-tax $8,000 mayoral salary cannot put a dent in the debt.

"The public in Elmhurst should perceive the contribution as minor and from a professional colleague who supports municipal elected officials," Levin said. "The public should also know that elections cost money, and I cannot self-fund mine."

In his 2021 campaign, Levin criticized one of his opponents, then-Alderman Mark Mulliner, for accepting a $5,000 donation from a local group that opposed a pizzeria's controversial zoning request.

He said an "appearance of impropriety" existed because the zoning matter would come before a committee to which Mulliner belonged and then the full City Council.

Days after the criticism, Mulliner returned the money.