Dane Lafata will vie for the Chesterton Town Council’s 3rd Ward seat against Rory J. McMahan in the Democratic primary May 5.
The winner will face Republican Aaron Adcock in the Nov. 3 General Election.
This seat is currently held by Republican Nick Walding who recently announced that he would not be seeking re-election due to a possible move out of district and the growth of his young family.
Lafata, a graduate of Chesterton High School, moved back to the area with his wife to raise their children after living downstate. He has served two terms on the Chesterton Tax Abatement Committee, is a treasurer for Liberty Recreation Baseball and Softball, and works both for his family’s tax business and as a computer consultant, which he says gave him motivation to run for office.
“I see how much everyone is spending in taxes and I want to make sure that money is well spent,” he said. “Chesterton Park next to the middle school is not even there anymore. It’s just two empty fields and I think they can do better. Some of our parks have the same equipment as when my mom was a kid, so I drive to Portage or Valpo or Lake Station to take my kids to parks.”
He also says that small businesses should receive more support from the town.
“Small businesses are struggling and it doesn’t seem like Chesterton helps the small business. McDonald’s wants 27 signs and they get 27 signs, but a tae-kwon-do studio, whose owner lives in Chesterton, is told no on a single sign,” he said. “It’s the small businesses that make our town great and unique and I worry we’re losing it. The Wizard of Oz Festival is gone, the parks are gone, and the council nees to do more to encourage these types of things.”
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McMahan, a teacher at Christian Haven in Wheatfield, grew up in Porter and graduated from Chesterton High School.
“I believe a community can only function as well as the participation of its constituency,” he said. “I ran for Porter Town Council when I was 27 and that didn’t work out, but I’d like to have my hat in the ring and help out and be a part of local government. I want to do my fair share on behalf of my community.”
He says that there aren’t any issues he wants to address, but believes in continuing the current growth of the town.
“I just want to make sure we maintain fiscal responsibility, add more businesses to maintain revenue on behalf of our fair town, and continue the small-town feel we have in Chesterton while trying to grow and thrive as community,” he said.