SCHAUMBURG, IL - Brian Costin, sole challenger for Schaumburg mayor in the April 5 Consolidated Election, released the following statements today in response to campaign attacks by incumbent Mayor Al Larson. Larson made the charges in his “Common Sense” newsletter mailed to constituents this week.
In response to accusations that Costin is misrepresenting his family to voters via photos posted deep in his personal Facebook profile, Costin said:
“Mayor Larson has seriously discredited himself with his juvenile and baseless attacks on my character.
“For the mayor to take a picture of my wife and I celebrating our nephew’s first birthday - posted in a private Facebook photo album - and to turn it into a nefarious political attack on my personal integrity is actually shocking.
“I’m not apologizing for being a proud uncle, but Mayor Larson should apologize for his immature attacks on my family and me.
“Are we running for Student Council, Mayor Larson?”
Costin noted that he has always had the highest privacy settings possible on Facebook and that his personal page is not accessible to the general public.
Costin also took issue with other portions of the mailing, including comments about his involvement, or lack thereof, in red light camera removal.
“Mayor Larson and the Village board shamefully installed a red light camera at an intersection with no accidents caused by red light running. Simply put, I and the Schaumburg Freedom Coalition opposed the camera before its installation, during its operation and until its elimination.”
Regarding charges that Larson leveled about Costin’s firefighter hiring intentions, Costin responded:
“Mayor Larson also issued a patently false charge that I suggested at a Village Board meeting that the Village hire the cheapest firefighters possible. Mayor Larson did not even attend the Village Board meeting in question, and the official public record firmly shows that I didn’t make such comments.
"Again, it appears that Mayor Larson is attempting to distract from his indefensible tax-and-spend record to bolster his campaign."
Costin is endorsed by National Taxpayers United of Illinois and 2010 gubernatorial candidate Adam Andrzejewski, For the Good of Illinois PAC, for mayor of Schaumburg. His campaign website is www.briancostin2011.com.