Durl Kruse for Mayor of Urbana, Illinois

Upcoming events

• March 10, 4:00-6:00pm, Urbana Business Association is hosting a candidates forum at Eastland Suites, Urbana
• March 11, 7:00pm, West Urbana Neighborhood Association is hosting a candidates forum at 1st Presbyterian Church, Green St., Urbana
• March 16, 7:00pm, Meet the three Green candidates running for office, at the Urbana Free Library

Media appearances

You can hear Durl's appearance on WILL's Public Square by following this link:

http://will.illinois.edu/publicsquare/commentary/february-13-2009/

Tell your Friends

You can help by simply talking to your friends and neighbors. Spreading the word person to person is the most effective way for people to learn about Durl’s campaign and the important issues facing our community. Please share this website with them and encourage them to contact Durl with any questions.

Volunteer

Below is a list of ways that you can help Durl’s campaign for mayor. Simply call (328-2789) or email (jandurl@comcast.net) to identify how you would like to help. Any assistance, large or small, is greatly appreciated.

___ use my name as an endorsement on materials
___ door-to-door canvassing
___ display a yard sign
___ telephoning
___ write letter to the editor

Make a financial donation

Donations large or small are appreciated. Monies will be spent on campaign pamphlets, yard signs, and mailings. Only through financial contributions will we be able to effectively get the message “out” to the citizens of Urbana. Consider making a contribution to help elect Durl as Urbana’s next mayor. Thank You!

You can donate online using your debit card, most major credit cards, or PayPal; just click the following button:

If you want to donate by check, make checks payable and mail to:

Supporter of Kruse for Mayor
2007 S. George Huff Dr.
Urbana, IL 61801

Managerial and public relations skills are key to being a successful mayor. I have twenty-one years of successful professional and managerial experience as a public school principal and central office administrator. I worked closely with the public, supervised a diverse staff, prepared detailed budgets, and developed comprehensive plans. These experiences and skills will serve me equally well as mayor of Urbana. Since I am not a career politician, I will not bring any political baggage or obligations with me to the mayor’s office.

1. Ecological Wisdom.
The Greens recognize that the Earth sustains all life processes. Green ecology moves beyond environmentalism by understanding the relation between abuse of people and abuse of nature.

2. Social Justice and Equal Opportunity.
Greens want to replace the worldwide system of poverty and injustice with a world free of oppression based on class, gender, race, citizenship, age, sexual orientation, disability, or belief.

3. Grassroots Democracy.
The powerless suffer the most from resource depletion and toxic pollution. Greens believe in direct participation by all people in the environmental, political and economic decisions that affect their lives.

4. Nonviolence.
Greens reject violence as a way of settling disputes - it is shortsighted, morally wrong, and ultimately self-defeating.

5. Decentralization.
Power and responsibility must be restored to local communities within an overall framework of ecologically sound and socially just values and lifestyles.

6. Community Based Economics.
Greens seek a new economics based upon the limits of our natural resources, which meets the basic needs of everyone, under democratic, localized community control.

7. Gender Equity and Cooperative Values.
The ethics of cooperation and understanding must replace the values of domination and control over others. Our primary focus is in the nurturing of our world and each other.

8. Respect for Diversity.
Greens honor the biological diversity of the Earth and the cultural, sexual, and spiritual diversity of Earth's people. We aim to reclaim this country's finest ideals: popular democracy, dignity of the individual with liberty and justice for all.

9. Personal and Global Responsibility.
Greens are committed to global sustainability and international justice through political solidarity and in personal lifestyles based on self-sufficiency and minimal resource impact.

10. Future Focus and Sustainability.
Greens seek a society where the interests of the seventh generation are considered equal to the interests of the present. We must reclaim the future for our children and ourselves.

Jan and I moved from Mattoon to Urbana in 2003. I worked as an elementary principal and central office administrator for twenty-one years. I am fifty-nine and have been married thirty-six years. I have two adult daughters. Both Jan and I love to travel and read.

I grew up on the family farm in Kankakee county. I enjoy the outdoors, doing hands-on projects, and putting in a good day’s work. I received degrees from Concordia University Chicago and Eastern Illinois University. After a very successful and enjoyable professional career in education, I retired in 2004.

I have always been actively involved in the community. I believe strongly in the value and benefits of community service including peace and social justice work.

Jan and I chose Urbana as our new home because of its diversity, many amenities, and opportunities for an active life. We truly enjoy living in Urbana and I would be honored to serve as its Mayor.

(Economic activity should serve the common good, be self-renewing, and build local assets and self-reliance.)

Urbana faces few challenges more daunting than stimulating economic development. We are all well aware of the slowing economy, growing unemployment and financial uncertainty of our markets. Yet in spite of these dismal factors, I believe there is much the city can do to stimulate economic development, especially in the downtown corridor which serves as the core of our community. First and foremost, city government must take a more proactive leadership role in addressing downtown economic development. It cannot wait for someone else to do the job. Using its many resources, the city must immediately reach out to all who have an interest in the economic well being of Urbana and invite them to join the team. With aggressive leadership, creative ideas, and a joint commitment on the part of the community, Urbana can achieve sound, sustainable economic growth.

As mayor, I will:

• Team with the Urbana Business Association, labor, and other stake-holders to energize new downtown development (see www.mainstreet.org)
• Employ an economic development coordinator instead of a city chief administrative officer to oversee and manage all aspects of economic development occurring in the city
• Consider creating a local currency to support our local economy and strengthen community (see www.berkshares.org)
• Critically evaluate existing economic development programs and incentive plans, terminate or modify ineffective plans, develop new incentive plans that reflect current economic conditions
• Seek more community input as to how tax dollars should be spent for economic development
• Ready city housing and infrastructure plans for potential federal grant dollars
• Utilize university and local entrepreneurial talent to advance concept an “enterprise” city
• Support a community owned internet broadband service for citizens and businesses (see www.fiberforthefuture.com)
• Continue with street beautification and neighborhood safety efforts to encourage economic development and community pride
• Work and plan in concert with other local political entities

(The opportunity for full citizen participation in all activities, benefits, and decision-making of a society.)

It is the city's responsibility to serve all its citizens. Unfortunately, many times the less fortunate among us receive the least help and attention from the city. In these difficult economic times, the city must make sure that there are resources and programs in place to assist those in need of a temporary helping hand. With a modest financial and staff commitment, the city can make sure no one is left to struggle alone.
The quality of life in a community can also be judged by the health of its democracy. Sadly, during the last four city elections voter participation has steadily declined each year from 34% to 12%. The majority of both primary and consolidated municipal races go unchallenged. This trend cannot continue and Urbana expect to remain a vibrant and engaging democracy. City government must recognize this problem and seek ways to encourage more active citizen participation in city affairs and local elections. I wholeheartedly support giving people opportunities to vote on local election reform and redrawing of ward boundaries by a nonpartisan body. I believe in an open, accessible, transparent, and accountable local government.

As mayor, I will:

• Support municipal matching grants for "Grassroots Projects to Improve Neighborhood/Community Life"; examples might include joint neighborhood/police projects, summer recreational programs, community daycare programs, and community gardens
• Employ a social services specialist to seek state and federal grant dollars and to improve coordination
  of existing community services for the city’s most needy
• Work with the Regional Planning Office to seek funding and support for a local Offender Reentry program
• Give citizens the opportunity to vote on local election reform, Instant Runoff Voting ( see www.fairvote.org)
• Support the creation of a public access Community Media Center to promote the sharing of ideas, values and interests of the community
• Utilize binding and advisory referenda to gather public opinion
• host a regular Mayor's call-in show on UPTV
• Have a nonpartisan group redraw ward boundaries so they are compact, contiguous and competitive
• Actively seek ways to improve citizen participation and involvement in local government; for example, initiate participatory budgeting at the neighborhood level