Durl Kruse for Mayor of Urbana, Illinois

(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