Congratulations to Urbana Mayoral Democratic nominee Diane Marlin. You ran a smart campaign, engaging residents in their homes, on the street and at dozens of events. Obviously they approved.
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Mayor Prussing has accomplished a great deal in her time as Mayor, keeping Urbana on the forefront of social change by being one of the early adopters of police oversight with the Civilian Police Review Board; making sustainability a priority when others were still in denial; including public arts in Urbana life in ways that bring the community together; living up to the promises made in our Human Rights Ordinance. Driving every decision is her genuine concern for people - recognizing our rights, our failings, our physical or emotional challenges, and looking out for our financial well-being. Saying thanks is not enough, but it's all I can offer.
Her chapter in the history of Urbana includes managing the financial challenges of a recession and the unavoidable loss of a significant chunk of the tax base and (hopefully) a state Supreme Court victory. Her valuable knowledge of state politics and her active involvement and advocacy on state boards will be hard to replace. Mayor Prussing, you're a pro.
The best way we can show appreciation for the initiatives she made is to consolidate those gains and make them stronger for weathering an uncertain future. It's easy for people to criticize a program if it has existed under only one administration. For a program to prove it's worth, it needs to be tested and improved in order to stand the test of time.
To Evelyn Underwood, I just say I have a great deal of admiration and respect for your willingness to provide another voice in this campaign. A voice that is heard too infrequently. I learned a lot listening to you during the debates, not only about your background and experiences coming of age during the Civil Rights Era in Urbana, but also how to turn the tables on the questioners to answer the question you wanted to answer instead of what they asked! Your well-informed comments proved that you really were listening all that time you've been coming to Council meetings. I enjoy your company and hope you will keep on coming, and I look forward to learning more.
Thank you all for a good race.
