Hamilton announces plans to run for mayor

It’s official: Bloomington Mayor Mark Kruzan will have an opponent in the Democratic mayoral primary election in May.

Democrat and Maurer School of Law graduate John Hamilton announced Sunday at an event at his Bloomington residence that he will run against the mayor for the Democratic candidacy.

“Why am I running for mayor?” he said. “Bloomington can do better. Much better.”

Before Hamilton made his official announcement, his wife, Dawn Johnsen, a professor at the Maurer School of Law, spoke on his behalf.

Though she admitted to being very biased on the subject of her husband, she said he takes on challenges because he believes in them.

“Progressive Democrats must work to make government as effective as it can be,” she said.

Hamilton’s announcement came less than a week after Kruzan, also a Democrat, kicked off his third term re-election campaign.

“We’ve got a good thing going,” Kruzan said in his announcement address Jan. 18. “We’ve got the passion and creativity to keep it going.”

Hamilton said he disagreed. He released a statement that day saying it’s time for new mayoral leadership.

“Bloomington cannot afford to be complacent,” he said Sunday. “The hard times confronting our nation have exposed local problems that need to concern us all. We are not currently addressing them adequately.”

During his announcement, Hamilton outlined the three issues he said he plans to focus on in his campaign: job creation, education and public services.

“Our city must become a progressive leader in the 21st-century economy,” Hamilton said. “But a full recovery will be difficult.”

He spoke specifically about Bloomington Hospital’s plans to develop land outside of city limits and said the city cannot afford to lose those jobs.

The hospital is the second largest employer in Bloomington, outside of IU.

He also said it is important to focus on the city’s public school system.

“Our community must lift up our public schools to be among the very best anywhere,” Hamilton said. “Our next mayor must make the success of the public schools a top priority.”

Finally, he said he plans to focus on making city public services more efficient and cost-effective.

Hamilton specifically referenced the water system and police force.

“Imagine one of the safest cities in Indiana. Imagine a city bustling with clean jobs. Imagine a public school system second to none. Imagine a creative innovation economy, with financing for entrepreneurs and technology transfers from our great university,” Hamilton said.

Kruzan also addressed several of these issues in his top-10 campaign goals Jan. 18.

Both candidates bring political experience in the Bloomington and Monroe County communities to the campaign.

Kruzan has been the mayor of Bloomington since 2003. Hamilton has worked at several levels of government, including heading the Indiana Department of Environmental Management under Gov. Frank O’Bannon.

“It starts here in our front yard,” Hamilton said of his campaign. “It starts now, and it starts with us.”