Why many of us supported Hamilton

The city of Bloomington is facing many pressing issues.

From further cuts in education to the hospital’s plan to leave the city, real leadership is needed to steer Bloomington around these obstacles.

We believe that John Hamilton’s extensive leadership experience, creative low cost proposals, enduring energy and fresh eyes make him the best candidate to propel Bloomington forward.

Hamilton managed thousands of employees and worked with billion dollar budgets as the head of two of Indiana’s largest state agencies, the Department of Environmental Management and the Department of Family and Social Services.

When his wife was called to serve in President Clinton’s administration, Hamilton moved to Washington DC and discovered a side of the city that desperately needed help.

He founded a community development bank in Washington, D.C., to assist those in need, and in the first 10 years the bank loaned over $250 million dollars directly to underserved neighborhoods.

When he returned to Bloomington, Hamilton got back to work right away. He became  active in the school system, was a founding member of the Shalom Center and worked on the frontlines to pass the school funding referendum.

From these experiences, Hamilton has shown that he is a proven leader with a strong work ethic and commitment to public service.

Hamilton believes that the triumphs Bloomington has had with regard to sustainability, the economy, and health and safety should be actively protected, enhanced and grown.

We agree with Hamilton and believe that much more can be done to make Bloomington the type of city that the rest of Indiana can look to as a model for success.

In several glaring ways, Mayor Kruzan has failed to be an active protector of the city’s interests.

Three years ago, Mayor Kruzan was told that Bloomington hospital was seriously considering moving outside the city.

As the city’s second largest employer, Bloomington Hospital is crucial not just for the jobs it provides but also for the health and well-being of everyone in the city.

In the three years that the mayor has known about the hospital’s considerations, Mayor Kruzan has not done enough to convince the hospital to stay.

While the mayor has formed a great deal of committees and task forces to address city problems, there has been a consistent lack of communication regarding many important issues facing the city.

When the community came together to support the right of Indiana University students to have access to early voting on campus in 2010, the effort attracted support from as far away as West Lafayette’s election board.

Candidates for local, statewide, and national offices sent letters and words of support for the effort. Significantly, the mayor’s voice was not heard in support of the effort.

While these are just two examples, they seem to exemplify the mayor’s reactive, behind the scenes leadership style.

Hamilton proposes creating a more far more open, proactive dialogue between the community and the mayor’s office.  He would like to make as much information available to the public as possible.

There’s no denying that under Mayor Kruzan’s two terms good things have happened in the city of Bloomington.

But as mayoral candidate John Hamilton says, Bloomington cannot just settle for being good. Bloomington can and must be a great city.

It takes leadership to make the leap from good to great, and we believe John Hamilton is the candidate who has what it takes.