Hurst throws down the gauntlet and runs for mayor of Springfield

Jan. 31, 2023 | G. Michael Dobbs

SPRINGFIELD – City Councilor Justin Hurst made his campaign official on Jan. 25 with a kick-off event that drew almost a full house to the Cedars Banquet Facility.

Reminder Publishing reported Hurst’s initial announcement through a post on Facebook several weeks ago.

For residents who remember the race for mayor between then City Councilor Domenic Sarno and incumbent Mayor Charlies Ryan, they would recall that Sarno made eliminating the trash fee imposed when the city was under the Finance Control Boards a central issue of the campaign.

Sarno was never able to eliminate the fee.

Hurst is now playing the same card. As The Reminder previously reported, he recently led the effort in the City Council to pass a resolution to remove the trash fee. He said during the Jan. 9 council meeting, “Residents are having to choose between keeping their lights on, heating their homes, paying their bills and putting food on the table … [the trash fee] could prove to be catastrophic for our residents trying to make ends meet, with the trash fee potentially being the straw that breaks our residents’ backs.”
Born and raised in the city, Hurst, a teacher and an attorney, was elected to the City Council in 2013 and has served as president of the council in 2019 and 2020. He is known as one of the city councilors who led the effort to reinstate a revamped Police Commission.

On his campaign website, www.hurst4mayor.com, Hurst lists his priorities, which include “Have a Police Commission selected by the community through a transparent process where all residents have an opportunity to apply and serve. The Police Commission will utilize all power granted to them through our city ordinance and have the ability to act independently without political interference… Value our municipal workers by implementing a transparent process for salary increases that is uniform across departments … Focus on post-secondary success and wage outcomes as a cornerstone for our education system… Connect BIPOC business owners with capital, technical assistance, and professional support, while ensuring entrepreneurs have the resources they need to start new successful businesses.”

Hurst gave a speech that detailed his family’s history. His speech was punctuated with the phrase, “It is our time!” As he continued saying the phrase, the audience would join in.

He said, “It is our time! It is our moment for change. Together we can alter the course of history and make history at the same time. Look around. Look at the crowd assembled here this evening. Each and every one of you braved the weather because you believe that a government that works for all of us is possible and necessary. I am running for mayor of Springfield because like you I know it is necessary and with you I know it is absolutely possible.”

He explained why he is running now by saying, “Why am I running is a question that I’ve been asked time and time again since I announced. In preparation for this kickoff, I’ve had an opportunity to reflect more deeply than I ever have on a question that many would consider rudimentary for a candidate that has been poised to run for a while. Upon reflection, I concluded the following: I’m running because God has a plan and without his favor I wouldn’t be standing here before you today and I certainly would not have had the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of so many over the course of the last 10 years as a Springfield City Councilor. Running for mayor of Springfield is an extension of God’s plan and after a lot of prayer, many of sleepless nights, and brutally honest conversations with family and friends, I decided that it is our time! I’m running because it is not about me. I stand on the shoulders of my ancestors, who fought courageously for many of the freedoms that we enjoy today, shed blood so that I could participate in democracy and help shape future generations to come. They devoted their lives for ‘justice for all’ and not ‘justice for a select few’ and I am determined to carry on their efforts.”

He mentioned some of the goals as mayor he would like to accomplish. He said, “As mayor we will ensure all of our students receive a world-class education. We will emphasize postsecondary success and wage outcomes as a cornerstone for our education system. We will evaluate the superintendent based on how our schools perform across the state. We will increase opportunities for families to access early education providers. As mayor we will make sure city contracts stay within the city. We will leverage our city’s purchasing power to support small and micro businesses and ensure these same businesses have access to technical assistance and professional support. We will lead in using local vendors and suppliers and encourage our anchor institutions in our city to do the same. As mayor we will invest in a clean Springfield that reflects the pride of our city. We will increase the number of sidewalks and streets paved yearly. We will eliminate the trash fee once and for all. We will reduce taxes for homeowners and businesses.”

He pledged, “And if for some reason we can’t do any of the above, we will be honest with residents and tell them the truth.”

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