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As first reported here (somewhat cursorily), Natalia Rudiak is running for City Council District 4, the seat currently held by Jim Motznik. She made it official — or at least officially announced that she was going to make it official — with a press release sent this morning. Excerpts of the release follow, but I’ll just add the following.
Rudiak represents an interesting bridge betwen two worlds. On the one hand, to look at her resume, you’d swear she was living in the East End: She’s a protege of the Coro Center and CMU’s Heinz School, who boasts of having “professional expertise in management and technology policy.” On the other hand, she’s steeped in the South Hills: She’s a product of Carrick High and treasurer for the 29th Ward, her father’s an old union guy, and her mom works in a Brookline bakery.
On top of that, she’s got a Rusyn background — and those guys run everything.
If elected, in other words, she may be able to pull off the dream of some Pittsburgh progressives — and at least one City Paper editor — by uniting East Enders with the city’s populous (and more populist) South Hills. It’ll be interesting to watch her campaign.
Highlights from Rudiak’s release follow below this campaign-supplied pic.
“On Thursday, January 29, Democrat Natalia Rudiak will announce to supporters that she will seek election to District 4 of Pittsburgh’s City Council.
“I am looking forward to talking with my neighbors throughout the community about renewing our neighborhoods and business districts, restoring public safety, and reaffirming our place within the City of Pittsburgh,” Rudiak said. “I was born and raised right here in our South neighborhoods, and a I want our children to enjoy the same close-knit support system that helped me to grow and succeed.”
… Rudiak will also submit her campaign’s 2008 campaign finance report on February 2, which will show that, as of December 31, she enters the race having raised over $16,000 in contributions and support from nearly 150 individuals. On January 15, the Allegheny County Division of Elections reported that no other candidate has registered a campaign committee, which allows them to raise or spend money in this race.
This article appears in Jan 15-21, 2009.
Yeah, it is nice for candidates to be from the district and have ties to the community. But right now Ms Rudiak’s campaign site has a button to donate and a button for volunteering. Nothing about policy, just like so many candidates web sites. But since so few of us actually read or care about policy, I guess it makes sense to only give people the opportunities to part with their money or time or both. Not my district anyway.
Ed, I don’t think her website is done yet. If you found it through my blog, I only found it through a Google search. Looks like a placeholder to me.
Never thought I’d like orange for politics!
Well, by that standard, Mayor Ravenstahl’s website has always been a place holder.
I understand the concept, and I realize politicians have more to lose by advocating a particular policy than by being vaguely upbeat, but in the end it is, for me, a disappointment.
I am a participant in hilltop activities that represent a developing grass root initiative comprised of volunteers who for over 2 years have been organizing with the sole mission to restore the South Hills to a vibrant beautiful region.
Natalia is the only candidate listed here that has shown an interest and/or participated in our ongoing events. Because of this involvement, I conclude that Natalia has a clear vision of the challenges and the ability to work successfully with others to so improvements can be achieved.
To the other dudes, if you’re curious, you can find our group at most any monthly Zone 3 Public Safety meeting.
I was a Brookline redisdent in the 40s and am now in Salem, Oregon. I completed a U S Air Force career and if I had not been in love with the mountains and hiking trails of the West would be back in Pittsburgh campaigning for Natalia Rudiak. This has got to be one of the most promising candidates of any party to arrive on the Pittsburgh political scene in many a decade. As a life-long Republican until this last national election, I predict that this city council candidate, with some local experience, will be running for governor or State Senator in the forseeable future. Joe Kuehn