Victory-endorsed candidate Sandra Kurt received a major endorsement today.  Akron’s only daily newspaper, the Akron Beacon Journal, has come out in support of the openly lesbian candidate for the Ward 8 city council seat.  The newspaper cited Kurt’s dedication to community development in its ringing endorsement.

An industrial engineer at Goodyear, Kurt would bring a fresh perspective to help the city come to grips with more efficient and effective ways of delivering services. She realistically grasps the city’s budget squeeze, recognizing that cuts to police and fire personnel likely cannot be avoided, and would urge a long-needed rethinking about how the departments function. She also is a strong proponent of regionalism as a way to reduce administrative costs and improve performance.

When the city moves forward with complex projects, her engineering background would come into play. Since 2004, Kurt has been project manager for corporate facilities planning and operations analysis in Akron, developing and administering the company’s capital plan. Also appealing is her willingness to engage at the grass roots. Among other positions, she is past vice president of the Summit County Progressive Democrats, and she volunteers for the Battered Women’s Shelter.