[C-U Smokefree] Message from Matt

[Scott P Hays]

All:

 

I would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank the CU
Smoke-free Alliance for your endorsement and support in this election. I
believe that getting involved in municipal and other types of local
elections is the best allocation of your time and efforts, and the most
effective way to have the greatest impact and to get your message out. I
would like to say that I knew this would be an extremely difficult race
to run due to running against a very popular incumbent and the fact that
the Mayor of Champaign became directly involved in this race due to his
major concerns that developed over the growing support my campaign had
been receiving from folks such as you and your organization. 

 

I want to reassure everyone that I even though I incurred a loss this
time, I view it as a win for the long term and the issue of a smoke free
environment since I was able to bring up this issue repeatedly during
the campaign in reference to my opponent and his failure to see the
merits in this cause. This also means I will not let this opportunity
and event go to waste since a lot of time and effort was spent resulting
in me receiving and developing much more name recognition as well as an
increased public profile attributable in part to the smoke free issue. I
plan to utilize this new recognition and new public profile to continue
to aggressively pursue a smoke free environment in our community and
work closely with your organization as well as run for City Council
again in 2007. 

 

The Champaign City Council Race in 2007 will be for 3 at large seats and
I believe smoke free is an issue that may be even more effective and
receptive to an entire city wide audience as opposed to just district 3.
Thanks again for your support, I and look forward to meeting with your
organization again to discuss future strategy to pursue a smoke free
environment for our community.

 
Thanks,

 

 
-Matt Varble 


Scott P. Hays, Ph.D.
Research Scientist
Center for Prevention Research and Development
Institute of Government and Public Affairs
University of Illinois
Champaign, Illinois  61820

email: sphays at uiuc.edu
phone: 217.244.2616
fax: 217.244.0214