April 18, 2023
Tukwila City Councilmember, Kate Kruller announced her candidacy for election as the next Tukwila Mayor. This year, she will complete her third, four-year term as a Tukwila City Councilmember. Kate also serves as the Chair of the Tukwila City Council Finance & Governance Committee and is a member of Transportation & Infrastructure Services Committee.
Kruller has lived and worked in Tukwila for decades and became a homeowner in the community in 1992. She brings with her a 30-plus year career, featuring broad experience in project management, management and executive leadership in Information Technology, currently working at King County Information Technology.
“My goal is to encourage responsible city budgets, continue to support reliable public safety and aid services, find ways to provide affordable housing and safe neighborhoods, and to work toward improved transportation options for Tukwila residents through good government, Kruller said.”
“During my time on the Tukwila City Council, key accomplishments include completing multiple major projects to create new affordable housing, a new King County Library, develop new fire stations, a justice center, and public works facility. I initiated the return to building City reserve funds back into the budget, strongly support moving toward authentic Priority-Based Budgeting, making more investments in our neighborhood streets, completing more sidewalk construction and pathways to our schools, installing flashing crosswalks, road cushions (speed bumps) and radar speed signs for traffic calming, just to name a few.”
Representing Tukwila regionally, and in collaboration with 38 other cities, Kruller currently serves as a member of the Sound Cities Association Public Issues Committee (PIC), is a voting member on the Puget Sound Regional Council – Transportation Policy Board, at the statewide level, she is on the Association of Washington Cities Federal Advocacy Committee and Puget Sound Partners/Ecosystem Coordination Board. Nationally, she is on the Board of the National League of Cities (NLC), is on the NLC Board Federal Advocacy Committee and Chairs the NLC Transportation, Infrastructure and Services Committee.
Kate’s earned an Advanced Certificate of Municipal Leadership in a training program from the Association of Washington Cities and seeks opportunities to stay current on changes in laws, regulations and preemptions that impact municipalities. “You need to have a passion for continous learning,” she said. “As a city leader, you process so much information it is vital to absorb as much current information as you can about legal standards, fiscal management, organizational management, resource management, community planning and development and effective local leadership as possible.”
Here at home, Kate continues to work shoulder-to-shoulder with neighbors in the community and has contributed through groups like the Tukwila Children’s Foundation, Tukwila International Boulevard Action Committee (TIBAC), Tukwila Pantry Food Bank, is an Allentown Advocates supporter, Tukwila Snack Pack Program, Maverick Cares, Tukwila Historical Society, Tukwila Emergency Communications Team (TEC Team), Community Emergency Response team (CERT), Friends of Duwamish working at the Duwamish Preserve, Friends of Tukwila Library, Defenders of North SeaTac Park, League of Quiet Skies supporter, Rotary Club of SeaTac-Tukwila (previously Rotary Club of Duwamish Southside), and any effort that helps the Tukwila Pool be a sustainable and efficient aquatic center for the community. She is also a member of the Sierra Club, Cascade Bicycle Club and is the only Tukwila City Councilmember that is a full-season Tukwila Seawolves Major League Rugby (MLR) team supporter!
“I try to volunteer as much as possible, stay in touch with what’s happening in our neighborhoods, listen to people from all walks of life and improve things in the community whenever I get the opportunity,” Kruller said.
Being in touch and having a servant-leader spirit, is fundamental to what she believes qualifies her to run for Tukwila Mayor. “I am devoted to representing what the people who live here in Tukwila want, and what makes sense for Tukwila.”
Information on Kruller’s campaign for Tukwila Mayor will appear at www.Kate4Tukwila.com
