Endorsements
“We at Eleanor’s Legacy are proud to endorse Kris Haines-Sharp for City of Ithaca Common Council Ward 2. It is more important than ever to
#ElectProChoiceWomen and we are proud to support Kris Haines-Sharp.
Founded in 2001 by Judith Hope, the first woman to chair the New York State Democratic Committee, Eleanor’s Legacy is inspired by the dynamic legacy of Eleanor Roosevelt and her dedication to expanding the role of women in government. For over 20 years, we have been supporting pro-choice Democratic women running for state and local office throughout New York State.
We know that what voters want to see is strong pro-choice candidates and Kris Haines-Sharp is the woman for the job.”
Sophie Nir
Eleanor’s Legacy
www.eleanorslegacy.com
“Kris Haines-Sharp is the strongest candidate running for Ithaca Common Council in Ward 2. Ithaca is an extremely liberal small city and for decades Common Council has supported civil rights for the LGBTQ+ community. Kris will continue this tradition and be a strong advocate for protecting reproductive and LGBTQ+ rights.
But Kris brings so much more to the table. She grew up in the Middle East speaking Arabic and Hebrew and has a deep understanding of conflict resolution. She raised her family in Ithaca and is well known in the community. She has worked in our local schools, served on the boards of our community organizations, and is currently serving on Common Council.
It can take years before a newly elected official understands how to get things done in City Hall – and many never get there – but Kris is in City Hall, listening, asking questions, and bringing her calm thoughtfulness to bear on solving the tough problems facing Ithaca. Races in Ithaca are won by going door to door and talking face-to-face with voters. In fact, when Common Council candidates spend too much money on slick mailings and advertisements, it can turn the reliable voters off. Kris is committed to meeting voters at their homes and on the street, and she is on track to knock on every door in the district at least once before the election.”
Dan Cogan
– City of Ithaca Common Council member, 2002-2011
– City of Ithaca Chief of Staff, 2016-2021
“Ithaca’s Common Council is fortunate to have Kris Haines-Sharp involved in doing the important work of our City. As a colleague, I have been very impressed with her ability to jump into these efforts in 2023 and I am pleased to endorse her to continue that work as the 2-year representative to the 2nd Ward in 2024. Kris brings a deep commitment to community and public service, and has a keen understanding of the Ithaca area. Her personal and professional experiences as a parent and educator, working with youth and a variety of community organizations, brings the voice we need to hear. Combining that with her thoughtful dedication to inviting, facilitating and uplifting the voices of others is what makes her the best person for this role.”
Rob Gearhart
-Common Council, 3rd Ward (2016-2023)
“Kris Haines-Sharp is the Council representative that Ithaca wants and needs. In her first few months on Council she took the time to get to know her constituents. She visited every department in the City. She introduced herself to front line staff and heard their suggestions and concerns. She is smart, dedicated, and curious. Kris Haines-Sharp has my vote!”
Cynthia Brock
-Ithaca City Council, First Ward Alderperson
“I’ve lived in the City of Ithaca since 1986 and only had the pleasure of meeting Kris early this year to talk about Common Council. I was impressed with her curiosity and open-mindedness and her willingness to undertake an important role in public service post-retirement. Since then I’ve heard only good things from her colleagues and neighbors. Her varied and relevant life experience includes:
- Early international travel and cross-cultural exposure
- Graduation from Berea College, the first college in the US South to be coeducational and racially integrated, with a curriculum focused on work-study
- Work as a teacher and school administrator
- Raising a family in Ithaca
- Marriage to an Ithaca firefighter
- INHS first-time homeowner in 2000
The year 2024 will be a year of transition and Common Council will need people who have mature perspectives on City government, who are both principled and flexible, and who understand that it is difficult to make decisions with limited resources among competing priorities. Kris’s service as an Alderperson in 2023 will allow her to start a new term strong, with important relationships and foundational knowledge, yet with excitement and optimism about the good that we can achieve co-operatively.”
Donna Fleming
-Third Ward Alderperson 2012 – 2021
“I am pleased to endorse Kris Haines-Sharp for a two-year seat on the City of Ithaca’s Common Council. Kris brings years of experience working with youth as a teacher and an administrator, a depth of experience in addressing equity and inclusion policies as a board member of not for profit organizations, and a commitment to sustainability and climate justice initiatives in our city.”
Laura Lewis
-Mayor, City of Ithaca
“Being effective on Common Council requires perspective, collaboration and hard work. Kris offers the residents of the 2nd Ward all of those attributes and more. Her personal and professional experiences enable her to listen to all the voices, understand the different lived experiences of each of us, and to balance those perspectives to make the best decisions possible. She understands that being on Common Council requires collaborating closely with the rest of Council, city staff and other stakeholders to solve complex problems–and has the track record to prove that she knows how to do it. Finally, serving on Council is hard work and Kris is already digging into the issues, meeting constituents and staff, and putting in the time to do the job well. I am proud to endorse her.”
Chris Proulx
-Former Common Council member
“Kris has deep roots in the Ithaca community and she brings a number of critical skills to the position of Common Council thanks to her wide-ranging background as an educator, administrator, and writer. She has a strong progressive record of standing up for marginalized voices, and her passion for serving her neighbors is obvious from her history of volunteering for local organizations. The City of Ithaca faces many critical challenges at the moment, but with smart progressive people like Kris at the helm, I have no doubt that Ithaca’s future will be bright! I am proud to endorse her.”
Seph Murtagh
-Former Common Council member
“As a parent I’m concerned about worsening violence, increased anxiety and depression in our youth. We have Educators, Streets and Facility workers, and Police who are too often under-appreciated, under-paid, and burning out. Our businesses, including my own, are experiencing the reality of increasing theft related to mental health, addiction, and economic disparity. There’s a deficit in having enough safe and affordable homes for those who keep our community going. To exacerbate each of these, we are mired in social culture that is increasingly embroiled in, or paralyzed by, flamed and polarized identity politics. There aren’t many considerations in that lineup that have easy answers, and I don’t envy those charged with actualizing solutions.
In the years that I’ve known Kris, she’s consistently been measured, considerate, deliberate, caring, and community-minded. For over 25 years in Ithaca, she’s brought each of those strengths to her commitment to public service as a teacher, educational administrator, non-profit board member, and alderwoman. I don’t expect her to have quick and clear fixes for the myriad of complex issues needing solutions. I do believe though that she’s committed to consideration, listening, and dialogue, and that all of these will be crucial to moving Ithaca forward. I’m thankful for and honored to call Kris a friend, a customer, a fellow event organizer, board member, parent. I’m grateful for the opportunity to endorse her for the role of Common Councilor, 2nd Ward.”
Ian Golden
-Business Owner and 2018 Congressional Candidate
Dan Hoffman
– City Alderperson (former 5th Ward) for 12 years
– Former City Attorney (under Mayor Carolyn Peterson)
– Environmental, Planning & Food Security activist
– Local & involved resident for over 50 years
“ I have known Kris for over two decades and could not imagine a better advocate for the City and all its people.”
Ian Shapiro
-Senior Engineer and Professor of Practice
Other endorsements:
Dalya Tamir, LCSW
Ezra Davis, software engineer, Ward 2 resident
Catherine McCarthy, project manager, Ward 2 resident