Former Kent City Councilman John Kuhar served Ward 4 for 17 years before his 2023 election loss to Christopher Hook. Now, he’s trying to forge a comeback.
Kuhar was a “born and raised” Kent resident who worked in various trades such as electrical and plumbing before deciding to make a run for council. He said he wanted to improve the city and fix a lot of unhappiness around town.
“A lot of the local people were complaining about how things were done, how we were counterproductive to business and how our streets and sidewalks were stinking,” Kuhar said. “I’ve been the type of person that doesn’t like to complain about stuff. If there’s something and there’s a way I can try to help, that’s what I’ll do.”
During his stint in council, Kuhar said he was most proud of introducing solar energy management policy, developing sidewalks and helping the city fight through a financial deficit and the COVID-19 pandemic. He added how he was nicknamed the “budget hawk” on council to check overspending.
“[Kent residents] work very hard, and they get very little reward for it,” Kuhar said. “I don’t like to see their money squandered on things that could be done for less money or not done at all.”
Looking back on his 2023 election loss, Kuhar said Hook worked very hard and pulled in a large amount of the student vote, a group he admittedly struggled to tap into. This time around, Kuhar said he hopes to resonate with students and unaffiliated Kent voters.
Running as an independent for an at-large council seat, Kuhar considers himself conservative in his way of thinking, but doesn’t identify with one party or another. His main priorities if elected are to help steer the council away from partisanship and to focus solely on local issues, not state or national issues.
“They need somebody that thinks a little differently there,” Kuhar said.
Other priorities for Kuhar include raising funds for safer sidewalks and streets and pushing for the use of solar energy on Kent government buildings. He also hopes to have Kent State student council members be more involved in the workings of city council to incorporate their input into decisions and ideas, and create a second chance program for young offenders of nonviolent crime.
“I think everybody knows that young people screw up sometimes,” Kuhar said. “There ought to be a way where, if someone vandalizes or acts out in public and gets arrested, that you could hold that going on the record if they do some type of community compensation, because that stuff sticks with you.”
Although Kuhar failed to gain the support of voters last time he ran for council, he’s optimistic this time will be different. He hopes voters will appreciate his experience, passion for the city and goal of avoiding partisanship.
“Local politics is local politics,” Kuhar said. “It shouldn’t be, ‘Oh, I don’t like this because you’re a Democrat’ or ‘I don’t like this because you’re a Republican.’ It should be what’s best for the city of Kent, and that’s how I function.”
Due to current at-large council members Michael DeLeone, Gwen Rosenberg and Roger Sidoti not running for re-election, the city of Kent will vote for three new council members this election cycle.
Joining Kuhar on the ballot are Democrats Benjamin Tipton, Tracy Wallach and Sarah Wesley, Republican Cecil Anderson and Independent Eric Dreger.
Election day will take place on Nov. 4.
John Engoglia is a reporter. Contact him at [email protected].
