Candidate for
Council Member; City of Pittsburgh; District 3; Democratic Party

From his earliest days of involvement as a local community advocate, Councilman Bruce Kraus has been committed to serving both District 3 and the city at large. Born and raised on Pittsburgh's South Side, Councilman Kraus was an interior design consultant when he joined the South Side Chamber of Commerce. While serving as President of the Chamber of Commerce, he was appointed to then-Mayor Tom Murphy's Graffiti Task Force, where he allied with local businesses and community groups to help remove unsightly vandalism from Pittsburgh's buildings and streets. Murphy also appointed Kraus to the Clean Pittsburgh Commission, beginning a long and continuing dedication to transforming Pittsburgh into one of the greenest and cleanest cities in America.

In 2006, after an unsuccessful bid for the District 3 seat, Councilman Kraus returned a year later to take his place as District 3 Councilman and was sworn in on January 7th, 2008.

As Councilman, Mr. Kraus has been at the forefront of a number of key civil rights issues, including the passage of a progressive Allegheny County Human Relations Commission, designed to combat discrimination in housing, public accommodation, and employment, and the city's first uniform Domestic Partner Registry. He has also answered the calls of his constituents by crafting stricter open-container laws and passing the first municipal ban on public urination, carrying fines of up to one thousand dollars. For the past year, Councilman Kraus has also been dedicated to reforming his district using Responsible Hospitality practices. District 3, particularly the South Side, has an economy that relies on nightlife and entertainment. Creating a Responsible Hospitality Zone involves working with police, businesses, and other community groups to help create a clean, safe space both for entertainment and living. Designating East Carson Street corridor as a Responsible Hospitality Zone will help to balance the community's status as both a residential area, where families have lived for generations, and one of Pittsburgh's most popular nightspots.

In the hilltop communities of District 3, Councilman Kraus, along with his staff, has been working to eliminate blight and work towards a regeneration of these historic and treasured Pittsburgh neighborhoods. He has been particularly active in working to rid the hilltop of litter, abandoned cars, and derelict buildings, restoring it to its role as one of the most beautiful and scenic parts of the entire city.