Laurel Prussing's Record of Public Service
Elected Offices
- Mayor of Urbana, elected 2005
- State Representative 1993-1995
- Champaign County Auditor 1976-1992
- Champaign County Board 1972-1976
Awards and Recognition
- Currently listed in Who's Who in America, and Who's Who of American Women.
- Agent of Change Award, American Association of University Women, Illinois, 2005.
- Honored by Illinois Environmental Council for legislative record, 1994.
- Best Freshman Legislator, Independent Voters of Illinois, 1993.
- Best Taxpayers' Friend , National Taxpayers United of Illinois, 1993-1994.
- Statewide Housing Action Coalition Award, 1993.
- Legislator of the Year, Champaign County Health Care Consumers, 1994.
- Friend of Agriculture, Illinois Farm Bureau, 1994.
- Award for Excellence in Financial Reporting, 1982-1991 and Award for Distinguished Budget Presentation, 1986, from the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (first county auditor in Illinois to receive either award).
Civic and Professional Activities
- Co-President, AAUW, Champaign-Urbana Branch, 2001.
- Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District Board, 2004-2005.
- Downstate Coordinator Citizen Action of Illinois, worked on global warming education, 1999.
- Policy Board, Citizen Action of Illinois.
- Legislative Director, AAUW of Illinois, 2001-2005.
- Board Member (15th Congressional District), Citizens' Utility Board (CUB), 1995, 1997.
- Member, League of Women Voters.
- Founding Member, Coalition for a Citizens Police Review Board, 2000.
- Founding Member, Community Forum on Gambling and Campaign Finance Reform, 1999.
- National Conference of State Legislators: Fiscal Affairs, Oversight and Federal Budget, Taxation Committees, 1993-1994.
- Midwest Higher Education Commission, 1993-1994.
- President, Illinois Association of County Auditors, 1984 and 1985.
- Illinois Comptroller's Local Government Audit Advisory Committee, 1984-1992.
- Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA): Committee on Accounting, Auditing and Financial Reporting, 1980-1988.
- Charter Reviewer, GFOA Award for Distinguished Budget Presentation.
- National Association of Local Government Auditors, Charter Member, 1989-1992.
Author
- "Downstate County Government," Illinois Local Government: A Handbook, edited by James Keane and Gary Koch, Southern Illinois University, 1990.
- Newspaper guest editorials on campaign finance reform, food safety, mega-hog farms, and other public policy issues.
Pension Reform
- Sponsored law which now ensures the financial integrity of the state pension funds, including teachers' pensions and the State Universities Retirement System (SURS).
Campaign Finance Reform
- Introduced first bills to ban personal use of campaign funds and to eliminate unnecessary forms to look at campaign financial reports (1993); both became law in 1998.
- Initiated first referendum in Illinois on campaign reform: public funding for candidates who limit spending and follow the Illinois Code of Fair Campaign Practices—84% "yes" (1998, Colfax Township, Champaign County).
Environment
- Introduced first local "bottle bill" in Illinois, 1971.
- Helped start recycling in Champaign County, 1971.
- Initiated first referendums on regulating mega-hog farms in Illinois, over 70% "yes" in townships in Champaign, Vermilion, and Ford counties, 1998.
Economist
- Center for Advanced Computation, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1971-1972.
- Urban and Regional Economist, Arthur D. Little, Inc., Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1963-1967.