WALT DIXIE INTERVIEW:
A POST ELECTION ASSESSMENT OF THE MAYORAL ELECTIONS AND A LOOK INTO THE FUTURE

Editor's Note:
If you want to get elected and expect to do so on the basis of getting support and votes from the African-American community, you have to talk to Walt Dixie. Many don't want to hear it, but that is what is known and said about Walter Dixie. Over the years, he has emerged as one of the hardest working advocates for causes ranging from creating more business opportunities for minorities to better education for the youth to improved housing for senior citizens. Name a cause and he has been on the frontline, along with others, and if necessary, he would do it alone. Endorsing Stephanie Miner for mayor was one more exercise in political expediency and once again, he was right. The candidate he endorsed won.

The fact that he has helped and been instrumental in the election of many politicians certainly suggest that he has the insight and knowledge of the political process as well as the expertise and experience in organizing, coordinating and getting out the African American community vote when it is needed and can ultimately make an impact in an election.

Such has been his record over the years. He helps to get others elected. Over the course of the past two decades, he has helped more candidates win elections than have lost, making him one of the most effective behind the scenes persons to deal with when seeking office in which the African American vote is expected to play a role. If he played a role that contributed to the election of Stephanie Miner, he is not talking about it. Rather, he is pointing out that there's a new reality that the African American community has to deal with; the new administration now being formed and for the African American community to acknowledge the contribution that can be made by Bruce Conner, the retired fire fighter now described as one of the members of the inner circle of the new mayor

For the past several years, he has been the director of Jubilee Homes, coordinating various activities that go into building and maintaining homes for low income city residents. More recently, he has focused his attention on a project that has as its main goal, the creation of a supermarket.

CNY VISION:
You were one of the first prominent African Americans to endorse Stephanie Miner for mayor, which means you're either her good friend or a great supporter; which one is it?
DIXIE:
It's not just about being a supporter or a friend; it's about building a relationship. I'll say it like this; we share a common ideology of working together for a common purpose. At the end of the day, it is about doing what is necessary to make things better in the community. It can be done in the context of a friendship, relationship or from the standpoint of a political relationship. There's one thing to understand about politics; thery're political relationships and friendship relationships. When I was supporting her candidacy for mayor, I had what is called a political relationship with her. One person who possibly has both a political and friendship relationship with her is Bruce Conner. Bruce has her ear. What is nice about that is, those who have both a political and friendship relationship with people in power become an asset to the community and the people in power as well. Bruce has that relationship. I'm in it because he came to me and made the case and we talked for over a month and a half. But right now, Bruce is the man.

CNYVISION:
What role did the African American vote play in the election of Stephanie Miner?
DIXIE:
An article in the Post Standard that analyzed the results of the elections presented us with the facts and figures all of which confirmed the fact that she did extremely well with the African American community. For instance, the newspaper article reported that she did extremely well on the Eastside in the 17th, 18th, and parts of the 19th and 12th wards, she got the majority of the vote. So from that perspective, we can say that the African American community embraced her. Receiving that high percentage of the vote indicates that she had a lot of support from the African American community..

CNYVISION:
Does Minor acknowledge the support she got from the African American community, and if so, how has she shown it?
Dixie:
She has said and done a lot of things to indicate that she acknowledges the role the African American vote played in her victory. For on the night of the elections, she said at her victory party that her administration will be inclusive and diversified. She has also met with the minority contractors, some of whom didn't support her and the clergy, some of whom also didn't support her. But she has gone to them and has stated to the faith based community that she will institute a faith-based task force to be part of her administration, and the ministers applauded her for that. He has said that she will have an administration that will be transparent in the areas of hiring and resource distribution. She has been consistent in what she has been saying all along.

CNYVISION:
Why do you support Stephanie Miner?
Dixie:
I thought she was the best candidate. From my conversations with her, I felt comfortable with her. I also saw the diversity in her during the campaign. She was consistent in what she was saying about the kind of police department she would like to have community policing, and about diversity and other areas. She had a lot of folks out there in the community, working on her behalf. She had built relationships with a lot of people in the community. She has people like Carolyn Dean, Doug Martin. And she ran a positive upbeat campaign. For these reasons and others I endorsed her.

CNYVISION:
If some members of the African American community are to be believed, Stephanie Miner is not much of a friend to the African American community. Is this a true assessment?
DIXIE:
First of all, most people who know Stephanie Miner will say that she is all things to all people. But at the end of the day, everyone is entitled to their opinion in terms of how she is perceived in the community. Everyone is not going to agree. That's a given. For me personally, I think what our challenge should be is to figure out what are we going do to hold the candidate accountable. You can't sit on the sidelines griping. You got to get in the game, and do it constructively. You have to advocate for the positions you stand for. For instance, we shouldn't just talk about her not coming to the community; we should encourage her to come to the community.

CNYVISION:
Do you seriously believe that her election will bring change to Syracuse and what do you think our community in particular will gain from her election?
DIXIE:
This is where someone like Bruce Conner will play a key role. He is in her inner circle. They have worked together for years and know each other well. We can all work together as a team to get things done for and on behalf of our community.