Syracuse’s Next Mayor: Will It Be A Female [Stephanie Miner], An African-American [Otis Jennings] Or [Newcomer]Steve Kimatian?

FROM THE EDITOR

The primaries have come and gone, leaving in its wake, shattered dreams for candidates who lost and soaring hopes for those who won. Stephanie Miner has emerged as the winner for the Democrats and Steve Kimatian for the Republicans. The latter’s victory was a major upset for Otis Jennings who was poised for victory, but didn’t win the Republican nomination. People are still wondering what happened, considering the fact that Steve Kimatian is new to
the political arena.
The question now: who will be mayor of Syracuse come November 4?

Will Syracuse stick with tradition and elect a politician who has paid his or her dues in terms of having been in an elective office in the past or currently serving a term of the Common Council? This will make Stephanie Miner the ideal candidate. She has been on the Common Council and made no secret of her mayoral ambitions.

Or will Syracuse make a bold move and elect an Obama type of politician who might be considered as standing no chance of winning, but who has the potential to pull an upset? And who might that be? Otis Jennings or Steve Kimatian?

So far no front runner has emerged: at least, the media has not reported it yet. But it can be assumed that the political operatives and machines are already in motion doing everything they can to help elect the next mayor.

By now, the candidates know what to do. With the right agenda, an effective strategy, an efficient staff, a supportive media, and an empathic public, it is possible for this city to elect a mayor, and it is quite possible to do so, not on the basis of his or her ties to entrenched political machines, or family connections, but on such attributes as their ability to articulate on their policy initiatives, what they can do to make this city better in its fiscal management, economic development, provision of social services etc.

Who will be the next mayor of Syracuse can only be speculated at this point, but the political landscape is pretty much beginning to define itself.

Stephanie Miner has some obstacles to overcome as far as the African American community is concerned. The aura of aloofness and diffidence that were attributed to her has been shed. At least, she’s being seen in a different light now that the Democratic machine is solidly behind her, bringing along many of the African community’s political bigwigs who can make things happen.

And .the African-American community is warming up to her, perhaps out of the realization that she is the candidate they would have to vote for, if only for the reason that they’re following a tradition of African- Americans voting mostly Democratic.

Steve Kimatian has his work cut out for him. He has to present himself as the right candidate, which is what he might have done in the past to snatch that victory. As for Otis Jennings, it is another uphill battle in a race that has seen many ups and downs, and ebbs and flows.

NOTE:
Recently CNY Vision’s Dave McCleary had the opportunity to speak with all three mayoral candidates via a telephone interview. Here are the questions and their responses.

KIMATIAN

CNY Vision:
What would you say has been your main preparation or qualification for becoming mayor of Syracuse?

Kimatian:
My main qualifications are the experience I have in running organizations. I’ve run organizations of substantial size, of tens of millions of dollars in revenues and in responsibility for fiscal management and I’ve also been responsible for hundreds of employees.
I’ve run television stations. That has been the main focus of my background plus also practicing law. So, in short, I bring the experience of leadership and management to City Hall.

CNY Vision
What are some of your major plans you have that will directly affect/benefit the African America community?

Kimatian:
I have a plan for the neighborhoods. One which focuses on each of the neighborhoods so that all of the neighborhoods in our city are able to benefit from and make progress during my administration.
At its first level is the creation of neighborhood advocacy. Having an advocate for the neighborhood within the mayor’s office is critical both symbolically and actually. What I propose is to restructure the mayor’s office so that there is a direct line of communication between the mayor’s office and each neighborhood.
I then intend to have a mayor’s team directly focusing on each individual neighborhood, proactively seeking what needs to get done, proactively integrating and talking to the watch groups, the associations and the TNT organizations. All with the objective of making sure we address the problems of each neighborhood so that in effect no neighborhood is left behind.

CNY Vision
How would you describe your approach to politics as being different from your opponents?

Kimatian:
I am dramatically different from the other candidates based upon my life experience and approach to solving problems, having come from a business world and a very heavy community involvement—far more than any of my opponents. I bring to the office the skills and expertise of performance and results. I am not a career politician. I do not owe anyone anything. I am not tied by any of the political connections that others have. I can make every decision on the basis of what is best for the city.
As I mentioned before, my background is one of performance and results. I do not see performance and results in what has been done in the city over the last eight years. My opponents have both been career politicians over many years. We have a city that has declined. They have been in the political arena during this time. If they were leaders and had been able to affect the kind of change that we need, they would have done much more.

CNY Vision
According to stats I have, Syracuse city government has less than 9% minorities employed. With a minority population of about 40% do you have any plans to increase diversity in the government?

Kimatian:
Absolutely, in all my career I have built organizations forward with diversity, with the hiring of individuals in key positions who represent different ethnicities. In my hiring practices over the years I have always looked for key people in all races and ethnicities to handle the positions in my operations. Several are in those positions right now as a result of the fact that one—they’re very competent people and two—they happen to come from a different race other than Caucasian.

CNY Vision
Recently there have been two incidents reported regarding cops tasering children. What’s your position on this issue?

Kimatian:
It is best not to have to have tasers in schools. Right now they are used as an alternative to a night stick. The question for the officer is do I use a night stick or a taser. But the larger question is why do we have to have officers in the schools at all? Why do we have schools that require such policing? I think we need to take a much more proactive and aggressive attitude toward the students understanding their role and their responsibilities. And in speaking to the students and having them understand their responsibilities I think we can negate some of the negative actions that occur.
For example: have we approached our students as a group and address them in the context of…this is your school. This is your place. We need you to take care of it. To treat each other with respect and to honor the rights of each other. I would drive toward a school that do not need police officers at the door.

CNY Vision
Do you have any closing or additional thoughts or points that you would like to share?

Kimatian:
Yes I do. We have the potential of becoming one of the great urban centers of America. And the reason we have that potential is because of the great diversity we have in our city. Our city has a very substantial mix of Caucasian, African American, Asian, Burmese, Chinese, individuals from Ghana and you can go on and on, particularly on the North Side. That is our strength. We have what no other municipality in our Central New York Region has. We have the richness of heritage and diversity right inside our city and that’s what makes it strong.

For example, I went to an Islamic dinner a few nights ago. It was a whole mixture of their legacy, their heritage, their customs and also their integration into the everyday life of our city. When we can capture that and have the full potential of every ethnicity being able to express themselves freely, openly, in harmony with each other; when we can have our schools integrated by these individuals and the children of those who have settled here, we will have the makings of an environment in which you can get no better education, no better involvement or integration in the world in a global sense. But you will get this right inside our city.

JENNINGS

CNY Vision:
What would you say has been your main preparation or qualification for becoming mayor of Syracuse?

Jennings
My main qualification is 30 years of experience in working directly with the community, serving the community in different capacities. I served as commissioner of parks and recreation and in youth programs for the city of Syracuse for many years where I had direct contact with the community. I developed programs that helped the youth in our city as well as senior citizens and I’ve also developed scholarship programs for our youth.

In addition, I completed 35 major capital projects throughout the city of Syracuse, I worked on the infrastructure on the south side of the city where it’s predominantly African American. But over the years I have served all of our community.

CNY Vision:
What are some of your major plans you have that will directly affect/benefit the African America community?

Jennings
My number one plan is to improve our high school graduation rate. 50% of our children graduating from the Syracuse city high schools is just not good enough. Predominantly, those low graduation numbers fall in the Black and Latino community. So I will work, first of all, to educate our children and second of all I will develop vocational training for our Black and Latino children in the city. I will develop strong after school programming that will help mentor our youth in education.

So education is a major initiative. Number two, we must create jobs in our inner city. Minority population in the city of Syracuse is almost 50%. And if you look at minority participation in the number of jobs available in our communities, the numbers pale in comparison to what they should be. So, I will definitely work on developing economic opportunity.

Also, I will work on the crime issues to make our neighborhoods safe. We need to work to keep our youth out of the criminal justice system. We need to have them doing some very productive things that will help them to reach their fullest potential as human beings. John F. Kennedy said ‘every man made problem has a man made solution.’ I believe in working together we will do that.

And lastly, we must have strong faith based initiatives. In the Black community, the church plays a vital role, culturally, spiritually, mentally and psychologically. I will have strong faith based community programming and I will invite inner city pastors to take a major leading role in helping to find solutions to the problems in our communities.

CNY Vision:
How would you describe your approach to politics as being different from your opponents?

Jennings
I’m about service leadership. I have a history of completing tangible projects. One of my opponents talks about being a business man but I want to see how that translates to our communities. He’s been here for 15 years. He talks about his business approach but how does that translate to helping the Black community? I’ve brought in jobs and money into this city from outside sources that help African Americans get jobs and programming for our youth. And I actually hired a significant number of adults and youth in our community. So I have a tangible history and a record.

Also, regarding my other opponent, what I bring to the table that she doesn’t have is actually completing these capital projects. She has worked on the legislative side of government. I’ve been on the operational side. I have not served in elected office. I have served in appointed office.

So the difference between me and them is that I have a proven track record, a history of 30 years community service and I have invested a significant amount of my own money into an inner city church ministry.

CNY Vision:
According to stats I have, Syracuse city government has less than 9% minorities employed. With a minority population of about 40% do you have any plans to increase diversity in the government?

Jennings
Of course I do. I’m going to do it through aggressive training with strong academic support along with working with the business community. I have a number of local businesses who are willing to come along side me to help do this. Again, while others are talking about creating jobs, I’m the only candidate who has actually done it.

Here is a case in point. I always talk about the new chancellor of Syracuse University. In my opinion she has taken this community by storm. She has created a South Side Innovation Center. She has worked on the West Side, creating the West Side Initiative. She has created the connective corridor within the city. She is truly a leader amongst her peers. She has made it so that our young people can go to Syracuse University free of charge if they graduate from the Syracuse School District through the Say Yes program. That is my benchmark of success. She has created dynamic partnerships within the community. So she is my hero. That’s the kind of person I say ‘I want to be like that person, I want to follow in that person’s footsteps”.

So, I will work to create opportunities for everyone in our community.

CNY Vision:
How would you describe the platform on which you are running for public office?

Jennings
The platform on which I am running is a vision for the city of Syracuse to have accomplishments in neighborhoods that have been marginalized historically. I will do this through a strong economic development plan, by actively engaging the south side corridor of the city. I will also work on the west side of the city where we have some of our most marginalized and oppressed minority groups whether they are poor, Latino, White, African American, it doesn’t matter. I will make sure that these neighborhood get the money that the federal government has provided to improve upon the infrastructure of our communities.

My platform also includes improving our educational system, creating jobs and business opportunities as well as reducing the crime rate in our neighborhoods.

CNY Vision:
Recently there have been two incidents reported regarding cops tasering children. What’s your position on this issue?

Jennings
Ok, here’s where we need to have a dynamic understanding of what took place. I’m not for tasering children—let me be very clear about that. My goal is to stay away from the use of tasers altogether. In this particular instance, after investigating the situation, the student slapped the police officer so when that happens police officers usually take whatever measures they have to take to remedy the situation.

I am for developing a police athletic league. We need to build relationships between our young people and our police officers. When the relationships are developed chances are when the heat is on the police officers will not have to use tasers or other physical force, they will be able to have dialogue and be able to remedy the situation more amicably. This is what we have to work toward.

As mayor I would have mandatory sensitivity training and cultural diversity training for all my officers. But also, we need to teach our youth how to appropriately engage the police and how to speak with that police officer with respect and follow commands. Our youth have to understand that all of us have to be under some sort of authority within the society that we live in. When we don’t obey and uphold laws we have anarchy.

In essence, I believe these two incidents were isolated and don’t suspect I we will see that any time soon again on a high school level.

CNY Vision:
Do you have any closing or additional thoughts or points that you would like to share?

Jennings
Yes I do. Number one, we have to stop marginalizing our youth and minority groups in the city. We have to be totally inclusive of all people, people with disability, people living at or below the poverty level. Government can’t solve all of the problems of the people but government can be a conduit to help solve some of the problems in our community. As well as government should be in a position to lead our communities—not do everything for people—but to act as a conduit for success.

I’m looking forward to running. I’m looking forward to winning because I’m in this race to win it. And then to serve our communities and help all of our communities be strong, have equal access and opportunities to enjoy all of the great things that this country offers us.

MINER

CNY Vision:
What would you say has been your main preparation or qualification for becoming mayor of Syracuse?

Miner
I think my service as counselor at large for the past eight years for the city of Syracuse.

CNY Vision:
What are some of your major plans you have that will directly affect/benefit the African America community?

Miner
Well clearly, I think that fully implementing the ‘Say Yes to Education’ initiative, which is an initiative that guarantees all graduates of city high schools who have been in a city high school for three years, free tuition at a number of universities across the country and in New York State.
85% of the children who attend Syracuse high schools are children of color and so being able to say to a family that if your children work hard they can go to college free, is an incredible opportunity.

CNY Vision:
How would you describe your approach to politics as being different from your opponents?

Miner
I got involved in public office because I believe in the principles of equality and justice and opportunity. I’m different from my opponents in that I think that there are ways that we can get everybody in the city of Syracuse guaranteed access to those principles by thinking about government in a new way. That is to say I believe in change. I think that if you look at what is going on across our country, the most innovative government solutions are happening in cities, from Michael Bloomberg in New York to Cory Booker in Newark to Gavin Newsome in San Francisco and we in Syracuse can benefit from some of the initiatives and programs that they are doing.

We don’t need to accept the status quo. We can look at doing things differently, embrace risk and really make meaningful change to help impact in a positive way the families and people who live in the city of Syracuse.

CNY Vision:
According to stats I have, Syracuse city government has less than 9% minorities employed. With a minority population of about 40% do you have any plans to increase diversity in the government?

Miner
First of all, I think it depends on how you define minority. But if you are talking about African Americans or Blacks I don’t think it’s 40% I think it’s closer to 18% African American/Black. But regardless of what the actual percentage is, you are right in that they are underrepresented in the employment in the city. We have struggled and will continue to struggle to try to change that in a meaningful way. But as president Obama has said, education is key to opportunity. There are far too many people living in poverty because they don’t have the life skills or the educational background to obtain the jobs that they need to take care of their families.

So first and foremost we have to make sure that we are giving people the skills and education to get the jobs that they want. For example, we want more minority police officers but part of being able to do that is to make sure that we have a wide enough pool of minority candidates who are willing to take the exam and who are interested in taking the exam and who qualify. So it’s a multi-faceted approach that you have to look at; making sure that you have opportunity but that the people who you are looking at have the skills to cease that opportunity.

CNY Vision:
How would you describe the platform on which you are running for public office?

Miner
It’s a platform of change and a vision for the city of Syracuse that embraces an incredible quality of life, an opportunity to an excellent quality education and then an opportunity to have a free college tuition, with vibrant diverse neighborhoods.

CNY Vision:
Recently there have been two incidents reported regarding cops tasering children. What’s your position on this issue?

Miner
My position is that we have to have a very clear set of guidelines for the police who are in our school system stating when it is appropriate to use tasers and when it is not. I just read an article today in one of the papers that said that one of the students involved in the taser incident was arrested today for a gun crime. So we have to be cognizant of the fact (and make sure) that students who are violent are violent are not allowed to perpetuate violence in our schools.
So the schools need to be safe for everyone and parents and student need to be assured that tasers are not being used indiscriminately.

CNY Vision:
Do you have any closing or additional thoughts or points that you would like to share?

Miner
Actually I don’t. I have to go now. I’m running late for my senior center coffee.