If you want to be Spartanburg's next mayor, it looks like you'll need to break out a Number 2 pencil.
Today’s Big Idea is all about getting your questions out there. Once we have a good list, I’ll be sending them to the candidates. (In fact, particularly ambitious candidates are welcome to answer the questions right here on the Spark.)
And since this is my big idea, it’s only fair I go first …
- Where do you stand on the adoption of the Downtown Master Plan? Are there specific parts of the plan you have concerns about?
- Given the choice that you could only focus on either downtown small business development or non-downtown mid-to-large business development, which would you opt to focus on, and why?
- Do you agree that there is a significant racial divide in Spartanburg, and if so, what steps do you believe the next Mayor will be able to take to address this issue?
- Prioritize the following issues in descending order: downtown commercial development, city-wide commercial development, tourism development, arts & culture investment, health initiatives, public works & infrastructure investment, annexation, budget balancing, lowering taxes, public safety, public transportation, urban planning.
I could go on, but why should I have all the fun?
Here’s where you come in: Write your question for the mayoral candidates in the comments below. While there are no stupid questions, and you’re welcome to ask silly things here — this is a brainstorm, after all — I’ll probably only include the most politically relevant questions when I sent out the questionnaire.
Steve Shanafelt
How did you feel about the Pride march this past June?
Do you believe that believe that bigotry and homophobia are legitimate issues in Spartanburg?
Do you support city-funded art initiatives?
If so, do you support those initiatives even if some of the art supported could be controversial or unpopular?
Do you support the work of Piedmont Care, specifically their work on HIV/AIDS prevention and advocacy?
Given Spartanburg’s high HIV/AIDS infection rate and that South Carolina ranks in the top ten for states in the total number of HIV infection cases and AIDS case rates, would you support a city-wide effort to educate citizens about the dangers of unprotected sex and safer sex practices?
Would you also support efforts to make condoms more widely available, especially in the city’s poorer communities?
What are your thoughts on downtown neighborhood gentrification?
Do you believe that the city should do more to make decent affordable housing a priority?
Would you support a living wage campaign to raise the minimum wage in Spartanburg so that low-wage workers could better support their families?
No.
and
Historically, gentrification is best left to the gays.
They are not afraid of the brothers.
I have seen this in DC, Richmond, Greensboro, Charlotte, and Atlanta.
The blades always are the pioneers in this field.
You are probably too young to have seen this but do a little digging and you will see how it works.
College professors and the rest lack the the fortitude to do what it takes to run off the ghetto types.
Since you asked.
Some of us might prefer if you left the racist stuff over on the Goupstate forums. Just sayin’
For what it’s worth, I didn’t ask you. Unless of course you’re running for mayor now.
Think about that for a minute.
I’m not sure where you’ve gotten that impression.
In the last 30 years, a loose demographic of middle class, educated, largely white professionals we’ll call “yuppies” have been the driving force behind almost anything one might call gentrification. It’s true that there are gay yuppies, and perhaps even a higher percentage of gays per capita in “gentrified” areas, but I think you’ll find that this is still a definite minority in terms of actual population.
If you’ve “seen it” first hand, allow me to present the argument that you noticed more out gays in those areas than you were used to seeing in the general public, and therefore assumed it was gays driving the trend.
What you may be referring to, however, is the establishment of gay communities within certain cities. That may be a kind of gentrification, but it’s hardly the only kind.
I can demonstrate this easily enough: If we can all agree that Hampton Heights is in the process of gentrification (not laying blame, I’m part of the process myself), I think it’s fairly obvious that many (if not most) of the houses are being purchased by young white couples and families. There are also many single, white heterosexual professionals who bought the homes as an alternative to renting. There are both single gays and lesbians, as well as couples, in the mix, but certainly not in the majority.
Perhaps I should have said, the first ones to venture into old and dangerous neighborhoods were in fact gay.
Pioneers in this area I must say. In the beginning you will find a high percentage of gays and then a dwindling as the yupps feel safer moving in.
When I was younger and poorer, I sought out these areas because of the relatively low prices and the transitional nature of the neighborhoods. I noticed the the gays because there were no women to speak of.
Of course most of these neighborhoods were in larger cities and offered corner stores and bars (later) as well.
Charlotte has a number of neighborhoods that were rat holes in the mid 70′s and by the mid eighties they are cleaned up with bars, shops, and a younger crowd.
As a frequent guest of my gay neighbors, the lack of straight folk was discussed often. When I pointed out that I was straight, they remarked that yeah, but you are crazy. Who knows?
If there were a real (not forced by annexation) growth in city population instead of the decline Hampton Heights could turn quickly.
I would ask the same questions you’ve asked, Steve. Great.
Here’s one: In your own words, define what it is the Mayor of Spartanburg actually does, and what powers the office actually has.
We had the mayor’s job description discussion at the coffee shop last week, and one of our customers brought in the actual statutes for Mayor, and as it turns out the office of Mayor doesn’t really have much more power than any other council member. The Mayor’s vote doesn’t count for more than any other member, and based on the salary for Mayor it makes sense.
Pretty much. The Mayor is basically an at-large member of City Council, as I understand it. The main reason Mayor Barnet has been so effective isn’t — from what I gather, at least — from what he’s done officially as mayor, but rather from what he’s done as a kind of ambassador and booster while holding the office.
What I’d like to see, and it may be a pain to change it, is for ALL of the city council to be elected at large, and get rid of this district idea. Spartanburg sinks or swims together as a city, not as a bunch of districts.
Would the next mayor support this idea?
At large is pretty much a no no.
No set asides and all that.
When I lived in Richmond the Federal Court ruled that it was inherently racist.
In other words, I doubt ANYONE would accept it.
Progressive thought comes full circle sometimes.
At-large voting brought us all-white councils for years. The NAACP sued in 1987, the Justice Department joined them, and the city agreed to a settlement that brought these districts.
My own bias coming from a non-districted city is clearly showing. Being from Asheville, with a 20% black population and a black, female mayor, it didn’t occur to me that districting would be much of an issue in terms of racial demographics and representation, but clearly it has been in the past. Given Spartanburg’s slight black majority, I assumed — incorrectly — that black candidates weren’t at a particular disadvantage.
So much for that question.
(Then again, as I said in the post, there are no stupid questions in a brainstorm. But clearly not all questions and ideas are of equal merit.)
1. What are your ideas in improving the unemployment situation here in Spartanburg?
2 what are your ideas about revitalization of our downtown, and outlying neighborhoods, especially those less affluent ones?
3. What ideas do you have about housing the agencies that will be vacated when SCC takes over the building where they are now housed?
4. What are your ideas in regards to encouraging businesses to consider locating here?
5. What are your ideas on helping the city budget stay within budget and yet meet the basic needs of our city?
6. What do you propose on our mass transit issue? What ideas do have to improve it, encourage more people to use it, and to upgrade vehicles over time to more energy efficient models?
On a personal note. I do not believe race, gender, sexual preferences should come into play for this type of office. It takes away from much more important matters. We are all of the HUMAN RACE, and that is what we need to remember. All the other is insignificant in comparison.
What is important is whether the person in question is qualified, is able to do what is needed to the best of their ability, is able to separate personal agenda from public ones readily, and can be a good public face for the city.
Of course I live outside the city so can’t even vote..I will be following this though.
“On a personal note. I do not believe race, gender, sexual preferences should come into play for this type of office. It takes away from much more important matters. We are all of the HUMAN RACE”
In a perfect world, I’d totally agree with what you wrote there. The problem is, this isn’t a perfect world. Spartanburg is not color blind and it is not free from homophobia, far from it in fact. Part of being mayor in a city with a large black population and an emerging GLBTIQ population–especially since the Pride march–is addressing issues involving race and sexual orientation in our city.
To put it another way, we may all be of the “human race”, but until everyone is willing to see things that way some of us will have legitimate concerns involving our obvious, though perhaps superficial, differences.