The Democratic nominees for Charlottesville City Council appeared at a public forum Wednesday at Random Row Books. Two of the five seats on council will be on ballot this November in the general election.
These candidates are seeking the two nominations of the Democratic Party which will be decided in the June 11 primary. They will face two Republican candidates and potentially some independent candidates in November.
CANDIDATES
Members of the public gathered to ask questions which focused around affordable housing, transportation, community involvement in local government, and the living wage. Random Row Books sponsored the event and owner Ryan DeRamus moderated. Due to a mix up in invitations, according to DeRamus, the Republican candidates were not present.
Candidates were given 2 minutes to answer each question; this time was shortened to 90 seconds then to one minute as the forum progressed.
TIMELINE FOR ATTACHED PODCAST
0:00:57-Question 1 “What do you think is the biggest issue that Charlottesville is facing as it continues to grow and how would you address that issue?”
Responses from Grady, Lees, Szakos, Bellamy, Fenwick
0:09:51-Question 2 “What [has the council] done in the past that you think you can do differently or better?”
Responses from Lees, Szakos, Bellamy, Fenwick, Grady
0:20:37-Question 3 “What is your stance on the current parking situation throughout the entirety of Charlottesville?”
Responses from Szakos, Bellamy, Fenwick, Grady, Lees
0:29:13-Question 4 “Charlottesville has a poverty rate of around 24% which is way above the state average while at the same time it has an unemployment rate that is below the state average, I want to know if you are still committed to continuing the living wage initiative and what you will do to help raise wages.”
Responses from Bellamy, Fenwick, Grady, Lees, Szakos
0:39:14-Question 5 “If you get on the Council would you work hard to make sure that tax breaks or credits to big business do not harm the existing communities and businesses?”
Responses from Fenwick, Grady, Lees, Szakos, Bellamy
0:46:09-Question 6 “What as members of city council would you want to do in terms of working with schools to help them foster skills for students that help them achieve a college level education?”
Responses from Grady, Lees, Szakos, Bellamy, Fenwick
0:53:40-Question 7 “What fresh perspectives as possible new council members would you bring to the overall budgeting process?”
Responses from Lees, Bellamy, Fenwick, Grady, Szakos
1:00:16-Question 8 “How would you go about getting younger people involved in politics?
Responses from Szakos, Bellamy, Fenwick, Grady, Lees
1:07:35-Question 9 “I would like to your opinion on where you think Charlottesville fits in on the sprawl index, also is it time to move past the Charlottesville of the 1940’s and 60’s in relation to expansion?”
Responses from Bellamy, Fenwick, Grady, Lees, Szakos
1:15:05-Question 10 “What are you currently doing to make sure that all ethnicities are equally informed about what’s going on in Charlottesville, and for the newer person’s who are running how will you reach out to these groups?”
Responses from Fenwick, Grady, Lees, Szakos, Bellamy
1:22:25-Closing remarks from Ryan DeRamus, owner of Random Row Books
