For those who could not attend, I wrote down the questions that were asked in this evening's Mayoral Debate. The first 3 questions were submitted by the 19th Ward Community Association. The remainder were submitted, via index cards, by audience members prior to the start of the debate. I won't attempt to report on candidate answers/responses but i do think that the questions asked reflect some of the themes that are important to people in the community.

19WCA Mayoral Debate Questions

From the 19^th Ward Community Association:

1)  Describe your plan for preservation of housing values in neighborhoods?

2)   What is your vision and plan to reduce foreclosures in City Neighborhoods?

3)  How will you address the lack of jobs in the City and Industrial areas?

Questions from the Audience (submitted via index cards)

1)  What will be your biggest challenge if you are elected and how will you address it?

2) Describe specifically what you know about the 19^th Ward and our current strengths and challenges.

3) How will you support neighborhood organizations and build capacity?

4) Were the Mounted Police patrols here tonight just for show or will they continue?

5) What is the impact of skilled trade workers who are nearing retirement and how would you address this?

6) I’m a resident of the Presbyterian Home and we are told that Thurston Road is unsafe because of murders, shootings and violence. What can you do about that?

7) How can we maintain the gains of Brooks Landing with the coming of College Town?

8) How do we eliminate unneeded businesses that encourage loitering?

9) What kind of leader have you been? What path will you pave for those who have been pushed to the lowest levels?

10) How can we ensure that we do not become the next Detroit?

11) How will the City and our families overcome the systemic poverty in the 19^th Ward?

12) What is your plan to rid our neighborhood of the drug dealers?

13) What will you do about the whole of Rochester and not just parts?