East Syracuse (WSYR-TV) – The three candidates for Mayor of the City of Syracuse were face to face Friday in the NewsChannel 9 studio. Democrat Stephanie Miner, Republican Steve Kimatian, and Conservative Otis Jennings faced questions from moderator Dan Cummings.
With just four days until Election Day, this weekend marks the homestretch in the three-way race for Syracuse mayor. Friday, the candidates came to NewsChannel 9 for their final televised debate of the campaign.
The debate was sharpest when the candidates sparred about the now-stalled expansion of Carousel Center, the first phase of what the Pyramid Companies' says will be Destiny USA. Stephanie Miner led Common Council's opposition to the original tax deal for the expansion. Steve Kimatian was a project supporter, and Miner says Kimatian met with her to press that support.
“When I said to him, Steve, the deal in front of us does not contain anything that holds Mr. Congel and Pyramid accountable for what he's saying in the community, he said, Stephanie, this is an unprecedented opportunity for the community. You need to be a leader. So, you can't have it both ways Steve,” Miner said in the debate.
“[The current situation] is the fallout of that. They forced Destiny to sue. What that did, ultimately, that suit created an anti-business attitude. When developers need money to work in Syracuse and develop projects, they basically go to Wall Street. When Wall Street looks at Syracuse, they say that's not a business-friendly town, and that is the end game. That is what has happened,” Steve Kimatian said.
“Destiny has its problems. We need to solve those problems and negotiate better. But number two, I would not throw Destiny totally under the bus, because it has created jobs, it has cleaned up Solar Street, and it has created Franklin Square, whether it was the first phase, second phase or third phase. So there are some positives there,” Otis Jennings said.
Jennings, Kimatian and Miner all said there needs to be more community policing and all pledged to do what it takes to avoid a city tax hike, in the event of major cuts in state aid to the city and it's schools.
Replays on our digital channel 9.2 (Time Warner Ch. 890):
Saturday at 6:30 p.m., and Sunday at 10:00 p.m.
