Tallahassee Democrat from Tallahassee, Florida • Page 54

6ESunday; August 25, 1996 Tallahassee Democrat County Commission Distiuct 1 The candidates on the issues Runoff likely in District! race A I Barber McKinnie -Tfilltf Norris Proctor LCOII County What is your position on What specific ideas do Other than the two issues the proposed extension of you have for attracting already addressed, what UOmiTIISSIOn, the penny sales tax to pay businesses and jobs to do you see as the most District 1 Sreen- your district? pressing issue facing your ways and lake-restoration district in the next four projects? years? Why? Kenneth L. Barber I support a referendum to We need to make District 1 a Welfare reform. The district is Democrat extend the infrastructure surtax better place to do business, heavily populated by the elder-indefinitely to support funding and help small businesses ly, blacks and poor white peo- storm-water management, thrive and grow: I am calling for pie. Therefore, disproportion-transportation as well as pro- small-business tax relief, loan ately, District 1 will be nega--jects related to the provision of guarantees, special grants and tively affected by this reform. It general government services, ipromoting new investment to is incumbent on us at the local All high-and medium-priority Rebuild economic lifelines.

level to become involved dur-storm-water projects in the These initiatives can be accom- ing the planning stages of the master plan are funded in the plished through the economic- administration of the proposed county's Five-Year Financial development element of the federal block grants by the Plan. Comprehensive Plan. Lorraine McKinnie I am in support of the penrty By increasing better road con- Controlling growth and devel- Democrat sales tax, which protects our increasing policing in opmek As the population lakes, greenways and storm- the district, creating tax incen- increases, there will be a need water runoff. Until we find tives for businesses, we can for additional and improved another alternative to cover attract businesses. libraries, walk-in clinics and A these items, we should contin- high schools, as well as jobs in ue the extension.

(.: this district. This should be i. coordinated with citizens: What exactly are their needs? And how shall we zone for these i needs. This must be a sincere 1 effort.1 1 i 1 Burnadette Norris, I generally favor the extension. The community has not tapped The lack of infrastructure in Democrat The Mure quality of our drink- its own resources.

I would pro- place to attract new businesses ing water is atstake. Taxatfon 'mote more public-private part- and job opportunities. The should always be a last resort, nerships. Financial institutions problem cannot be addressed but if the only alternative is a have not fully utilized commu- until we focus on flooding and property-tax increase, Lfavor nity-reinvestment dollars.and runoff, We need more regional the extension. I do not believe looking for opportunities in storm-water facilities like the this issue should go on the District 1.1 would promote i one iri Frenchtown.

November ballot until the pub- 'greater involvement with lie is better educated on the groups like the FAMU Small need for the extension. Business Development Center and the Black Business Investment Corporation. Bill Proctor, Given the current levels of We must continue to demon- Equitable distribution of gov-Democrat flooding in my district and con- strate the profitability of locat- ernment services. With the sidering the poor health of our ing businesses inside District exception of solid-waste cen-lakes, especially Lake Munson, 1. However, neither home buy-" ters, county government has lit-- I do not see what the penny tax ers, businesses, restaurants nor tie presence in District 1 A has done.

I will weigh any past pizza delivery will come into an sheriff's substation, driver's benefits of the sales tax, mea- area that is perceived as unsafe, licensetag office, community-sured against its projected Safe-neighborhood initiatives development and public potential as a practical and involving churches, law defender's offices or public-- viable solution. enforcement and neighborhood works unit should exist within associations have to take place, my district. Curtis Richardson I favor extending the penny I have proposed re-establishing Crime and drugs District 1 Democrat sales tax to fund these projects, an Urban Enterprise Zone to neighborhoods have a dispro- With decreasing county rev- boost business development portionate share of crime and enues, this is the fairest way for and job creation. The formation drug-related activity. Much of residents and visitors to share of public-private partnerships this is due to lack of job oppor- in paying for storm-water cor- between government and bust- tunities for residents and youth, rections and protecting and ness groups to fund our eco- We must increase law-enforce- maintaining our pristine envi- nomic development efforts.

ment presence and partner with ronment. The extension should Explore constructing buildings churches, schools and commu- betime-limited and the money for new business and possible nity groups to address this spent as promised. zoning changes. Strong sup- issue port for the MWBE Program. Alberta Simmons, If the plan includes restoring Implement the Frenchtown The need to diversify our econ-Democrat Lake MunsonAhe slough and Neighborhood Economic omy.

Our economy is being Lake Henrietta, enhancing Development and the adversely impacted as govern-Campbell Pond; turning the Southside plans; abate flood- ments continue to downsize, Mill Avenue floodplain into a ing; advocate important incen- privatize and relocate opera-nice park; enhancing Elberta tives to businesses and devel- tions out of our county We Crate Factory; and fitting the opers; create one set of devel- must begin to seriously devel-Jim Lee Road Regional opment codes; streamline per- op a plan of action that helps Stormwater Facility with purifi- miffing; establish full-service existing businesses grow and cation filters, or if it will provide neighborhood schools; work expand, retains businesses in economic benefit for the resi- with organizations like the our county and attracts new dents of District 1,1 will sup- NAACP's Economic businesses, port the extension. Development Committee; promote eco-tourism. Ji 1 1 Jobs, crime and respect are the dominant issues in the District 1 County Commission race. By Penelope M. Carrington DEMOCRAT STAFF WRITER The six Democratic candidates in the District 1 County Commission race say they are all competing for the chance to help solve a litany of problems that linger on Tallahassee's south side.

The open seat being vacated by Anita Davis has attracted one of the largest pools of candidates on the Sept 3 ballot Davis was felt to have such a lock on the district that to challenge her was considered futile. The six candidates all active in the district and in service or civic organizations, neighborhood associations and churches include many of the same issues in their campaign promises: creating jobs, curbing crime, resolving storm-water runoff problems and, most important bringing respect to the district "The problems have escalated, and been let go and go and go, year after year after year, generation after generation," said Alberta Simmons, a state Department of Commerce employee and chairwoman of the TallahasseeLeon County Planning Commission. "Everything has become an issue all at once," she said. The ongoing lack of county resources and attention to the south-side district has left many residents and candidates feeling that the district is more of a stepchild than a fully funded member of the Leon County government "It seems like we're the forgotten half," said Lorraine McKinnie, an administrator and part-time professor at Florida University. Democrats Curtis Richardson, Kenneth Barber, Burnadette Nor-ris, Bill Proctor, McKinnie and Simmons all say they can change the district's status.

They'll ask voters to decide in the primary. But no candidate is likely to win a majority of the votes, forcing an Oct. 1 runoff. For the most part, the candidates are well-known and the degree to which they are trusted and liked could very well decide who will ultimately face Republican Douglas Dodd in the Nov. 3 general election.

Norris, Barber and McKinnie see the position as Richardson Simmons a full-time job. Proctor, Richard son and Simmons said they see it as a part-time job. Richardson, a Cabinet aide to Gov. Lawton Chiles, said his six years on the School Board have given him the know-how to get the three additional votes needed for a majority on the seven-member County Commission. But Richardson said he doesn't plan to focus solely on the needs of the district He didn't do so for the School Board, he said.

"I never considered myself a District 3 School Board member, because the budget isn't divided up by district," he said. The next commissioner for District 1 needs to be a "vision- ary" for all of Leon County, he said. "I don't want to be so parochi al in my thinking that it doesn't benefit the entire community," Richardson said. Barber and Proctor agree that building consensus is crucial, but they want to make sure that the district is included in the vision. "Pizza (delivery men) won't even come down here," said Proctor, pastor at St.

John AME Church. He learned this firsthand Please see DISTRICT 1, 24E.