Any doubts about whether Alex White would run for office were immediately erased when he showed up at his press conference this afternoon wearing a button with his name on it and the slogan, “A Rochester for all of us.”
White, a Rochester businessman, is seeking the Green Party endorsement to run for mayor (his speech from this afternoon’s press conference is below). He has in the recent past waged unsuccessful bids for mayor and City Council with the backing of the Greens.
White is the third person to express interest in the mayor’s office. Mayor Tom Richards, a Democrat, is running again, while City Council President Lovely Warren is weighing a primary challenge to Richards.
White rattled off a populist platform at this afternoon’s press conference. He spoke out against subsidies for wealthy developers and in favor of community policing, though he didn’t answer directly when asked if Rochester should return to a multi-station model, as some advocate. He said there should be more officers on the street and they should be more engaging and not more aggressive.
“We live in a city where stop-and-frisk and pray for rain are the top police strategies,” he said.
A Green Party spokesperson said the party is attempting to run multiple candidates — possibly a full slate — for City Council this year; all five at-large seats are up. Council people Carolee Conklin, Dana Miller, Loretta Scott, Jackie Ortiz, and Matt Haag are all seeking re-election, according to a Council spokesperson.
This article appears in Feb 6-12, 2013.
Kudos to Alex for presenting himself once again as a candidate.
The dynamics of this election cycle, however, will be very different from 2011. The “compressed” Special Election effectively placed him as the electoral equivalent of a Democratic Party Primary candidate. Short of passing petitions to run in the September Democratic Primary, he will appear on the November Ballot in an inconsequential General Election.
I do, though, have respect for his ideals and his participation.
Interesting. When City reports that Richards will run for re-election his platform is presented in a sedate and professonal manner …
“Richards said there is still much he wants to continue to work on, including strengthening the city’s neighborhoods and rebuilding downtown.
But when Alex White announces his plans, we get a dismissive…
“White rattled off a populist platform at this afternoon’s press conference.”
Oh well, as the old song goes, it ain’t what you say it’s the way that you say it.
I’m excited that this may finally be the year that we have a genuine dialogue about Rochesters’ problems. For WAY too long we have had 100% Democrat governance, and I know I am not alone in saying that I am not impressed. Stagnation, decline, and a lack of citizen involvement are the name of the game nowadays. Not everything sucks, but its very obvious that we are not maximizing our resources, and I think we need new leadership to do so.
Keep an eye on Alex White if you are concerned about the city and you’re looking for real solutions and innovative ideas. Or you could just watch the Richards-Warren-Gantt sitcom.