GOP challenger says she is asking community groups, media outlets to host series.
Syracuse Post-Standard By John Mariani Staff writer
Joanie Mahoney said Tuesday she is asking media outlets and community leadership groups to consider sponsoring a series of debates during this year's campaign for Syracuse mayor.
The request was to come by letters to The Post-Standard, local television and radio stations, the city's Tomorrow's Neighborhoods Today sectors, Syracuse 20/20, Focus Greater Syracuse, the Thursday Morning Roundtable and the Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance, said Mahoney, the Republican challenger, in a prepared statement.
"The direction of the city of Syracuse is at stake in this fall's mayoral election, and the future of the entire Central New York region will be impacted by this decision," Mahoney said she wrote to potential hosts. "I have a positive, pro-growth agenda, and I look forward to presenting my ideas and vision in comparison to the incumbent's record and performance in a fair and unfiltered setting."
She said she urged potential hosts to schedule debates as soon as possible so the candidates could avoid scheduling conflicts that might keep them from participating.
Executives at The Post-Standard and several other targeted organizations had not received the invitation letter in Tuesday's mail.
Incumbent Democrat Matt Driscoll, asked about Mahoney's request while submitting his nominating petitions Tuesday morning at the Onondaga County Board of Elections, said he would debate Mahoney and would leave it up to their campaigns to agree to a schedule.
"I support the call for debates," Green Party candidate Howie Hawkins said. "I'll debate any time, anywhere."
When the invitation comes to Syracuse 20/20, Director Vito Sciscioli said he will take it to his board of directors. Meanwhile, he said, the organization is preparing a wide-ranging agenda of issues it expects the candidates to address. The agenda and the candidates' responses will be publicized, probably on Syracuse 20/20's Web site, he said.
Sandra Barrett, director of Thursday Morning Roundtable, said officials of the weekly public affairs forum already were planning to conduct a panel discussion with the mayoral candidates, most likely in late September or early October. A separate discussion with county Legislature candidates also is on the table, Barrett said.
Posted by syracusegreens at July 13, 2005 10:27 PM