Howie Hawkins to run for council

News10Now – Time-Warner Cable

2009 July 17th

Video: http://news10now.com/content/top_stories/?RegionCookie=48&ArID=477435

SYRACUSE, N.Y -- Howie Hawkins, a perennial candidate for the Green Party, will not run again for mayor of Syracuse in 2009. In 2005, he drew about five percent of the vote.

This time around, Hawkins says he's decided that, rather than run to raise issues, he'll run to win. And, he says, his best chance is in challenging Democratic 4th District Common Councilor Tom Seals.

"I will be knocking on doors for the next 17 weeks and finding every voter I can. Tell them what I'd like to do. Finding out what their concerns are. And, despite the two-thirds democratic enrollment and the three-time incumbent, I think if people have a choice, they might take it," Hawkins said.

Hawkins says he will stress several themes during his campaign, ranging from the need for a municipal power system to consideration of some form of income tax to help ease the property tax burden.