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Toledo Mayoral candidates Mike Bell and Keith Wilkowski participated in a fireside debate on Oct.14. The candidates struck at many of the key issues the city is facing.
The debate was presented by Fox Toledo and the Toledo Free Press. During the hour long debate the candidates expressed their opinions on some big issues.
Issue 3 was discussed and the candidates differed on their feelings. Bell fully supports the issue, and believes the increased revenue for the city would be a good boon. Wilkowski said he was still undecided on the issue, but if passed the extra money would be helpful to the city.
“In our ship called Northwest Ohio there are a number of people with no life preservers, meaning they have no other option. We have people sitting in the Cherry Street mission now that used to work. They have no ability to make any kind of income. So the ideal concept that we can get those people out of the missions and some of those people back to work. Regardless of the gambling portion or the casino portion, it’s not a fix by any means, it’s just going to slow down a leak that we have currently on our boat,” Bell said.
Also discussed by the pair, was the recent decision of current Toledo mayor Carty Finkbeiner to close down a bar, Route 66, after a shooting. The two candidates disagreed with one another.
Bell believed that closing down a business at this economic time is counter productive, especially when he believes the real problem of the issue was safety which isn’t properly addressed by closing it.
Wilkowski believed this was not at all an economic issue but an issue focused on safety.
“I as mayor am listening to the police professionals in terms of what should be done with that bar. I’m a big supporter of private enterprise but I think when we have these kinds of situations we need to be concerned about that. So I’m going to make sure I follow the advice of police professionals and make sure we have a safe neighborhood there. And if the establishment is a problem and has a record of that, then we can use a legitimate process of objecting to it if that continues.”
Wilkowski also expressed his view on preserving the old United way building. He said that through a zoning and planning code there are other options of the building besides its demolition.
“What I’ve called for is going through an established code process, for seeing whether you can preserve that building. Ultimately, the private owner if the process does not play out, would have the right to demolish it. All I’m saying is lets pursue options,” said Wilkowski.
Bell disagreed with this sentiment and pointed out that he felt this is how government, slows things down, when dealing with private business.
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