The Sun's editorial board endorses Harvey Ward for Gainesville mayor
Gainesville's next mayor will face major challenges but also great opportunities.
Many local residents struggle with being able to afford housing and utility costs. Our community suffers from longstanding racial and socioeconomic disparities. East Gainesville lacks economic opportunity while downtown needs increased vibrancy. Pedestrian deaths and other public safety problems persist.
The next mayor will be the first to be elected during the same election cycle as other local and state races, which will hopefully bring higher turnout along with more widespread community buy-in to their agenda. The candidate elected next month, or in November if the race requires a runoff, will be elected to a four-year term rather than three years as in the past. Three new commissioners will be elected as well, who could help form a majority to see through new policies and programs.
Voters should choose carefully between the nine candidates running for mayor. They should elect someone well prepared to handle the responsibilities of leading and bringing together our community, at a time when issues such as proposed zoning changes have further stoked divisions.
Columns from mayoral candidates:
David Arreola: Make Gainesville a safer, better home for everyone
Ed Bielarski: End the commission's addiction to GRU customers' money
Gary Gordon: Protect neighborhoods, restore citizen-centered government
Gabriel Hillel: Address consequences of slavery, racism in Gainesville
Adam Rosenthal: Gainesville can become the nation's next smart city
Donald Shepherd: City needs mayor who can bring in money without raising taxes
July Thomas: We need to be ready for the glut of housing that is coming
Harvey Ward: We can work together on housing, climate, other challenges
There are several candidates worth considering. Gary Gordon brings a good perspective on better involving residents in local government from his time as a mayor-commissioner in the 1980s, while astrophysicist and activist July Thomas brings a scholarly approach to understanding the housing issue. But other candidates in the race are better equipped for the job due to recent experience in city government.
Ed Bielarski’s time as general manager of Gainesville Regional Utilities gives him knowledge of utility issues far surpassing other candidates, but he lacks the attitude and ideas needed to confront other problems facing the city. David Arreola’s two terms as city commissioner have made him well versed about city operations, but he has few significant accomplishments to show for his time on the commission.
Harvey Ward's experience, knowledge and temperament make him best suited to be Gainesville’s next mayor. Ward worked during his two terms as city commissioner on developing solutions to some of our community’s most pressing problems and then saw through their passage. The Sun’s editorial board encourages city voters to support him in the upcoming election so that he can continue that work as Gainesville’s next mayor.
Ward’s record on housing demonstrates the approach he would be expected to take as mayor. He developed the city’s My Neighborhood and Heirs Property programs, both of which are aimed at encouraging and maintaining home ownership in historically Black neighborhoods.
He recognizes the need to do much more, proposing such ideas as a revolving loan fund for nonprofits to build affordable apartments. But he has also pushed back against proposed zoning changes supported by the commission's current majority, arguing that massive community opposition shows the need to put the brakes on the plan.
Ward has worked on efforts to conserve land and expand recreation opportunities on publicly owned properties. He has advocated for renovating Boulware Springs and Sweetwater Branch parks, supporting a plan to create a greenway that connects the latter with other city parks and trails.
He has met with school district officials to develop a plan to improve Citizens Field as part of a sports complex proposed in that area. He successfully fought to eliminate Regional Transit System fares for seniors and riders under 18 years old, while calling for fares to be removed for all users if elected mayor.
Ward has shown himself to be a work horse rather than a show horse, someone who isn’t flashy and instead grinds away at his job. Whether through social media or columns in The Sun, he is transparent with the public about what he’s planning and open to input. For these and other reasons, we encourage Gainesville voters to support him in the upcoming election.
— This editorial was written by Nathan Crabbe based on interviews of the candidates and represents the opinion of The Sun’s editorial board. Opinion columns written by the candidates in this race and others running in the upcoming election can be found online at bit.ly/august22electioncolumns.
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This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Editorial: Vote Harvey Ward for Gainesville mayor
