Mayoral candidates: Questions and answers

Web posted September 20, 1998

From Staff Reports

The Augusta Chronicle will ask each of the six mayoral candidates specific questions. Here are the questions and candidate Ed McIntyre's responses:

Q: It is four years from now, 2002. You're near the end of a four-year term as mayor. What's different as a result of your administration?

A: Proven leadership will show we have a new spirit, a new attitude and new pride within our city. We'll have involvement from the citizens as well as the business community in deciding where we want to take this city by the year 2020. We think we'll already be working on such things as railroads, cleaning up the city and working on economic development for jobs.

Q: What can you contribute to Augusta and its residents as mayor that the other candidates can't?

A: I think that I've shown that I'm a visionary, that I will come with an exciting program, a platform, that I will form a strong marriage between the public and private sector, that I will offer the kind of leadership that will bring consensus on the commission and that I will foster race relations and bring a better harmony between the races.

Q: What is the worst mistake you ever made outside of politics?

A: Not getting my Ph.D. degree and not going to medical school, as I once wanted to be a doctor.

MAYORS RACE  THE MAYOR'S RACE Each week until the Nov. 4 election, The Augusta Chronicle will feature a candidate running for Augusta-Richmond County mayor. Check back each Sunday for a new profile. •Ed McIntyre •Larry Sconyers •Elmer Singley •Moses Todd •Kenneth Winters •Bob Young  Q&A The Chronicle asks each candidate specific questions about their abilities and goals. Here are their answers. •Ed McIntyre •Larry Sconyers •Elmer Singley •Moses Todd •Kenneth Winters •Bob Young  ASK THE CANDIDATES Do you have a question you'd like to ask the mayoral candidates? •Click here

Q: What decision in your life had consequences you never would have expected?

A: The decision to run for public office. Way back several years ago I did not realize it would be so difficult, that it would take a lot of work and especially being the first African-American in a lot of things. The challenge was great, but the experience was rewarding.

Q: What is the best book you ever read?

A: The life and story of Booker T. Washington.

Q: What do you count as your greatest accomplishment in life, outside of your family?

A: Becoming mayor of the city of Augusta.

Q: Explain what actions you would take in these areas of concern:

Recycling:

A:We don't pay enough attention to environmental problems, and this is something I would give a top priority to.

Libraries:

A: I think we have neglected our libraries long enough, and it's time for us to allocate additional funds on a per capita basis to improve and enhance our libraries and give more focus on them so people will come and enjoy our libraries. Make them more attractive and promote them more.

Streets and roads:

A: I've always been interested in making sure our infrastructure was in place and make sure the money that is supposed to be set aside for infrastructure be used for that purpose. I think we need a good long-range and short-range program for road improvement and for improving and maintaining our infrastructure.

Water:

A: Well, I'm not so sure that a water commission is the real answer to our problem. I think that what we need to make sure of is that within our home rule that we have with the new government that we make sure that the monies that are generated from water be restricted for the use of enhancing and maintaining the water system and for the expansion of the water system.

Animal Control:

A: That's one of the things I'd have to look at. I think that what I've read so far has been just gross. And certainly we need to be a little more humane about how we treat animals. I would take a critical look at that and see if we could find a new program that would be more humane.