Need To Know

August 19, 2005

 

Set Guests:

Tariq Spence, WDKX Host

Evan Dawson, Channel 13 Reporter

Sandra Parker, CEO Rump Group

Tim Richards, Frmr. CEO RGS Energy

 

 

 

(CAPTIONING MADE POSSIBLE BY THE

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION).

 

 

MICHAEL CAPUTO:  WHAT DO YOU NEED TO KNOW,

WITH ROUGHLY THREE WEEKS OR LESS

WITH A PRIMARY ELECTION AND LAST

WEEK THE RACE TO REPLACE MAYOR

BILL JOHNSON GOT PLENTY OF

ATTENTION.  WE’LL REVIEW THE WEEK THAT

WAS IN THE ROCHESTER MAYORAL RACE AND

WE WILL HAVE A WRAP-UP OF

BUSINESS NEWS.

STAY RIGHT HERE FOR "NEED TO

KNOW."

 

 

>> ROCHESTER'S NEWS MAGAZINE

SINCE 1997, THIS IS "NEED TO

KNOW."

 

 

MC:  THANKS FOR JOINING US.

I'M MICHAEL CAPUTO.

SOME SAY THE RACE FOR ROCHESTER

MAYOR LACKS SPECIFICS THAT YOU

WOULD BE HARD PRESSED TO LOOK AT

THE FORUMS AND THE SURVEYS DONE

THIS PAST WEEK AND NOT SEE SOME

STARK DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE

FIVE CANDIDATES.

TAKE, FOR INSTANCE, WHAT WENT

OUT OVER THE AIR, WDKX A.M. AND

WXXI A.M. HELD SIMULCAST

INTERVIEWS AND THE QUESTIONS

CAME FROM PEOPLE WITH ACCESS TO

A PHONE AND RAN THE GAMUT OF

TOPICS.

THE FIVE CANDIDATES ALSO CAME

TOGETHER FOR A TELEVISED FORUM

SPONSORED BY VOICE OF THE

VOTERS.  WE’LL TALK ABOUT THE

EFFORTS IN JUST A MOMENT.

_FIRST, A VOICE OF THE VOTER                                           2

FORUM.

ONE OF THE PANELISTS, ARKEE

ALLEN ASKED THE CANDIDATES

 IF THEY HAD A TEN

YEAR PLAN FOR ROCHESTER'S

DEVELOPMENT AND THEN GOT MORE

SPECIFIC AND ASKED HOW THEY

WOULD IMPROVE HOMEOWNERSHIP IN

THE CITY.

 

BOB DUFFY: THE NEIGHBORHOODS OF THE

FUTURE WILL HAVE 3,010 LESS

VACANT PROPERTIES.

THEY WILL BE FILLED WITH

FAMILIES.

THEY WILL BE BACK ON THE TAX

ROLLS.  WE TAKE THOSE PROPERTIES OVER

WE GET FAMILIES BACK IN, WE OFFER

EVERY CONCEIVABLE FINANCIAL

INCENTIVE TO HELP FAMILIES OWN

THEIR OWN HOME AND DOING THE

REHABILITATION FOR THOSE HOMES,

WE PUT PEOPLE TO WORK, CREATING

JOBS AND BEAUTIFYING OUR

NEIGHBORHOODS.  WE HAVE OVER

3,000 VACANT HOUSES,

UNACCEPTABLE.   IT IS BLIGHT AND

IT DOES TEAR DOWN THE QUALITY OF

LIFE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND TO

GO BACK TO YOUR POINT BEFORE, IN

ADDITION TO NEIGHBORHOODS, A

DOWNTOWN ROCHESTER WHERE PEOPLE

GET UP AND GREASE PITTSFORD AND

COME DOWNTOWN- IT IS VIBBRANT,

IT IS EXCITING.

THAT IS THE PLACE WE ARE GOING

TOWARD AN ATTRACTION.

WE ARE A DESTINATION POINT FOR

PEOPLE IN THE FUTURE, A BALANCE

BETWEEN DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AND

NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT.

 

WADE NORWOOD:  FIRST OF ALL, STREETS ARE

GOING TO BE WORKS OF ART, JUST

AS WE DID ON UNIVERSITY OR ON

ELMWOOD, MAKING SURE THAT AS YOU

TRAVEL THE CITY, ALL

NEIGHBORHOODS ARE BEAUTIFUL.

SECONDLY, WE WILL HAVE BLIGHTS

REMOVED.

_SOMETIMES, BOB, THE VACANTS                                          3

NEED TO BE DEMOLISHED BECAUSE IT

DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO SPEND

80,000 THOUSAND DOLLARS

REHABBING SOMETHING THAT IS ONLY

WORTH $40,000.

SCHOOLS WILL BE OPERATING 24

HOURS A DAY, 7 DAYS A WEEK TO BE

NEIGHBORHOOD ANCHORS.

WHAT WE WILL DO IS HAVE STRONG

BLOCK CLUBS BECAUSE YOU TOUCHED

ON PART OF THE POINT, THE

HEALTHY URBAN NEIGHBORHOODS COME

FROM PEOPLE HAVING RELATIONSHIPS

WITH EACH OTHER.

THEY DON'T HAVE TO BE HOMEOWNERS

AS LONG AS THEY ARE STABLE

LONG-TERM TENANTS.

 

TIM MAINS:  AND THERE IS

NO QUESTION THAT DOWNTOWN WILL

LOOK ENORMOUSLY DIFFERENT.

I THINK THAT SERVES AS A

TRAGEDY.

YOU HIT ON A KEY POINT THAT MOST

US AGREE ON.

THAT IS A DESPERATE NEED TO

SHIFT THE BALANCE TOWARDS

GREATER HOMEOWNERSHIP.

THERE IS A LOT OF WAYS TO

ACCOMPLISH THAT GOAL.

CERTAINLY, HAVING FOLKS WHO HAVE

AN OWNERSHIP INTEREST IN THEIR

HOME, WHETHER THAT'S OUT IN

SCATTERED NEIGHBORHOODS OR WHETHER

IT’S THE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE

DOWNTOWN, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW

WHAT?

DOWNTOWN IS GOING TO BE A SERIES

OF NEIGHBORHOODS AS WELL.

WE'RE GOING TO INCREASE THE

NUMBER OF HOUSING UNITS

DOWNTOWN.

 

CHRIS MAJ:  ONE OF MY VIEWS FOR

INCREASING HOMEOWNERSHIP, I DO

BELIEVE IN HOMEOWNERSHIP, THAT

IS A GOOD THING, AND THAT IS BY

REQUIRING THAT RESIDENTIAL

PROPERTY LANDLORDS WITHIN THE

CITY LIMITS IF THEY ARE TO RENT

OUT PROPERTY.

_I BELIEVE THOSE PROPERTIES THAT                                       4

ARE OWNED BY SUBURBAN LANDLORDS

AND PROPERTIES IN THIS CITY ARE

BEING RENTED FOR ONE REASON

ONLY, AND THAT'S TO MAKE MONEY.

WHEN A WINDOW GOES OUT, THEY PUT

UP A PIECE OF PLYWOOD, BECAUSE

YOU'RE STILL CUTTING THE RENT

CHECK.

AS LONG AS THEY'RE GETTING THE

MONEY, THEY COULD CARE LESS

BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE TO LIVE

NEXT DOOR TO THE BLIGHT.

WE SHOULD TURN IT OVER TO THE

TENANTS AND OR NEIGHBORHOOD

ASSOCIATION.

 

WADE NORWOOD:  CHRIS, I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT

WE SHOULD BE CASTIGATING OR

LEGISLATE SUBURBANITES BEING

INVESTOR OWNERS.

THEY ARE IMPORTANT.

SMALL BUSINESSPEOPLE ARE

IMPORTANT INVESTORS IN OUR

COMMUNITY.

I DO BELIEVE THAT YOU ARE

CORRECT, THAT EVERY ONE SHOULD

BE HELD TO A CLEAR STANDARD FOR

MAINTAINING HOUSING THAT IS SAFE

AND THAT IS DECENT AND THAT IS

APPROPRIATELY PRICED FOR OUR

COMMUNITY.

I BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE BEEN

WORKING VERY HARD IN THAT

DIRECTION.

I HAVE TAKEN A LOT OF FLAK AS

THE HOUSING CHAIR, BUT I

APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT I --

AND TIM IS ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES

ON THE COUNSEL HAS DONE, IN

TERMS OF MAKING SURE ALL

PROPERTY OWNERS ARE RESPONSIVE.

 

JOHN PARRINELLO: SPECIFICALLY, IN THE LAST TEN

YEARS, VACANT HOUSES HAVE GONE

FROM 2,500 TO 3,100.

NOW, THAT'S NOT A RECORD TO BE

PROUD OF, AND I THINK THAT

INDICATES THAT HAS BEEN LOW

ON THE PRIORITY LIST FOR THE

_PRESENT ADMINISTRATION, AND IN                                        5

MY ADMINISTRATION, THERE WOULD

BE, YES, AN INVENTORY

IMMEDIATELY TAKEN OF VACANT

HOUSING, VACANT ASSESSMENTS,

WHAT WE SAVE AND WHAT WE TEAR

DOWN.

WHAT WE TEAR DOWN UNTIL WE BUILD

UP, WE DO A BEAUTIFICATION THING.

THE OTHER THING IS 80,000 HOUSES

IN THE CITY, LEAD PAINT POISON.

WE NEED TO ADDRESS THAT'S

PROBLEM.

1,000 CHILDREN A YEAR

CONTRACTING LEAD PAINT POISON.

WE MUST SOLVE THAT PROBLEM

IMMEDIATELY.

 

BOB DUFFY:  WE HAVE, I BELIEVE, THE

FOURTH HIGHEST FORECLOSURE RATE

IN THE COUNTRY.

SUSTAINABLE HOMEOWNERSHIP IS A

KEY.  NEXT, WE HAVE THE THIRD

OLDEST HOUSING STOCK.

AND I AGREE WITH JOHN IN TERMS

THE LEAD PAINT ISSUE.

WE HAVE TO MAKE THIS CITY LEAD

SAFE WITHIN FIVE YEARS AND I GO

BACK TO ONE THING, AND THAT IS,

AGAIN, GETTING FAMILIES IN

HOUSES IT IS GOING TO INCREASE

THE TAX ROLLS T WILL INCREASE

REVENUE FOR OUR CITY.

IT GROWS WEALTH IN THE CITY IF

WE CAN GET FAMILIES IN THOSE

HOMES PAYING TAXES.

 

MC: THE MAYORAL CANDIDATES AT THE

VOICE OF THE VOTER FORUM.

NOW WE BRING YOU TWO PEOPLE WHO

HAVE HEARD A GREAT DEAL FROM THE

CANDIDATES THIS WEEK.

TARIQ SPENCE IS THE HOST OF THE

WDKX WAKEUP CLUB AND INTERVIEWED

EACH OF THE CANDIDATES AND EVAN

DAWSON IS A REPORTER WITH 13-WHA

MM-MMM NEWS.

I SAID AT THE TOP, EVAN, THERE

WERE DIFFERENCES, IF YOU WERE

LISTENING.

EDUCATION WAS THE FIRST HALF

HOUR.

_AM I WRONG THAT THERE WERE                                            6

DIFFERENCES WITH EDUCATION?

 

EVAN DAWSON:  ABSOLUTELY NOT.

IF YOU DON'T SEE DIFFERENCES,

YOU'RE NOT LOOKING HARD ENOUGH.

EDUCATION IS A VERY IMPORTANT

ONE WITH VOTERS T IS AN

IMPORTANT ONE TO START WITH.

IF YOU GO DOWN THE LIST BRIEFLY,

TIM MAINS BELIEVE YOU SHOULD

START AT THE BOTTOM.

THE CITY COUNCIL HAS BEEN INTO

EDUCATION FOR YEARS.

IF YOU START WITH THE POOREST

KIDS AND FUND THEM.

WADE NOR WOOD, COMPLETELY THE

OPPOSITE.

HE WANTS TO BE THE MAYOR IN

CHARGE OF THE DISTRICT.

HE WANTS THE MAYOR TO HAVE

CONTROL.

HE WANTS TO HAVE THAT

ACCOUNTABILITY.

IT'S NOT EVEN CLOSE TO BEING THE

SAME.

BOB DUFFY, ON THE OTHER HAND,

SAYS WE DON'T WANT ONE PERSON AT

THE TOP TAKING CONTROL.

WE NEED A COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP

AND BRING IN THE COUNTY

EXECUTIVES AND THE HEALTHCARE

PROVIDERS IT IS SUCH A DIFFERENCE

THAT IF YOU'RE NOT LOOKING, YOU

ARE NOT GOING TO SEE IT.

THESE PROBLEMS MAKE A LOT OF

DIFFERENCE.

 

MC:  YOU MENTIONED JOHN PARRINELLO.

A LOT WERE FOR SCHOOL UNIFORMS

AND WE WILL HAVE TOUGHER LAWS ON

TRUANCY AND WE CAN TALK ABOUT

CHRIS MAJ WHO WANTS CHILDREN

ON THE SCHOOL BOARD.

HE WANTS TO RUN THE SCHOOL

BOARD.

YOU HAVE SAT WITH THESE GUYS.

ARE THEY EMPHASIZING THE ISSUES?

ARE THEY WHAT I COULD CALL THE

_PERSONALS, EITHER GOING AT THEIR                                      7

OPPONENTS OR TALKING ABOUT

THEMSELVES?

WHAT ARE THEY EMPHASIZING?

 

TARIQ SPENCE: THEY ARE MORE DRIVEN BY WHAT

THEY WANT TO ACCOMPLISH FOR THE

CITY OF ROCHESTER.

THEY HAVE TAKEN SHORT STEPS AT

THEIR OPPONENTS SAYING WHY THIS

WON'T WORK, BUT IT'S REALLY BEEN

FOCUSED ON THEIR CAMPAIGN AND

THEIR IDEAS.

IT'S REAL  INTERESTING HOW, NUMBER ONE IS ON OUR POLL

AT WDKX AND THROUGH WXXI,

EDUCATION AND CRIME WERE ONE AND

TWO, SO, THEY ARE REALLY GOING

STRAIGHTFORWARD IN THEIR IDEAS

ON EDUCATION AND THEY ARE REALLY

NOT TAKING TOO MANY SHOTS AT

EACH OTHER BUT THERE ARE SHOTS

BEING FIRED.

 

MC:  I AM HEARING CLAIMS THAT

THERE AREN'T SPECIFICS.

AGAIN, YOU HAVE BEEN  DEALING

WITH THEM ON THE BROADCAST

LEVEL.

ARE THERE GETTING TO BE MORE

SPECIFICS?

 

ED:  THERE ARE GETTING TO BE MORE

SPECIFICS NOW.

TARIQ HAS AN ADVANTAGE WHERE HE

HAS BEEN DOING PROGRAMS AND YOU

HAVE, TOO, WHERE YOU CAN PIN

THEM DOWN.

WE ARE LIMITED TO A MINUTE AND A

HALF ON TELEVISION AND THEY HAVE

TALKING POINTS AND WANT TO GET

THEM IN.

YOU NEED TO GET MORE SPECIFIC

AND ASK THEM.

ASK BOB DUFFY, DO YOU WANT --

WILL YOU FILL THOSE POSITIONS?

HOW WILL YOU FILL THOSE

POSITIONS.

WADE NORWOOD, YOU WANT 50 COPS

TRAINED TO COMBAT DRUGS, HOW ARE

_YOU GOING TO DO THAT?                                                 8

WHERE IS THE MONEY GOING TO COME

FROM?

 

TS:  ON THE BALLOT, THEY DID THAT.

LISTENERS ASKED SPECIFIC

QUESTIONS ON EDUCATION.

WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME ON

EDUCATION, BECAUSE THAT WAS ONE

OF THE THREE TOP CHOICES ON THE

POLLS, BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO

CALLED IN WANTED TO KNOW EXACTLY

WHAT ABOUT JOBS AND EDUCATION,

WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO WITH

THE FUTURE OF SCHOOLS AND

EDUCATION, A LOT OF SPECIFIC

QUESTIONS ABOUT EDUCATION WERE

ANSWERED.

 

MC:  WHAT EFFECT DO YOU THINK

ABOUT HAVING WON THE WILDCARD

WITH CHRIS MAJ AND HAVING THE

REPUBLICAN WITH DIFFERENT EVENTS?

 

TS:  DIFFERENT IDEAS.

CHRIS COMES TO THE TABLE WITH A

LOT OF IDEAS THAT SOME

PEOPLE WOULD SAY RADICAL, BUT

THE WAY HE PROJECTS THOSE IDEAS

OUT, YOU SIT DOWN AND A LIGHT

BULB GOES OFF IN YOUR HEAD AND

IT IS WAIT A MINUTE, LET ME

THINK ABOUT THIS FOR A MINUTE,

AND THEN YOU COME BACK TO THE

TABLE AND MAKE THE DECISION ON

WHETHER OR NOT HE IS THE RIGHT

CHOICE.

 

MC:  TALK ABOUT JOHN FOR A MINUTE.

 

ED:  JOHN IS SOMEBODY WHO FORCES

THEM TO BE SPECIFIC.

HE TOLD BOB DUFFY ALL YOU ARE

GIVING IS PLATITUDES, WHERE ARE

THE SPECIFICS?

BOB DUFFY WILL TELL YOU IT'S

NOT -- BOB DUFFY WILL TELL YOU

IT'S NOT NEW.  JOHN PARRINELLO

WILL GIVE YOU SPECIFICS.

JOHN PARRINELLO WANTS THE

PARENTS TO TAKE CLASSES.

HE WILL GIVE YOU THE SPECIFICS.

IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE JOHN

_PARRINELLO IS A REAL CANDIDATE,                                       9

HE IS AT LEAST GIVING SPECIFICS.

HE MAY NOT BE POLLING WELL, BUT

HE IS IN THIS RACE AND HE THINKS

HE CAN WIN.

MC:  I WANT TO BRING UP THE NUMBER

FOUR ISSUE ON THE POLL, THE WDKX

SIDE DID, WHICH WAS DIVERSITY.

IS THAT COMING UP AT ALL IN

THESE CONVERSATIONS?

 

TS:   NOT PARTICULARLY, NOT

DIRECTLY IN DIVERSITY.

CERTAIN LINES HAVE BEEN CROSSED

IN CERTAIN WAYS IN WHICH IT HAS

BEEN BROUGHT UP.

NOT DIRECTLY OF RACE, BUT

WE ARE REALLY GOING THROUGH AN

ILLUSION IF WE DON'T BELIEVE

THAT RACE DOESN'T PLAY A PART IN

THIS RACE.

A LOT OF PEOPLE WILL LOOK AT

CANDIDATES AND BASE THEIR

DECISIONS ON IT.

THAT IT IS SAD BUT TRUE.

THERE IS REALLY NO WAY AROUND.

THAT.

 

MC:  THE ANSWERS ARE STARTING TO

PLAY ON.

THAT THERE ARE SOME ADS THAT ARE

STARTING TO PLAY ON.

THAT IS IT GOING TO BE

EFFECTIVE, DO YOU THINK, IN THE

LONG RUN, TARIQ?

 

TS:  THAT'S IN THE HANDS OF THE

VOTERS.

I DON'T THINK WE WILL KNOW UNTIL

AFTER SEPTEMBER AND INTO

NOVEMBER.

WE'RE NOT GOING TO KNOW THE

RESULTS OF WHETHER OR NOT THOSE

ADS WORKED UNLESS WE FIND OUT

WHO WINNERS ARE.

 

MC:  HAVE YOU BEEN OUT ON THE

STREET?

HAVE YOU BEEN HEARING ANYTHING

IN TERMS OF DISCUSSION ABOUT

RACE?

_                                                                     10

ED:  MAYBE I'M NAIVE.

I DON'T THINK -- I THINK TARIQ

IS RIGHT IN THE FACT THAT YOU

CAN'T GET AWAY FROM THE FACT

THAT SOME VOTERS WILL LINE UP

THAT WAY.

THEY'RE NOT GOING TO STUDY THE

ISSUES.

MAYBE I'M NAIVE, BUT I BELIEVE

IT IS NOT GOING TO BE AS BIG OF

A FACTOR AS PEOPLE BELIEVE.

YOU HAVE VERY DIVERSE GROUP OF

PEOPLE SUPPORTING BOB DUFFY, TIM

MAINS, WADE NORWOOD.

I THINK THAT'S A POSITIVE THING.

I THINK THE FURTHER WE GET AWAY

FROM THAT, THE BETTER.  I THINK

WE’RE MOVING  IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

 

MC:  I HAVE JUST A FEW SECONDS

LEFT.

THE POLLS SHOW THIS WIDE GAP

BETWEEN THE CANDIDATES.

DO YOU THINK IT IS GOING TO BE

THAT WIDE?

 

TS:  I THINK IT IS GOING TO BE

EXTREMELY CLOSE.

 

ED:  THE ORGANIZATION AND THE CITY

COUNCIL, BOTH OF THEM IN THE

RACE HAVE WORKED VERY HARD IN

THE ORGANIZATION.

BOB DUFFY HAS WORKED HARD ON HIS

OWN.

HE MIGHT HAVE BETTER NAME

RECOGNITION.

IF YOU ARE ORGANIZED ON ELECTION

DAY, YOU CAN MAKE IT CLOSE.

 

MC:  WILL YOU SEE A SPATE OF ADS

COMING OUT.

 

ED:  THEY ARE JUST STARTING.

 

MC:  I WANT TO THANK YOU BOTH FOR

BEING HERE AND BEING A PART OF

THIS DISCUSSION.

WE WANT YOUR FEEDBACK ON THIS

INTERVIEW AND ON EVENTS WE ARE

SPONSORING.

_GIVE IT US TO AT NEED TO KNOW AT                                     11

WXXI.ORG OR CALL THE RESPONSE

LINE.

THE NUMBER IS 258-0250.

 

MC:  DURING THIS WEEK OF MAYORAL

POLITICS, A SURVEY OF THE FIVE

CANDIDATES WAS RELEASED.

THE QUESTION IS ARE THEY PEOPLE

YOU HAVE HEARD OF.

BUSINESSPEOPLE, ALL PART OF

ORGANIZATIONS FROM THE RUMP

GROUP TO THE ROCHESTER BUSINESS

ALLIANCE.

THEY ASKED THE MAYORAL

CANDIDATES FOR RIGOROUS

RESPONSES ON SUBJECTS RANGING

FROM ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TO

POLICING.

BUT MAKE NO MISTAKE THESE BUSINESS

ORGANIZATION'S MAIN FOCUS

WAS ON IMPROVING THE ROCHESTER

ECONOMY.

LET'S GET INTO THAT A LITTLE BIT

MORE WITH OUR GUESTS.

BOTH MEMBERS OF THE RUMP GROUP

WHO OVERSAW THE SURVEY, ALONG WITH

THE R.B.A., SANDRA

PARKER, C.E.O. OF THE

ROCHESTER BUSINESS ALLIANCE AND

THOMAS RICHARDS, THE FORMER

C.E.O. OF R.G.S. ENERGY.

LET'S TALK ABOUT THE BUSINESS

CLIMATE AND ECONOMIC

DEVELOPMENT.

YOU ASKED THESE CANDIDATES THEIR TOP PRIORITY FOR

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND THEIR

ANSWERS WERE ALL OVER THE MAP

FROM UNIVERSITY RESEARCH TO

GAMING AND GAMBLING.

TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT YOU

SAW FROM THESE RESPONSES IN THE

MAYORAL CANDIDATES?

WHAT WAS THEIR FOCUS?

 

SP:  ONE OF THE THINGS WE SAW WAS

A RECOGNITION THAT WE NEEDED TO

DO SOMETHING TO STIMULATE THE

ECONOMIC GROWTH IN THE DOWNTOWN

AREA.

WHAT WE WERE LOOKING FOR WAS

SPECIFIC ANSWERS, SPECIFIC WAYS

_TO STIMULATE THE GROWTH.                                             12

 

MC:  WE GOT THAT, DIDN'T WE?

 

SP:  WE GOT, IT AND WE GOT IT

FROM A WIDE RANGE OF IDEAS.

AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK IF YOU

LOOK AT ONE OF THE CANDIDATES

RESPONSE IN TERMS OF FOCUSING ON

ENTREPRENEURIAL GROWTH, THAT'S

CERTAINLY AN AREA WE ARE LOOKING

AT FROM A COUNTY-WIDE

PERSPECTIVE IN TERMS OF

INCREASING THE NUMBER OF JOBS

THAT WE HAD.

 

MC:  THE ANSWERS, DON'T THEY SAY A

LITTLE BIT, MR. RICHARDS ABOUT

WHO, WHERE THESE PEOPLE COME

FROM?

SOME TALKED ABOUT LET'S PARTNER

WITH UNIVERSITY RESEARCH, AND

ANOTHER ONE, WADE NORWOOD SAID

LET'S USE THE CITY GOVERNMENT TO

PUMP MONEY IN.

DOES THAT TELL YOU WHERE THEY

ARE COMING FROM AND HOW THEY

MIGHT APPROACH THINGS AS MAYOR?

 

TR:  I TOLD YOU SOMETHING ABOUT

PART OF WHY WE DID THIS.

WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE

IDEAS THAT ARE PUT FORTH HERE

ARE, ONE, REALISTIC.

THERE IS SOMETHING THAT A MAYOR

CAN DO, CAN INFLUENCE^.

WE THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT

PART OF THE JUDGMENT TO BE MADE

HERE.

SECOND OF ALL, THAT THEY

ACTUALLY DEAL WITH THE PROBLEM.

IN OTHER WORDS, DO THEY GET TO

THE HEART OF WHAT IT IS THAT'S

DRIVING SOME OF THE ECONOMIC

PROBLEMS WE HAVE IN OUR AREA,

AND RECOGNIZE THAT THE MAYOR HAS

SOME LIMITED ABILITY TO DO.

THAT.

 

MC:  WELL, I THINK EVEN MAYOR

JOHNSON HAS SAID THAT I WANT TO

_POINT OUT THIS IS A LENGTHY                                          13

SURVEY.

IF YOU WANT TO CHECK OUT THE

SURVEY, RUMP GROUP.ORG,

ROCHESTER BUSINESS ALLIANCE.COM,

BOTH OF THE PLACES TO DO THAT,

AND I WANTED TO ASK YOU FOLKS

ABOUT THE QUESTION ABOUT SPECIAL

TAX INCENTIVES.

WHY WOULD YOU ASK THEM FOR

DOWNTOWN?

WHY WOULD YOU ASK THEM ABOUT

THAT?

 

SP:  WELL, WE WERE LOOKING AT,

AGAIN, WAYS TO STIMULATE BUSINESS GROWTH IN THE

DOWNTOWN AREA, GIVE THEM SOME

THOUGHT AND HAVE THEM THINK

ABOUT SOME OF THE INNOVATIVE

WAYS WE MIGHT DO TO PROVIDE

INCENTIVES FOR PEOPLE TO EITHER

GROW BUSINESSES DOWNTOWN OR TO

COME DOWNTOWN.

 

MC:  AND THE ANSWERS YOU GOT, WERE

THEY -- DID THEY ILLUMINATE THE

SUBJECT AT ALL?

 

TR:  WELL, SOME DID.

I MEAN, I THINK THE DIFFERENCE

HERE, AND ONE OF THE REASONS WE

APPROACH IT THIS WAY, IT SEEMS

TO US CLEAR THAT SOMETHING NEW

AND FAIRLY DRAMATIC HAS TO BE

DONE DOWNTOWN.

THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR A

LONG TIME.

WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT IT A OF

FOR A LONG TIME.

IF WE INTEND TO MAKE A

DIFFERENCE, SOMETHING HAS TO

CHANGE.

IT CAN'T SIMPLY BE CONTINUAL

CONVERSATION OVER IT.

 

MC:  DID YOU FIND THEY AGREED WITH

YOU, WITH THE ANSWERS?

DID ANYBODY EVER SAY, WE DON'T

_HAVE TO DO THAT?                                                     14

 

TR:  I DON'T THINK EVERYBODY

SUPPORTS, FOR INSTANCE, SPECIAL

TAXES INCENTIVES.

SOME OF THE SPECIAL TAX

INCENTIVES THAT WE'RE TALKING

ABOUT, AND, AGAIN, THIS ISN'T

JUST IN OUR OPINION, IT IS

SOMETHING SOMEBODY TRIED

SOMEWHERE.

SALES TAX IN SOME CITIES IN NEW

JERSEY, THEY HAVE ELIMINATED

SALES TAX IN THE

CENTER CITY.

THE IDEA IS TO GIVE YOU^ SOME

ADVANTAGE TO DO BUSINESS

DOWNTOWN.

THAT'S AN ISSUE.

WHETHER THAT'S THE RIGHT THING

TO DO OR NOT, THAT'S DEBATABLE.

WHAT ISN'T DEBATABLE IS THAT

THERE HAS TO BE SOME REASON WHY

SOMEBODY IS GOING TO DO BUSINESS

DOWNTOWN OTHER THAN WHAT EXISTS

TODAY.

 

SP:  AND I THINK,  TO PIGGYBACK ON WHAT TOM HAS

SAID IS THAT WE REALLY WERE

TRYING TO GET AT SOME NEW IDEAS.

LET'S PUT ON THE THINKING CAPS

AND THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX AND

COME UP WITH SOME NEW IDEAS

AGAIN, AND THEN WE CAN EVALUATE

WHETHER THOSE, IN FACT, MIGHT

WORK.

LET'S NOT DO THINGS THE WAY WE

HAVE DONE THINGS FOR YEARS.

 

MC:  IN A CAMPAIGN, YOU OFTEN

DON'T GET NEW IDEAS, YOU GET A

LOT OF GENERAL STATEMENTS.

DO YOU FEEL AS THOUGH YOU BROKE

THROUGH THAT WITH THE SURVEY AT

ALL?

WERE YOU ABLE TO GET NEW IDEAS,

SOME SPECIFICS?

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

 

TR:  YEAH, I DO PARTLY, BECAUSE OF

THE WAY WE PHRASE THE SURVEY.

_WE HAD THAT IN MIND, AND SO SOME                                     15

OF THE QUESTIONS SAY, DO YOU

SUPPORT THIS, YES OR NO, AND,

YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY WHEN YOU ARE

RUNNING FOR OFFICE, YOU PREFER

NOT TO HAVE A YES OR NO

QUESTION.

TO THEIR CREDIT, THE CANDIDATES

ANSWERED IT, AND SO THAT POINTS

OUT SOME OF THE DIFFERENCES THEY

HAVE.

 

MC:  WAS THERE ANYTHING THAT

SHOCKED YOU IN THIS SURVEY?

YOU LOOKED AT IT AND WOULD GO,

OH, I

 

NEVER WOULD HAVE THOUGHT?

^.

SP:  I WAS SURPRISED THAT ALL OF

THE CANDIDATES SUPPORTED THE

CASINO AND ALL OF THE CANDIDATES

SUPPORTED IT WITH THE

STIPULATION THAT IT BE LOCATED

IN DOWNTOWN ROCHESTER.

THAT WAS A SURPRISE TO ME.

 

MC:  THERE WERE TWO NAMES THAT

SAID YEAH, I SUPPORT IT BUT, AND

THERE WERE TWO MORE THAT SAID I

SUPPORT IT, BUT, BUT THAT'S NOT

EVEN ON THE TABLE, IS IT --

CASINOS?

ISN'T THAT COMPLETELY OFF THE

TABLE AT THIS POINT?

 

TR:  WELL, IF SOMEONE WAS ELECTED

MAYOR WHO THOUGHT IT OUGHT TO BE

ON THE TABLE, THEY COULD

PURSUE IT.

IT IS OFF THE TABLE CURRENTLY

BECAUSE THE CURRENT

ADMINISTRATION THINKS IT IS A

BAD IDEA AND DOESN'T SUPPORT T

THERE IS A BUT IN SOME OF THESE

ANSWERS.

IF YOU ASK BILL JOHNSON THE

ANSWER, HE WOULD TELL YOU NO.

THERE IS A DIFFERENCE OF OPINION

THERE.

WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT, IT

_IS SOMETHING TO WORK ON.

                                             16

MC:  I WAS SURPRISED THEY WOULD

COMBINE CITY AND COUNTY WATER

SERVICES.

THE NEXT MAYOR APPARENTLY IS

GOING TO COMBINE THE CITY AND

COUNTY WATER SERVICES.

 

SP:  I THINK YOU HAVE TO BE CAREFUL

WITH THAT, BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO

LOOK AT THE BUT.

THE BUT PART IS YES, WE'RE

WILLING TO COMBINE, BUT THE CITY

REVENUE LASS TO REMAIN CONSTANT.

THAT'S THE BUT.

 

MC:   LET'S TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT

BUDGET AND FINANCE.

YOU DID FOCUS A LITTLE BIT IN

THAT THIS SURVEY ABOUT.

THAT HERE AGAIN, I THINK THERE

WAS SOME DISAGREEMENT ON THE WAY

THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT REIGNING

IN COSTS.

DUFFY TALKED ABOUT HIS ROCHESTER

BY NUMBERS PLAN.

 

OTHERS TALKED ABOUT

EFFICIENCIES.

THERE WERE THOSE WHO TALKED

ABOUT CHASING AFTER STATE AND

FEDERAL MONEY.

WHAT IS YOUR ASSESSMENT OF THESE

ANSWERS, MR. RICHARDS?

 

TR:  ONE OF THE REASONS WE ASKED

THE QUESTION THE WAY WE DID, AND

ALL THESE QUESTIONS ARE GROUPED.

THERE IS A PREMISE IN THE

BEGINNING OF THEM.

PART OF WHAT WE WANTED TO MAKE

SURE THAT PEOPLE DID HERE WAS

DEAL WITH THE REALITY.

THE REALITY OF CITY GOVERNMENT

IS THAT EVERY YEAR THEY'RE FACED

WITH HAVING TO MAKE UP A

PROJECTED DEFICIT.

THIS IS NOT AN EASY QUESTION.

IF SOMEONE COMES IN AND SAYS I'M

GOING TO DO ALL THESE PROGRAMS

AM ALL THESE OTHER THINGS, THEY

_ARE OBLIGATED TO TELL US WHERE                                       17

THEY'RE GOING TO GET THE MONEY,

BECAUSE THE FIRST CRISIS THAT

FACES THEM THE DAY THEY ARE

ELECTED HOW THEY ARE GOING TO

GET THAT BUDGET

BALANCED.

EVERYTHING IS STAYING WHERE IT

IS.

^

SP:  THE PURPOSE OF THE WAY THE

SURVEY WAS DESIGNED TO TRY TO

GET AT THE SPECIFICS, NOT TO BE

CONTENT WITH JUST GENERALITIES.

WE WANTED TO GET AT THE HOW, HOW

ARE YOU GOING TO ACCOMPLISH

THIS, AND THEN THE NEXT ISSUE

WAS, OKAY, HOW FEASIBLE IS YOUR

SUGGESTION.

 

MC:   WHERE ARE YOU GOING TO

PROMULGATE THIS?

THE WEB SITES ARE THERE, THE

RUMP GROUP AND THE ROCHESTER

BUSINESS ALLIANCE WEB SITE ARE

THERE.

WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO.

 

SP:  THE CURRENT PLAN IS

 WE ARE IN THE PROCESS NOW OF

ANALYZING ALL OF THE RESPONSES

ON THE ISSUES OF HOW WELL DID

THE CANDIDATE UNDERSTAND WHAT

THE QUESTION WAS, HOW SPECIFIC

WERE THEY IN TERMS OF THEIR

RESPONSES, HOW FEASIBLE WERE

THEIR RESPONSES, AND FINALLY,

HOW MUCH WOULD THEIR PLANS

ACTUALLY HELP IN TERMS OF

SPURRING ECONOMIC GROWTH IN THE

CITY.

 

MC:   THE ROCHESTER BUSINESS

ALLIANCE WILL ENDORSE?

 

SP:  THE ROCHESTER BUSINESS

ALLIANCE WILL NOT BE ENDORSING

IN THE PRIMARY.

THE ROCHESTER BUSINESS ALLIANCE

WILL BE ENDORSING FOR THE

MAYORAL ELECTION.

_THEN THE PROCESS IS GOING TO BE                                      18

WE PLAN ON PUBLISHING A SUMMARY

ANALYSIS FROM THE SURVEY.

THAT WILL BE PUBLISHED THE WEEK

OF AUGUST 19, AND -- AUGUST 29,

AND WE'RE GOING TO BE USING

THAT, REALLY, AS AN EDUCATIONAL

PIECE FOR THOSE VOTERS THAT WILL

BE GOING TO THE POLLS FOR THE

PRIMARY.

 

MC:   VERY QUICKLY, MR. RICHARDS,

THE RUMP GROUP IS NOT GOING TO

ENDORSE.

THIS IS AN EDUCATION GROUP?

 

TR:  THAT'S RIGHT.

IN THE WEB SITE, THESE ANSWERS

ARE SPREAD OUT SO YOU CAN LOOK

AT ALL THE CANDIDATES'

PARTICULAR RESPONSE TO A

QUESTION AND COMPARE THEM.

IT'S AN EASY WAY TO COMPARE

WHERE PEOPLE STAND.

 

MC:  I WANT TO THANK YOU BOTH FOR

COMING IN AND MAKING PEOPLE

AWARE OF THIS.

NOW LET'S MOVE ON TO JULIE

PHILIPP, BEN RAND AND THE

BUSINESS SECTION.

 

JP:  JOINING US IN STUDIO IS BEN

RAND, BUSINESS REPORTER FOR THE

DEMOCRAT AND CHRONICLE.

HI, BEN.

 

BR:  HI.

 

JP:  KODAK LAUNCHED A NEW CAMPAIGN

THIS WEEK DESIGNED TO CHANGE ITS

BRAND IMAGE.

CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THAT?

 

BR:   SURE.

THEY ARE TRYING TO DO WHAT THEY

SAY IS CALLED ESTABLISH THEIR

DIGITAL CREDENTIALS.

THEY WANT PEOPLE TO START

THINKING OF THEM AS A

TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATOR RATHER

THAN THAT FILM COMPANY THAT HAD

DADDY'S LITTLE GIRLS AND WARM

_THINGS.                                                              19

 

JP:  THAT'S HOW PEOPLE THINK OF

KODAK, STILL, DESPITE THE FACT

THAT IS LESS AND LESS OF

THEIR BUSINESS, OBVIOUSLY.

 

BR:  YES, ON THE OTHER HAND, THEY

ARE SELLING QUITE A FEW DIGITAL

CAMERAS.

SOMEONE IS RECOGNIZING THAT THEY

HAVE PRODUCT TO OFFER.

THE DANGER IS THAT THEY HAVE

BEEN BILLING THEMSELVES AS AN

EASY TO USE SYSTEM AND THAT CAN

ONLY GO SO FAR.

THEY NEED TO HAVE PEOPLE THINK

OF THEM, PEOPLE THINK OF THEM AS

A COMPANY WITH TECHNOLOGY.

 

JP:  TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT

THE CAMPAIGN, SOME DETAILS.

 

BR: THE BIG IDEA THAT THEY HAVE

IS THE NOTION OF A GALLERY, THE

GALLERY IS A METAPHOR.

THE IDEA IS THAT THE SHIFT FROM

FILM TO DIGITAL IS SOMEWHAT

DISORIENTING.

IT TANKS A LITTLE BIT OF

LEARNING AND LET KODAK SERVE AS

YOUR TRUSTED GUIDE, FOR SERVICES

LIKE RADIOLOGY AND COMMERCIAL

PRINTING AND OTHERS, AND SO THAT

KODAK HAS THE RIGHT DEGREE OF

PRODUCT AND KNOW-HOW AND TRUST.

YOU CAN TRUST THEM TO TAKE YOU

THROUGH THE TRANSITIONS.

 

JP:  SO WHAT TO LOOK FOR, WE

REMEMBER THE KODAK MOMENT, THESE

STORIES, ARE WE SEEING THAT NOW

OR IS IT A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT

LOOK?

 

BR:  KIND OF A DIFFERENT TONE, YOU

WOULD SAY, BUT THEY DO NOT WANTS

TO LOSE THAT EMOTION, YOU KNOW.

I WAS TOLD THAT FOCUS GROUPS

TOLD KODAK THAT THEY THOUGHT OF

KODAK AS THE BRAND THEY COULD

BRING HOME TO DINNER, AND SO,

THOSE ARE ATTRIBUTES THAT, I'M

_TOLD, THAT COMPANIES DIE FOR,                                        20

AND WHAT'S INTERESTING IS THEIR

COMPETITORS ARE KIND OF TRYING

TO MOVE TOWARD THE KODAK

TERRITORY.

THEY WANT TO BE FELT WARMER,

THOUGHT OF MORE EMOTIONALLY,

WHEREAS KODAK IS TRYING TO MOVE

TO THEIR TERRITORY AS A

TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATOR.

 

JP:  THEY ACTUALLY PUT A VALUE ON

BRAND IMAGE, AND KODAK'S BRAND

IMAGE HAS SUFFERED.

 

BR:  IT HAS, YEAH.

OVER ARE THE LAST FIVE YEARS, IT

HAS LOST 50% OF ITS VALUES.

 

 

JP:  BUT OTHERS ARE STILL

INTERESTED IN THAT SORT OF

IMAGE?

 

 UH-HUH, AND TO BE FAIR, THEY

ARE STILL ONE OF THE TOP 100

MOST VALUABLE BRANDS A NEW THIS

MARKETPLACE, YOU GET SO MANY

PLAYERS AND THERE IS MARKET

WARS, IS BRAND IMAGE THAT

IMPORTANT?

 

BR:  I THINK SO, SURE, BECAUSE

THERE IS SO MUCH COMPETITION,

YOU WANT TO BE AT THE TOP OF THE

MIND PEOPLE OUT THERE, SO

WHETHER YOU GO TO THE STORE ARE

OR WHETHER IT IS PEOPLE WHO

INFLUENCE THE BEST BUY CLERKS

AND THOSE PEOPLE.

 

JP:  A BRAND YOU KNOW AND DON'T

LOOK AT THE OTHER ONES?

 

BR:  YEAH.

 

JP:  AND ANALYSTS THINK THIS IS

CRITICAL FOR KODAK?

 

BR:  SURE, AND IT'S REFLECTIVE FOR

THE NEED TO APPRECIATE THE WHOLE

COMPANY, JUST AS THEY ARE MAKING

_CHANGE IN THE MANUFACTURING                                          21

INFRASTRUCTURE, THEY NEED TO

MODERNIZE THE BRANDS.

 

JP:  A QUICK UPDATE ON KODAK IN

GREECE, GOING BACK AND FORTH.

ATHEY HAVE KIND OF A COMPLEX

STORY.

GREECE EARLIER THIS WEEK

AUTHORIZED A LAWSUIT TO RECOUP

BACKTAXES^ BASED ON THEIR

ALLEGATION THAT THE ASSESSMENTS

IN GREECE WERE A PRODUCT OF

FRAUD, SO WE'LL SEE HOW THAT

PLAYS OUT.

 

JP:  OKAY.

FINALLY, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT

RETIREMENT THIS SUNDAY.

 

BR:  RIGHT.

THE EPISODE OF OUR CHANGING

ECONOMIC SERIES, SOCIAL

SECURITY, MEDICARE, PENSIONS,

THISER'S ALL KIND OF ON --

THEY'RE ALL KIND OF ON^ SHAKING

GROUND.

OUR PACKAGE LOOKS AT THE WAY

PEOPLE ARE COPING.

ONE OF THE MAIN WAYS YOU ARE

GOING TO HAVE TO START TO TAKE

CARE OF YOURSELF.

YOU CAN'T RELY ON YOUR COMPANY.

YOU CAN'T RELY ON THE

GOVERNMENT.

 

JP:  ANY TIPS ON HOW TO DO THAT^?

 

BR:  ABSOLUTELY.

 

JP:  THANKS SO MUCH FOR COMING BY.

WE HAVE YOUR COMMENTS.

YOU HAVE A COUPLE OF WAYS TO GET

THEM TO US.

E-MAIL US AT NEED TO KNOW AT

WXXI.ORG OR CALL THE RESPONSE

LINE AT ANY TIME AT 258-0250.

 

MC:  THAT'S OUR REPORT FOR THIS

WEEK.

NEXT WEEK WE'RE GOING TO GIVE

>> LONG LOOK AT WHERE THE

_MAYORAL CANDIDATES STAND ON                                          22

EDUCATION ISSUES.  WE REPEAT OUR

DISCUSSION FROM THE FIRST VOICE

OF THE VOTER FORUM.

WE'LL SEE YOU THEN.

 

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