THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, March 15, 1996 TAG: 9603130239
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 03 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY TONI WHITT AND REBECCA A. MYERS, STAFF WRITERS
LENGTH: Long : 209 lines
PORTSMOUTH VOTERS will head to the polls May 7 to elect a mayor and fill three seats on the City Council.
And there is no shortage of candidates for those positions.
After the official filing was over last week, seven people - three of them incumbents - were off and running for council seats. And the incumbent mayor faced two challengers, one of them a former mayor.
Here, then, are initial profiles of the 10 candidates who want to represent you on City Council. MAYORAL CANDIDATES
FRANK A. HARTE
Age: 75
Address: 3400 block of Dogwood Drive
Occupation: Retired engineer and businessman
Political experience: None; ran for mayor 10 years ago.
Why are you running? I am totally dissatisfied with the conditions that exist within our city, and it is obvious that our present City Council is oblivious to the forces tearing our city apart. They appear to be dreamers and not doers. Rather than just sit around, wring my hands, whine and bellyache, I am now angry enough to try and do something about our problems, and I hope that I can make enough of you mad that you will want to help me.
What do you hope to accomplish? If elected, I propose to go in and find out what the problems are that contribute to the city's high crime rate. The reason these problems exist is that somebody is not doing their job. I'm going to find out who and get them to do it or get rid of them. I think the office of mayor has the influence to bring all civic leagues under one umbrella. From that umbrella, I would like to create an executive committee, and the mayor and the committee could work together to return this city back to the people. We need to concentrate on tourism. This is an overlooked gold mine because of our long and interesting history.
GLORIA O. WEBB
Age: 63
Address: 200 block of Park Road
Occupation: Mayor
Political experience: Incumbent mayor who has served two terms; 16 years total on the City Council. Also served on the School Board eight years.
Why are you running? My agenda is not complete, and I'm excited about Vision 2005. I would like to see some of that accomplished in the next five years.
What do you hope to accomplish? To find major industries, which can bring jobs and revenues to Portsmouth. And to complete a five-year plan for Vision 2005.
DR. JAMES W. HOLLEY III
Age: 69
Address: 1400 block of Carson Crescent West
Occupation: Dentist
Political experience: Mayor 1984-87; vice mayor 1978-80; city councilman 1968-80 and 1982-84; civil rights activist who helped to open Portsmouth's public libraries and its golf courses to black residents.
Why are you running? Fully recognizing the need for involvement of the total citizenry at this critical time in a united thrust for really moving Portsmouth forward and confident of my ability to provide the necessary leadership, I, once again, respectfully seek to serve the city of my birth as its mayor.
What do you hope to accomplish? I expect to earn the title of ``working mayor'' by becoming actively involved in a bold effort for encouraging and thus retaining present enterprises while vigorously recruiting new businesses. Also, I expect to constantly traverse the total city, observing the quality of public works, public safety, civic pride and the special needs of children and senior citizens. COUNCIL CANDIDATES
J. THOMAS BENN III
Age: 56
Address: 100 block of West Road
Occupation: Director of quality assurance, Norfolk Naval Shipyard
Political experience: Seven years on Portsmouth School Board - now in fourth year as chairman.
Why are you running? My family and I are positive on Portsmouth. We love this city. We want my service to continue to build on the positive impact that the school board's actions have had on the citizens and the image of Portsmouth. The future of Portsmouth is at stake. With increased partnership with the citizens, we need to talk about what we've done and what we together can do to take this wonderful city into the 21st century.
What do you hope to accomplish? I hope that by using the consensus-building and team-approach skills that I have learned in my job at the shipyard and on the job as chairman of the school board that I can play a positive role in realizing Vision 2005. I want to link Vision 2005 to the school board's open-enrollment policy and school-improvement efforts to realize increases in economic development. I want regional cooperation to become a reality.
BERNARD D. GRIFFIN
Age: 57
Address: 1300 block of Watson Street
Occupation: Retired educator
Political experience: Incumbent councilman; former chairman of the school board.
Why are you running? I think improvements have been made economically since I've been on the council. Certainly if there's anything disappointing, it's racial disharmony.
What do you hope to accomplish? I want to improve race relations in the city. I like the recent progress that has been done toward public safety and would like to continue the stance that I have taken in terms of public safety. I would like to bring more economic
development in order to establish a higher tax base and take pressure off of the citizens. I also want to continue the relationship that has been developed between the council and the school system. I want to work to see that teacher pay increases are made this year.
JAMES C. HAWKS
Age: 49
Address: 4100 block of Faber Road
Occupation: Attorney
Political experience: Incumbent councilman, two terms
Why are you running? I'm excited about the development opportunities that are opening up for Portsmouth.
What do you hope to accomplish? A commerce park at Fairwood Homes; a neighborhood of single-family residences at Twin Lakes; a class ``A'' hotel for downtown; a ferry dock and boat landing at the foot of High Street; a new use for Portside; renewed commercial activity in Midtown; realization of the Scotts Creek project; inclusion of Cradock in the next phase of Vision 2005; and numerous other activities, either planned or actually underway.
MILTON A. HOOVER
Age: 54
Address: First block Decatur Street
Occupation: Supervisor with Parks and Recreation; 33 years with the city of Portsmouth.
Political experience: Has never run for office but has worked on campaigns for various city candidates.
Why are you running? To establish revenue within the city of Portsmouth by attracting businesses; to work with senior citizens on crime and safety issues. There are a lot of senior citizens that are scared to go out. You can have a Night Watch similar to Neighborhood Watches where senior citizens are checked on, too.
Also, years ago we had a lot of recreation for people. It kept a lot of people out of trouble. I've been in recreation for a good while, and we're just losing it more and more. We don't have the events we used to have, we don't have the basketball courts we used to have, we don't have a lot things we used to have.
What do you hope to accomplish? I would like to see Portsmouth really get back on its feet - like attracting businesses and getting people jobs.
LEE E. KING
Age: 63
Address: 1500 block of Belafonte Drive
Occupation: Retired general manager, Naval Aviation Depot
Political experience: Former councilman; now on Portsmouth Redevelopment and Housing Authority.
Why are you running? I want to see the city improve in education, crime prevention and in positive leadership.
What do you hope to accomplish? I hope to pay greater attention to small business, to bring more business into the city to generate a greater tax base, to establish a closer relationship between the city government and the citizens, and to improve the city's image.
CAMERON C. PITTS
Age: 59
Address: 4800 block of Mallard Crescent
Occupation: Retired businessman; electronic consultant, president of ABEC Inc.
Political experience: Councilman now; president, Hunters Point Civic League.
Why are you running? Because of the goals I've already accomplished including the tax freeze for seniors and the waterfront recreational vehicle park. I want to be part of the city's success story. For the last four years I have enjoyed being there for all of Portsmouth's citizens and I would like to continue to be there.
What do you hope to accomplish? I would like for us, as a leadership, to provide a positive image for the city; improve our public education funding and the public education system; overhaul the stormwater fees; get payments on federal property in lieu of taxes to reduce the citizens tax load; to establish an ethics commission - I want no illegal or unethical back room deals.
RAFIQ ZAIDI
Age: 52
Address: 500 block of Dinwiddie St.
Occupation: Consultant, health and environment, National African-American Leadership Summit, Washington, D.C.; hospital service aide, Portsmouth Naval Hospital.
Political experience: Former assistant and coordinator, youth programs, Mayor Harold Washington Task Force, Chicago; former coordinator, Mayor Harold Washington, Political Mobilization For Voter Registration, Chicago.
Why are you running? To recapture, develop, nurture, expand, defend and protect the economic wealth of the citizens of Portsmouth. To hold all representatives accountable to the citizens of Portsmouth. To develop a comprehensive education strategy to address the long-term infrastructure, human and economic development needs of the community as we enter the high technology, knowledge intensive and globally competitive third millennium.
What do you hope to accomplish? I pledge that I will strive to eradicate the social problems that bring about crime and disruptions. This includes providing affordable housing, job training, education, health care, literacy programs, adequate funding for recreation centers, and town hall meetings where citizens' input is welcomed, received and acted upon. ILLUSTRATION: Photos of candidates
KEYWORDS: PORTSMOUTH CITY COUNCIL RACE PORTSMOUTH MAYOR RACE
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