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Seven candidates for Indianapolis mayor discussed their policy plans in a candidate forum Sunday at First Trinity Lutheran Church, 5321 E. 42nd St.
Two expected front-runners in the Republican primary, Abdul-Hakim Shabazz and Jefferson Shreve, took part in the event. Notably, top Democratic candidates Mayor Joe Hogsett and State Rep. Robin Shackleford did not participate.
On the Democratic side, paralegal Bob Kern and community activists Clif Marsiglio and and Larry Vaughn were present. Also in attendance from the Republican side were Rev. James W. Jackson and John Couch, a former candidate for the Indiana House of Representatives.
The event was moderated by Ibrahim Tanner, the national director of media and public relations for not-for-profit United Sons and Daughters of Freedmen.
Conflicting on crime
IndyPolitics.org editor Shabazz said he would create “economically challenged zones” where people who committed crimes would face increased penalties.
Tanner, the moderator, asked Shabazz how the policy would be applied to a situation where someone commits homicide in an “economically challenged area” like the far-east side versus the same crime on the Old North Side.
“The one who shoots somebody in the far-east side will get enhanced criminal charges,” Tanner said.
Shabazz said the enhanced penalties would be optional, and he compared the policy to enhanced sentences for crimes near a school or against an elderly person.
Later in the forum, attendee Crystal Delaine, 41, interjected to express her concerns about the policy.
“It kind of feels like it’s an attack on the more poor side of the town,” she said.
Marsiglio poked fun at the idea.
“I want to thank Abdul so I can commit twice as many crimes as everyone else. I love the fact that I get a discount on my sentencing. This sounds great for me,” he said as audience members laughed.
In his own crime pitch, Marsiglio said that the city expects too much out of police officers and proposed that 200 unarmed civilians should be hired to help with mental health issues, homelessness and substance abuse.
“No one suffering from any of those should ever have to see an officer show up with a gun,” he said.
Shreve disagreed with Shabazz’s proposal. He said the city needs to focus on police staffing and that officers are leaving because they don’t feel supported by the administration.
Shreve, Shabazz and Jackson—all Republicans—said that they would bring back the public safety director position eliminated by the Hogsett administration in 2016. Jackson also emphasized the need to address mental health and addiction issues.
Housing disagreement
On affordable housing, candidate Kern referred to those in federally-funded affordable housing as living “horribly.” That statement upset at least two audience members.
Madelyn Hill, a 59-year-old who works for a Section 8 eligible complex, criticized Kern’s statement as uninformed. Many residents have difficulty finding suitable housing because landlords don’t properly maintain the residences, she said.
She said the focus should be on landlords, rather than criticizing the extent to which impoverished Indianapolis residents maintain their properties.
“Let’s start with that,” Hill said. “[Residents] don’t want to live that way, you’re absolutely right.”
Shabazz, an attorney in both Indiana and Illinois, said that he did landlord-tenant mediation when the pandemic began. He could use relationships and experience developed over 20 years as a reporter at the Statehouse to help create tenant protections, such as mandatory mediation in eviction cases, he said.
In working with legislators, Shabazz said he would intend for legislation to benefit the rest of the state as well as the capital city.
Shabazz also said developers need to be incentivized to redevelop vacant properties, and renters and homeowners need to be better informed about financial management.
Tanner, the moderator, challenged Shabazz’s stance as being too individual-focused. Systemic issues affect all Black Indianapolis residents, he said.
On housing, Shreve pointed to his previous role on the City-County Council Metropolitan and Economic Development Committee and said that the mayor should create the “best economic sandbox” for private developers.
A Shreve administration would be “judicious” with incentives such as tax-increment financing and tax abatements, he said, due to concerns about losing out on property tax dollars.
“If you were to look at a map of Marion County, there are great big portions of our city that are off the property tax rolls,” he said.
The primary election is May 2.
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Was the mayor hiding in the same place he was at during the riots in 2020?
You stole my response
Not a single Republican candidate for mayor can explain how they’re going to convince Statehouse Republicans … to stop stealing the road funding from Indianapolis.
I’d feel bad about harping on the issue, but I spent Saturday shoveling the deteriorating road out of my yard, like I do every spring. It’s hard to grow grass through small rocks…
When you reached out to Incumbent Pothole, what did he say?
Chuck, I’ll be polite as I can. You have no clue what you’re talking about.
Road funding is determined at the state level by Republicans. You are flat wrong if you think the mayor’s office can in any way compensate for what’s going on.
My local Republican legislator told me it was a “complex” issue … I’m not sure if that means she’s not capable of understanding it, or she thinks I’d actually buy her explanation.
It’s theft, plain and simple. Indianapolis area Republicans at the Statehouse should refuse to vote for a state budget that allows their citizens to be fleeced.
IBJ, remember when you said Pothole should get a raise?
Everyone should say this.
You know how you get mediocre at best mayors? You pay them a meaningless $90k… or you pay them $190k and you will get great candidates who are not giving up earning potential to do their civic duty…