Columbia mayoral candidates on ... Columbia vs. Charlotte

Through Saturday, April 3, we will run mayoral candidates' responses on some key city issues in our daily Metro section, and here at thestate.com/elections.

Candidate Nammu Muhammad did not respond.

NOTE: A "bonus" online-only question with candidates follows at the bottom.

QUESTION: Fifty years ago, Columbia and Charlotte were about the same size. Why has their development since then been so different?

JOSEPH AZAR

Enlightened vision, effective cooperation, common goals, a desire to achieve and excel on the part of leaders in Charlotte, while ours were playing politics and pushing deals behind the scenes. Term limits would help to reduce hidden deals and bring new leaders and creative, profitable initiatives to council.

STEVE BENJAMIN

Leadership. Action without vision is a mistake. Vision without action is a waste. Vision with action is leadership. Early on, Charlotte's leaders developed a comprehensive vision for the future, for who they wanted to be as a city, while Columbia opted for piecemeal development with no clear direction. As mayor, I will develop that vision and I will act on it. Simply put, I will lead.

SPARKLE CLARK

Progressive leadership. Look at Greenville. Columbia has insisted on maintaining its parochial past (history not withstanding) and refused to look at integrating resources to develop a modern, Southern city. No mass transit. No Carowinds! We have a convergence of major highways all around Columbia, yet we have failed to bring in attractions that would cause people to exit the freeway for a visit - one exception, Riverbanks Zoo. But Riverbanks can't carry the load alone.

KIRKMAN FINLAY

Columbia has always focused on government and businesses that serve government. Charlotte, by contrast, has focused its energies on becoming a diversified business center.

AARON JOHNSON

I can't say for sure that Charlotte's leadership has been particularly spectacular. I can say with confidence that we've had some pretty lackluster leadership for a very long time.

STEVE MORRISON

Leadership. Vision. Execution. The leaders of Charlotte and the state of North Carolina embarked on a progressive agenda creating excellence in higher education and K-12 education, world class international air service, business friendly government services and laws, growth friendly annexation laws and opportunities, major league sports venues and teams, and an inclusive, innovative, creative culture. Columbia did not.

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Bonus: ONline-only question for the candidates

QUESTION: Would you vote to place a referendum on the November ballot about changing the city's form of government?

JOSEPH AZAR

I would vote to address term limits first. A strong mayor without term limits could be disastrous. If Charlotte and Greenville can operate under the same system as Columbia successfully, the problem is not the system, but the council members. Unfortunately, we do not hire our politicians like we hire our employees.

STEVE BENJAMIN

I believe the "strong mayor" form of government provides the accountability Columbia desperately needs and I support it. But that's not why I support the referendum. I support placing a change of government referendum on the November ballot because this decision should be in the people's hands - not the politicians. And I will be proud to serve as the mayor of Columbia under whatever form of government they decide.

SPARKLE CLARK

Of course. Let the people decide.

KIRKMAN FINLAY

Yes, I think the citizens should be allowed to decide how they want to be governed.

AARON JOHNSON

Absolutely, but only if we could manage to couple a strong mayor system with term limits. I believe it's important for the people to have a strong identity to associate with policy so that they know who is responsible for the decisions that affect our city, but a strong mayor without term limits is, to me, a recipe for a powerful political machine that would do more harm than good.

STEVE MORRISON

Yes, let the people decide. To me, a strong mayor form of government will provide greater accountability to the people. But a change in government form must not be perceived as a step backward on the road to inclusion and racial equality. We need a good discussion of this issue as a community and then a vote.