Columbia's mayoral candidates ... on the importance of downtown

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.

QUESTION: How important is downtown?

JOSEPH AZAR

As important as the other areas. All areas need equal care. Downtown does need extra attention as it has been lagging, and has seen an exodus of business, workers and shoppers.

STEVE BENJAMIN

When businesses visit our city, they want to see Main Street. That's because Main Street is at the heart of every city, and Columbia is no exception. I am absolutely dedicated to revitalizing downtown and rebuilding our city's small business foundation so that heart pumps the life blood of commerce and culture throughout Columbia and the entire region.

SPARKLE CLARK

Downtown Columbia is the sentimental center of the state. Though Columbia spreads for miles in every direction of the capital and growth in those areas is staining current infrastructure, downtown is still the home of city, county, state and federal government, colleges and universities, medical centers, banking centers and law firms. It is important and crucial to the growth of the Midlands and should always be seen as our historic center and cared for as such.

KIRKMAN FINLAY

A safe and vibrant downtown is crucial to the development of the city.

AARON JOHNSON

Vital. Critical. We have 1,000,000 square feet of empty space on Main Street right now. I see that as an opportunity. With strong leadership and strategic alliances, we can mold downtown into whatever we want it to be. We can turn Columbia into the Small Business City, or the City of the Arts, or the tourism and shopping center of the Southeast. It just takes a plan, goals and a vision.

STEVE MORRISON

Vitally important. It is the symbolic heart beat of South Carolina's capital city. What great capital city has a moribund downtown? We must execute a long-term strategy to fill 1 million square feet of vacant space, bring more nights of entertainment to Main Street (like Nickelodeon with 362 nights at the old Fox Theater) and reconnect downtown with the Vista and Five Points to increase foot traffic, which in turn promotes small business success.

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Bonus: ONline-only question for the candidates

QUESTION: Would you vote to require city residents to bag their yard debris?

JOSEPH AZAR

No.

STEVE BENJAMIN

No.

SPARKLE CLARK

No. But I would go further and offer alternative solutions like the use of yard debris as mulch and in community gardens, for example. Community mulching stations, victory gardens. Place your debris out the day of collection. Yearly rebates for those that mulch. I would outlaw plastic bagging of debris. Our suction machines can't collect bagged debris. I would require separation of debris so we can collect as much compost material with our suction machines. ... Recycling of yard debris is one aspect in becoming green.

NOTE: Clark's response was edited toward meeting a 75-word limit.

KIRKMAN FINLAY

No.

AARON JOHNSON

I honestly have to say there are better uses of our city's time and attention in the midst of this financial crisis.

STEVE MORRISON

No. Why do we need more plastic garbage bags filled with perfectly good mulch filling up our landfills?