ASI Candidate Surveys: Erie County Office-seekers on Arts and the Community
Each election cycle, Arts Service Initiative of Western New York poses a series of questions to candidates for elected office across the region, focusing on the legislative and executive branches. The survey begins with fuve questions asked of all candidates, followed by questions specific to the office they seek; the survey focuses on the role of the arts in public life and educations and the role that government and community play in supporting the arts.
We begin with candidates for Buffalo Common Council and Erie County Legislature participating in primary races in Erie County on Thursday, September 10. The responses are entirely unedited.
BUFFALO COMMON COUNCIL, FILLMORE DISTRICT:
SAM HERBERT, DEMOCRAT
1. Please list your top three priorities if elected:
1. Work with block clubs, and senior citizen groups in identifying issues that directly impact their daily quality of life.
2. The education of our children in Buffalo public schools, and at large.
3. The infrastructure in Fillmore!
2. What is the role of arts and culture in our community in general, and specifically in Buffalo?
To expose to those the different Art’s and cultures of others. Through food, arts, crafts, dance, music, wears, color’s, and language. The recognition of others cultures and arts.
3. What is the role of arts and culture in your plans for economic development in Buffalo?
To work with all stakeholder’s on identifying the lack of economic development in areas across the City of Buffalo. To improve on development by locating more cash/funding.
4. How would you develop cultural and heritage tourism in Buffalo?
By exposing the history of Buffalo pass and it’s rich culture such as including heritage tourism to come learn about the “Michigan Heritage Corridor in Buffalo N.Y. Telling the historical stories of African Americans, events and places. National Association of Black Storytellers – Western New York Tradition Keepers.
5. In what ways would you support young people’s access to the arts in order to foster the creative thinking skills needed to ensure a solid future workforce in Buffalo?
Taking the art’s and other cultures to public schools, churches, hospitals, block clubs, and Community Center’s.
6. If elected, will you decrease, hold steady, or increase operational funding for cultural organizations and establish a merit-based, peer review process for cultural funding allocations such as the Buffalo Arts Funding Advisory Committee?
When I’m elected, 1st I will view all funding then decide.
7. Will you fully enforce the One Percent for Public Art ordinance already on the books that requires all projects receiving city funding to allocate one percent of the total project to public art?
Yes and no. No only because I want to look at the whole picture first.
DAVID FRANCZYK did not respond to the survey.
JOSEPH MASCIA did not respond to the survey.
DAVID HOWARD did not respond to the survey.
BUFFALO COMMON COUNCIL, MASTEN DISTRICT
LAMONE GIBSON did not respond to the survey.
ULYSSES WINGO did not respond to the survey.
SHARON BELTON-COTTMAN did not respond to the survey.
MICHAEL WOOLFORD did not respond to the survey.
BUFFALO COMMON COUNCIL, ELLICOTT DISTRICT
DARIUS PRIDGEN did not respond to the survey.
TERRANCE HEARD did not respond to the survey.
ERIE COUNTY LEGISLATURE, 4TH DISTRICT
KEVIN HARDWICK, Republican, Independence, Conservative
1. Please list your top three priorities if elected:
1. Safeguarding the health and welfare of our community;
2. Pursuing policies that will result in the creation and retention of good paying jobs;
3. Broadening the tax base and promoting intergovernmental cooperation in order to maintain low property tax rates.
2. What is the role of arts and culture in our community in general, and specifically in Erie County? Arts and cultural institutions are essential elements of our community. They help define who we are and are basic to our quality of life. Specifically, in the City of Buffalo, arts and cultural groups are helping the city transition from a manufacturing hub to a web of unique neighborhoods where people enjoy living and visiting.
3. What is the role of arts and culture in your plans for economic development in Erie County? The impact of arts and cultural institutions goes beyond the valuable effects of cultural tourism. In order for us to realize our goal of creating new good-paying jobs for our residents, we need to provide a climate conducive to attracting businesses, professionals and entrepreneurs. Maintaining a vibrant cultural community is an important aspect of these efforts.
4. How would you develop cultural and heritage tourism in Erie County? As a legislator, it is my job to make sure that Visit Buffalo Niagara is given the resources it needs to accomplish its mission. They are the professionals when it comes to tourism, and I have a record of making sure they are equipped to do their job properly. My role is to oversee their work, not to micromanage it. With that said, we have a great story to tell here in Erie County, and cultural and heritage tourism is a great part of that story.
5. In what ways would you support young people’s access to the arts in order to foster the creative thinking skills needed to ensure a solid future workforce in Erie County? I am not sure we would be well-served by county legislators meddling in the affairs of the public schools. Having said this, I strongly believe arts education is integral to quality elementary and secondary education and am supportive of it.
6. Would you vote to decrease, hold steady, or increase operational funding for cultural organizations if elected, and why? I could support any of these options depending on a variety of budgetary factors.
7. Would you support the creation of a committee to discuss dedicated funding for the cultural sector? I would not oppose creation of such a committee. I am not, however, a huge fan of dedicated funding for anything. My concern is the so-called “fungibility” argument, where dollars from a dedicated source merely replace, rather than enhance funding.
CASSANDRA VALENTINO did not respond to this survey.
ERIE COUNTY LEGISLATURE, 5TH DISTRICT
THOMAS LOUGHRAN, Democratic, Conservative, Working Families
1. Please list your top three priorities if elected:
1. Promote economic development
2. Provide quality county services within our budget
3. Maintain and improve our quality of life
2. What is the role of arts and culture in our community in general, and specifically in Erie County?
Arts and culture is essential to our quality of life. Arts and culture contributes significantly to our overall economic development
3. What is the role of arts and culture in your plans for economic development in Erie County?
A vibrant arts and culture community is an attraction in bringing outside visitors and investment to Erie County.
4. How would you develop cultural and heritage tourism in Erie County?
I will work closely with our tourism and visitors bureau to continue highlighting our arts and cultural assets.
5. In what ways would you support young people’s access to the arts in order to foster the creative thinking skills needed to ensure a solid future workforce in Erie County?
I will support the development of a relationship with school districts and Erie County to promote the arts.
6. Would you vote to decrease, hold steady, or increase operational funding for cultural organizations if elected, and why?
I have always supported funding for our arts and cultural community and I will continue funding at appropriate levels.
7. Would you support the creation of a committee to discuss dedicated funding for the cultural sector?
Yes, I will always vote in the interests of our arts and cultural community.
WILLIAM WALSH did not respond to this survey.
Next up: Niagara Falls primary candidates.