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The Student Newspaper of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Charlotte, North Carolina
Volurrv’ Xlll; Number Nine
November 1,1977
Candidates Speak To Small Crowd, Mainly Reporters
Few Show Up For Mayoral Forum
By Brad Rich
“Your story might be the apathy
about the election right now,” said
mayoral candidate Ken Harris, talking
informally to reporters before UNCC’s
Mayoral Forum held Tuesday, October
25 at 12:30 p.m. in McKnight Lecture
Hall.
Harris, the Republican candidate, was
corranehting on the small number of
students, faculty and staff members who
turned out to see him and Democratic
candidate Jim Whittington address the
issues.
In the forum, a panel of students and
professors asked the two candidates
questions on issues involved in the
mayoral race. Included on the panel
were: Dr. Robert Mundt and Dr. Dennis
Dorin of the political science department,
Carolina Journal reporter Nancy Davis,
and students Doug Hill and Anne Harper.
The first question, posed by Mundt,
dealt with the importance of party labels
in the mayoral race. Whittington said, “I
am proud to be a Democrat...! have been
one all of my adult life.” He went on to
say he has received letters of support
from North Carolina Governor Jim Hunt
and Senator Robert Morgan^ and that he
thinks a Democratic mayor would have a
better position with our Democratically
controlled governor’s office and state
legislature.
Republican Harris, on the other
hand, took a lowkey position,
emphasizing the fact he has not stressed
his party affiliation, saying, “If I had a
vote today to do away with partisan
connotations in local elections, I would
do it.”
The next question, asked by Anne
Harper, concerned whether or not the
two candidates viewed the mayor’s post
as a figurehead position. Whittington
spoke first, “The mayor must be
a...leader and must gain control of the
council.” He said the reason he
announced his candidacy right after
Mayor John Belk announced he would
not seek reelection was that he felt he
had the leadership qualities, and 1
“...thought I had a unique opportunity to
help Charlotte.”
Harris, on the other hand, said, “The
mayor’s role is. to give vision, to keep
things in perspective...pulling forces
together so that you have action taken
before it’s too late.
“When I was on council, I knew that
I wanted to by mayor sometime,” he
said. Harris went on to say that the
reason he announced his candidacy at this
particular time was that when he looked
around at the field in the election he
didn’t see evidence of the proper
leadership. He said, “I would disagree
The lack of attendance at the forum may be indicative of the lack of interest in the
mayoral election. (Mayoral Forum photos by Frank Alexanddr)
Summerlin Rumored
Considering Resigning
By Brad Rich
Student Legislature Chairperson Jack
iimmerlin may be resigning, according to
ttorney General Jeff Hall and
c-legislator Richard Spain.
Hall, who has been approved for the
;torney general’s post by the legislature
ut has not yet been sworn in, said last
hursday, “Jack has been under a great
eal of stress and pressure lately. There
'as some form of speculation about a week
go (tiiat Summerlin was considering
isigning), but he first gave his intentions
t the legislature meeting Tuesday.”
Hall said Summerlin did not give his
hairman’s report at the beginning of the
leeting as he usually does, but instead
ave it at the end. “That’s when he made
is intentions known,” Hall said. He said
Summerlin mentioned that he was
considering resigning, and that he was
looking for a replacement.
Hall, who had left minutes before
Summerlin’s report, said he got his
information from legislator Jimmy
Twining, who was there.
Spain, an ex-legislator, was at the
meeting as a proxy for Angela Threatt.i
Spain said Summerlin made his intentions
known. “Jack felt he was running the
whole show,” Spain said, “and that he
wasn’t getting any help. He also said that
he felt Chase (Idol) was not keeping his
campaign promises and that he had
committed some impeachable offenses.”
Summerlin, contacted at his office in
the student government offices, declined
to comment on the situation.
Republican Ken Harris
Democrat Jim Whittinyton
that he (Wliittington) has the leadership
qualities...! did not see evidence of
leadership in my two years of serving on
council with him. ”
One interesting point was made by
Whittington in response to Doug Hill’s
question about transportation planning.
Whittington spoke of the need for
developing a mass transit system in
Charlotte that meets the area’s needs, one
well integrated with the other realities of
the city. He mentioned that he has been
talking with local railroad officials about
the possibility of establishing commuter
train routes between Charlotte and other
cities in the area. He said the routes
would take the commute'rs into
downtown Charlotte, where city buses
would take them quickly to their
destinations.
Nancy Davis asked the candidates
about two proposals they have made
during the campaign; Whittington’s idea
of building a new bus terminal on West
Trade Street, and Harris’" proposed new
federal office building in the same area.
Whittington said' he felt a new bus
terminal is vital for the redevelopment of
the West Trade Street area. He mentioned
the success the city has had in
redeveloping other parts of the
downtown area, and said the work must
now continue on West Trade and North
Tryon because “Fourth Ward is between
there.” He said he feels that the bus
station would fit in well with other
projects as well.
Harris, though, disagreed. “How does
that (the proposed terminal) change the
cliaracter of West Trade?” He went on to
mention that there are already two bus
stations in tlie area, and that “they (the
people of the city) need to get on a bus
and travel somewhere in the city, not stay
around tlie terminal. That’s the purpose
of city transit.”
The forum ended with the candidates
addressing the issue of liquor by the
drink. Whittington said, “1 have
supported liquor by the drink in the past,
but now it is a decision for the Genera!
Assembly...if they give us the authority
to hold a local referendum, I will support
it again...it would berrefit the economy of
the city.”
Harris, however, declined to
comment, saying that liquor by the drink
is not an issue in the campaign.
At the mayoral forum, a panel of students and professors asked the candidates questions
about the issues in the upcoming elections.
On The Inside:
• Dr. Kevin Soden Leads Medical Team ps- ^
) Norman Blake ftises To The Occasion Pg. n
) Banker C.C. Cameron New Trustee Head ps- 2
► UNCC Soccer On The Upswing In 2nd Year pg. m
* Housing Crunch: Students Look To Motels Pg 8