The night was balmy, and the crowd was diverse yet friendly as they mingled outside of Wesley Memorial United Methodist Church Tuesday night, March 23. They were there to watch six of the candidates running for mayor of Columbia state their platforms and ideas for a city rocked by scandal and corruption in past months.

Citizens are looking for a way out of an increased crime rate, shady test scores in the police department, an increasingly low morale among officers, poor leadership, and a finance department that has accrued millions of dollars in deficits allegedly paying bills multiple times. Mayor Bob Coble has declined another run after serving two decades. Lawyers, businessmen, politicians and a conservationist are all throwing their hats in the ring to try and get the city back on track.

John Temple Ligon, business editor and Columbia City Council

reporter for The Columbia

Star was the moderator for the Mayoral Candidate Forum sponsored by the Southside neighborhoods: Hollywood–Rose Hill, Shandon, University Hill, Wales Garden, and Wheeler Hill. There were six candidates participating: Joseph Azar, Steve Benjamin, Sparkle Clark, Kirkman Finlay III, Aaron Johnson, and Steve Morrison.

The questions ranged from fiscal responsibility to safety to the controversial homeless problem among other topics.

On the budget issues, business owner Joseph Azar told the crowd that paying bills repeatedly was ludicrous.

“If any of you found out that your business had paid the same bill three or four times, you’d call the police,” Azar said. “I started my business when I was in college and I know how to get our finances under control.”

Attorney and past chairman of the Richland County Democratic Party Steve Benjamin said that “city leaders must be held accountable for their actions” and that he wanted to find a way to work through the city’s current tough times.

Columbia City Councilman Kirkman Finlay III and son of the late Columbia Mayor Kirkman Finlay Jr. told the audience he called for audits early on but the requests were denied. He said that “inattention is charitable incompetence.”

Businessman Aaron Johnson compared the city council to Enron, the Texas– based energy company where, because of massive fraud, shareholders lost tens of billions of dollars. Many Enron executives, Enron’s accounting firm and certain bank officials were indicted. After the comparison, Johnson said the city council “shouldn’t be able to gamble with our money.”

Environmentalist Sparkle Clark said that Columbia needed to “take the lead in responsible spending as well as protecting our vast resources.”

Attorney Steve Morrison called for “audited financial statements” and denounced “irresponsible spending.”

Other topics that came up were the homeless problem and the long ignored gang problems in the inner city.

Because it’s been an ongoing issue about locations of homeless shelters, funding and grants have been stymied. All the candidates expressed concern for the plight of the homeless but also wanted programs that would transition them into jobs and homes of their own. All were concerned about public places such as libraries and parks serving as a “day room” for people staying in shelters.

All of the candidates agreed that former city manager Charles Austin was wrong when he said Columbia had no gang issues, and all pledged to work with the city and county to eradicate the current problems.

Two Richland County Council candidates, Seth Rose, a prosecutor in the county and lawyer Scott Winburn were at the forum. Both men are democrats and are running for Kit Smith’s district five seat which encompasses the area of the forum.

Columbia resident Susan James said she came to the forum to hear the candidate’s platforms.

“It’s a good way to see what they have in mind if they are elected,” she said. “I really appreciate the effort they make to let the community hear their ideas and plans.”

Jahman Olufemi Olulenu (sic)said, “Everyone says what they think we want to hear. The city is a mess now. I want to know who will face the fire when they get in office.”