Downtown, crime among top issues at mayoral debate

FLORENCE — Downtown revitalization and preventing crime were two main issues during a debate between the two Florence mayoral candidates.
Incumbent Frank Willis and Stephen Wukela took the stage at Francis Marion University on Tuesday night, exactly one week before voters will go to the polls in the city’s primaries.

“If we are going to unite this city, we have to heal downtown,” Wukela said.

He said the city is divided along racial, financial and geographical lines between predominantly black north Florence and predominantly white south Florence.
“I don’t see that divide,” Willis said.

The mayor, who is seeking a fourth term, said the city has a master plan to redevelop downtown. Once the “anchor” sites downtown are in place, “you’ll get the infill of small businesses,” he said.

Wukela said downtown development would be spurred by providing entrepreneurs with low- or no-interest loans.

The candidates also discussed the city’s appearance and how they would handle abandoned buildings where illegal activity thrives.

Willis said the city has cleaned 60 acres of abandoned lots during his administration and that city council allocated $300,000 in 2006 to tear down abandoned and dilapidated buildings.

“It is not an easy issue because a lot of the property owners are absentee owners,” Willis said.

Wukela said such buildings are most common on the city’s north side. The candidate said Florence has laws on the books that allow it to handle such properties at no cost to the city.

Willis, however, said state law doesn’t allow cities to take property or condemn such property as a nuisance.

On the topic of criminal activity, Wukela said violent crime in Florence rose 93 percent from 2002 to 2006.

“We’re not doing enough,” he said. “We haven’t done enough.”

Willis responded that the city’s crime rate was down 14 percent in 2007. He also said the Mayor’s Coalition To Prevent Juvenile Crime has been successful and that Department of Juvenile Justice referrals are down 30 percent.

He also said the Florence Police Department has an active gang unit and that city council has recommended to add 18 officers to the police force.

Wukela said he would support property tax increases because they would help fund schools, which are in disrepair in the Pee Dee, he said.

Willis said raising taxes will eventually be inevitable, but the city has lowered its property taxes in 1995 and 1996 and has kept taxes down through economic growth.
Wukela said the city raises money from fees, assessments and sales taxes that disproportionately affect lower-income people.

Wukela said he shares “impatience and frustration and starvation for change” with Florence citizens and said he could bring that change.

He said that some would think he’s too young, “but I would say our problems are too old,” Wukela said.

Willis is 66; Wukela is 32.

Wukela said he’s running against Willis for the same reason he ran against state Sen. Hugh Leatherman, R-Florence, four years ago.

“I see that this city needs an influx of new leadership,” he said.

Wukela called himself a “real Democrat” and said Willis has supported Leatherman and President George W. Bush.

“I believe that Mr. Wukela is confusing governing with partisan politics,” Willis said.

Willis said he’s worked with Leatherman and other Republicans to improve the city, but that doesn’t mean he agrees with those politicians.

In discussing the environment, Willis said the city, which plants a tree daily, recently became the state’s seventh “Cool City.” Florence is also building a wastewater treatment plant that will capture the methane it produces to help run the plant, the mayor said.

Wukela said the Pee Dee Regional Transportation Authority has been neglected and that he opposes a proposed Santee Cooper coal-fired power plant in Kingsburg because “we share the same air” as people in that area.

Willis responded that the city should focus on environmental issues it can effectively deal with.

IN THEIR OWN WORDS
After Florence Mayor Frank Willis and challenger Stephen Wukela’s debate Tuesday night, the Morning News caught up with some of the people in attendance to see what they thought:

“I’m from Darlington, so I’m not a voter for this race, but what happens in Florence is so important to the rest of us surrounding the outskirts of Florence that I wanted to come and hear what they had to say.”
— Jennie Williamson, Darlington County Pee Dee Land Trust

“I like Mr. Wukela’s ideas, and some of the comments really struck home with me. I think he made a lot of good points.”
— Michael Williams, voter, leaning toward Wukela

“I’m in favor of our current mayor. I think he’s done a wonderful job. We are an affluent community. He’s cleaned up with his own equipment a lot of the downsides of town. ... Florence has probably quadrupled in the last 5-10 years. Why would not we stick with someone who has done a good job?”
— Jayne Boswell, voter/president of Florence Area Humane Society

“I thought the debate was very equal. I know the Wukelas are very fine people, but as far as somebody that’s going to do the job of mayor, I would vote for no other person than Frank Willis.”
— Andy Brodie, voter
“(Wukela is) running for mayor but he kept stating different counties and what he would do in a different county, so to me he seemed very confused ... when you’re running for mayor you need to stay confined to those boundaries.”
— Leslie Brodie, voter

“I was really impressed with both candidates. I thought they handled themselves well. I was really impressed with the way it was structured ... the questions were relevant to what’s going on in the city of Florence.”
— Barry Wingard, running for S.C. House of Representatives District 63, hasn’t disclosed who he supports

— Compiled by Morning News staff writer Kevin Smetana