Mark Kleinschmidt: Candidate for Mayor

With one week until Election Day, The Daily Tar Heel spoke with the Chapel Hill mayoral candidate to discuss major issues facing the council. Election Day is Nov. 5.

Candidate name: Mark Kleinschmidt

Age: 43

Daily Tar Heel: What do you think the biggest issue facing the town is?

Kleinschmidt: In the next couple years we need to follow up on progress of the past six to nine months in providing a focus for areas around the community with the adoption of the 2020 plan. It will be a transformative vision for many sections of the community. I am very excited about where we are right now in the process. We are a few months away from closure for the beginning of the process and we should begin to break ground soon.

Another thing I have wanted to do for many years, but I have been unable to do until now because of the economy, is to move forward with the youth initiative. We had our second meeting just (on Oct. 30). Going forward I am excited not just about what we are able to do and the council can do, but what we can inspire the private and non-profit sector to do.

DTH: The town is currently spending extra money to pay for lawsuits brought about by the towing and cell phone bills. Do you think this is a good use of town funds, despite criticism that these bills are unconstitutional?

Kleinschmidt: I have several fundamental problems with that question. The counsel handling the suit are town attorneys on staff. It is up to them to determine what suits to defend. These are employees of the town so there is no outside counsel or cost to the town. Occasionally the town will hire outside counsel such as bond attorneys when the town proposes a bond. Those are rare occasions, however, and this is not an instance like that.

This system that we use saves the town a lot of money. Once past, it is the responsibility of town staff to defend ordinances. Additionally, to suggest that criticism of a law, if its constitutional or not, is irrelevant. It is a legal issue — not an issue of criticism. These matters have progressed through appropriate legal steps and the state court of appeals unanimously found in the town’s favor.

DTH: Given that you are running unopposed, why should students still vote in this election?

Kleinschmidt: The answer to that is what I told some Duke Law School students last month. When I asked them if they were registered to vote, they all raised their hands. They registered to vote primarily so that they could vote in last year’s election because they believed in that election. They wanted to and were excited to vote for the president. The civic duty does not stop with the president.

Local elections arguably have more of an impact on your life than the federal government particularly because of the gridlock in Washington. Local governments are who you engage with on a day to day basis. How do you expect your voice to be heard or listened to or perceived if you don’t participate in local elections?

It shocks me how low the participation is. There will be someone else in your shoes and they are relying on your vote. Your college experience is provided to you by students who voted. It is part of the social contract in going to the university. Student turnout made the difference in my election and I will always be grateful for that.

city@dailytarheel.com