Opponent Artur Davis Responds to Mayor’s State of the City Address

by Ellis Eskew

In his State of the City address Wednesday evening, mayor Todd Strange highlighted Montgomery’s best achievements.
They included the unemployment rate going down, becoming the Best Historic City, All-American City and increasing tourism and revenue in the city.

“We’re holding the line on spending and we’ve increased our reserves from 3 to 18 million dollars, which is a very positive sign to the financial community,” said Strange.

But Strange’s opponent in the election, Artur Davis, says he is not impressed.

“I hear the mayor defending a 6-5 record. And if that wasn’t good enough for a football coach in Alabama, it shouldn’t be good enough for a mayor,” said Davis.

Davis says as mayor he would  focus on education.

“The biggest impediment that we have to progress in Montgomery today is that our school system is our biggest liability,” said Davis.

While the mayor says he wants to address blight in the city, Davis says he wants to address poverty.

“Montgomery is the one urban census tract in Alabama that has lost population in the past 2 years. We have one out of 5 Montgomerians living below the poverty line. Mayor didn’t mention the word poverty,” said Davis.

Davis also says he wants to get rid of the public safety director’s office.

“You can’t have two people telling the chief what to do. I want the chief to report to me and the community as mayor. I don’t want the chief to have to answer to a chief who is superimposed above him,” said Davis.

Instead, Davis says he wants to focus on stronger community development for Montgomery.
 

The mayoral election is August 25th.