Sojourner’s Truth Staff
Carty gets things done for Toledo!
Carty Finkbeiner, former three-term mayor whose last stint as the city’s chief executive was from 2006 to 2010, has thrown his hat into the ring for one more session atop One Government Center. The Sojourner’s Truth feels that his time has indeed come … again.
Finkbeiner’s opposition in the September 14 primary are businessman Jan Scotland and incumbent Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz. The top two vote-getters will face off in the November general election.
If there is one person who embodies the spirit of Toledo, defines its very essence, it must be Carty Finkbeiner. During his previous stints he presided over some of the most difficult periods the city has known – dwindling populations, loss of manufacturing jobs – all the typical calamities that have plagued most upper Midwest cities in recent decades.
Never one to throw in the towel, Finkbeiner took on the challenge and managed to bring in a new Jeep plant and a new world headquarters for Owens Corning Fiberglass during his first term.
Later he managed to get the Docks restaurants in place, which started the ongoing facelift on the east side of the river. The Marina District, which he laid the foundation for, is now a vital piece of that ongoing facelift.
Finkbeiner not only managed to get things done in his official capacity, but in the ensuing years as a private citizen, he has been just as forceful a presence – getting things done.
In the last four years, Finkbeiner has worked with other citizens to maintain Toledo’s ownership over a water system valued as high as $1.5 billion after the current administration, the Chamber of Commerce and the daily paper had urged the sale of the facility for a mere fraction of the cost. The former mayor helped organize a series of community forums to convince those who would give away the facility to change their minds.
When the University of Toledo was ready to abandon the UTMC in South Toledo, Finkbeiner worked with citizens to shine a light on that decision and keep the hospital in place.
For years now, in office and out, Finkbeiner has used his passion for the city of Toledo to get involved with and stay involved with any number of causes designed to make life better for Toledoans. Given that track record, The Sojourner’s Truth endorses his candidacy and urges our readers to vote for him in the September 14 primary and in the November general election.
Of particular concern to our readers is the impact that Finkbeiner has had on the African-American community and that impact has been enormous.
“When I was mayor, about 2/3 of the total city budget was spent in the central part of Toledo and 1/3 was spent around the rest of Toledo – we took care of alleys … were following up conscientiously on complaints that we got from the most challenged neighborhoods … we were putting our money where our mouth was.,” he says now.
Regardless of the ultimate outcome of the election, Toledo is blessed with the trio of candidates on the ballot. Mayor Kapszukiwwicz has done a good job in challenging times but things have sometimes gone better for the city because Finkbeiner has been in the background as a watchdog during the current mayor’s term.
Scotland is an accomplished businessman, a pillar of the community, but without the administrative or public policy experience of the other two candidates.
Toledo needs not only the administrative and leadership abilities that Finkbeiner possesses but also the passion, the fire in the belly, he has in spades.
We believe that a Finkbeiner fourth term is just what the Glass City needs and deserves.