2022 Louisville Metro Council elections: Candidates on gun violence, ideas for districts
If all politics is local, then the Louisville Metro Council seats up for election on Nov. 8 are fairly important to shaping the future of the Derby City.
All odd-numbered districts, or 13 seats, are on the ballot this year, but the May primary resulted in six contested races for voters to decide this fall.
District 1 was initially a race between Republican Charlie Bell and Democrat Tammy Hawkins, but Bell eventually chose to seek a school board seat. The District 5 race features incumbent Donna Purvis, a Democrat, and independent candidate Quintez Brown, but after Brown had registered to run, he was charged in February with shooting at mayoral candidate Craig Greenberg. He remains held in federal detention while his state and federal court cases are pending.
The 26-member Metro Council has a current makeup of 19 Democrats and seven Republicans.
More:Election Day is soon. Everything you need to know about voting in Kentucky
Here's our voter guide on the candidates in the contested races. Some responses have been lightly edited for clarity.
District 7
Paula McCraney (Democrat)
Age: 63
Occupation: CEO and Performance Consultant for P Mc & Associates; owner and operator of The Traveling Boutique
Political offices held: Metro councilwoman since 2018
Mike Parrino (Republican)
Age: 70
Occupation: Retired, former financial controller of multistate corporation, IT and business consultant/owner, federal bank examiner
Political offices held: None
Chris Thieneman (Independent)
Age: 57
Occupation: Real estate professional
Political offices held: None
What policies, ordinances and efforts must Louisville enact and keep in place over time in order to try to stem violence, shootings and homicides?
McCraney: "Full funding of LMPD and recruiting, reclaiming and retaining officers to effectively implement community policing. Equally important is funding public safety programs such as GVI (Gun Violence Intervention) and Cure Violence (violence interruption) and strengthening programs that pair social workers with LMPD to handle mental health and drug abuse crises."
Parrino: "We need an emphasis on reducing crime and improving public safety, hiring more police officers, better pay for police and correction officers, community policing, drug treatment during incarceration, fully supporting Group Violence Intervention program, oppose efforts to release violent or drug-related criminals, additional crime deterrent technology."
Thieneman: "I would propose police reform along with prioritizing LMPD within Metro Council. Louisville is not safe until all citizens are safe. I will help bring a culture to the department that encourages good officers to come forward to help weed out the dirty cops. We currently have good officers that are scared of retribution for exposing corruption."
What is one idea that you would seek to implement or introduce in your district if elected?
McCraney: "Proposed for District 7 are 520-unit apartments and 72-unit townhomes. These initiatives and the impending Veterans Medical Center will attract more residents, visitors and traffic. Therefore, I plan to contribute funding and oversee the widening of Herr Lane and portions of Brownsboro Road between Herr Lane and Seminary Drive."
Parrino: "I would like to see better long range planning/coordination/appropriation of state funds with state agencies, local utilities and Metro Government regarding infrastructure and road improvements. District 7 has several state-controlled roads that are inadequate for current and future population growth."
Thieneman: "We must take politics out of the affordable housing equation and leave it to the people the city has hired to make affordable housing more accessible. As a builder and developer who’s seen the corruption firsthand, the city would have thousands more opportunities for home ownership if it were not for the demands of politicians to get their kickbacks."
District 9
Alexandra Martindale (Republican)
Age: 29
Occupation: Human resources and training manager
Political offices held: None
Andrew Owen (Democrat)
Age: 50
Occupation: President of Preston Thomas Properties LLC and commercial real estate investor
Political offices held: None
What policies, ordinances and efforts must Louisville enact and keep in place over time in order to try to stem violence, shootings and homicides?
Martindale: "We must recruit and retain 300+ well-paid and trained officers that our city is currently lacking, and further implement Group Violence Intervention (GVI). Before proposing any additional, we should enforce our existing laws regarding illegal gun possession and keep violent offenders off our streets."
Owen: "We must invest in the people and places that have the least economic, social and political capital. It will take time, but ensuring people have access to government services and jobs that pay a living wage will go a long way toward mitigating the hopelessness and anger that lead to violence and crime."
What is one idea that you would seek to implement or introduce in your district if elected?
Martindale: "I would seek to implement a Business Improvement District around Frankfort Avenue. This is money, untouched by government nor funded by residents, that would fund 'ambassadors' to pick up trash, trim branches affecting pedestrians and escort the homeless away from parks/businesses to connect them with city and mental health resources."
Owen: "Improve the public infrastructure in the 9th District to make our commercial corridors more inviting and walkable. Within a year, I expect neighbors to notice the many small improvements to curbs, sidewalks, plantings, public art, signage, benches, etc. that make up a safe and inviting sense of place and encourage families to 'stroll the Avenue.'"
District 13
Mark Fox (Democrat)
Age: 63
Occupation: Retired operations major for Louisville Metro Police
Political offices held: Louisville Metro Criminal Justice Commission member
Dan Seum Jr. (Republican)
Age: 63
Occupation: Retired small business owner who also helped initiate Kentuckians for Medicinal Marijuana and assisted his father, former state Sen. Dan Seum, with some policymaking
Political offices held: None
What policies, ordinances and efforts must Louisville enact and keep in place over time in order to try to stem violence, shootings and homicides?
Fox: "I believe the key is to enforce the laws that we already have. In other cities we have seen how trying to legislate your way out of a problem only impacts those that are already obeying the law and playing by the rules. Enforce current laws in a constitutional and respectful way."
Seum: "I believe the best solution to dropping homicides is Gang Violence intervention. Safety is our citizens' main concern, and the facts show that most of the violence is gang/drug related. I will make sure we properly fund qualified police officers to circumvent the growth of gangs."
What is one idea that you would seek to implement or introduce in your district if elected?
Fox: "I want to continue the fight for dollars for those of us living outside the Watterson Expressway. Many in my District felt left behind when the city-county merger took effect in 2003. I will continue to stand firmly and fight for what my community expects and deserves from their government."
Seum: "I will immediately find ways to enhance our Community Park as well as Jefferson Forest. I was invited to our local park to view the warped bleachers and neglect. I was a middle school football coach. I understand the value of youth sports and parents. I plan to ensure our park is updated."
District 17
William Bezoenik (Independent)
Age: 58
Occupation: Mainframe engineer
Political offices held: None.
Kent Hall (Republican)
Age: 61
Occupation: Retired from Jefferson County Clerk's Office.
Political offices held: City commissioner, Murray Hill.
Markus Winkler (Democrat)
Age: 43
Occupation: Manager of HR Information Systems at a Fortune 100 company
Political offices held: Metro councilman since 2018
What policies, ordinances and efforts must Louisville enact and keep in place over time in order to try to stem violence, shootings and homicides?
Bezoenik: "I support police and community policing."
Hall: "Nothing is more important for restoring public safety in our community than taking steps to fully staff our police force with competent, qualified professional officers who are equipped and trained to do the job. Secondly, our most experienced officers are choosing to leave the police force to go where they are better paid and better treated. Thirdly, we have a significant need to improve the morale within our police force. Once we elect a new leadership team that focuses on delivering these three key things we will go a long way toward making our city safer."
Winkler: "We need a three-pronged focus: prevention, enforcement, adjudication. Prevention: Fund our anti-violence and intervention efforts that are starting to work. Enforcement: Fund efforts that attract and retain officers, getting us to full force strength through new hires, rehires and laterals. Adjudication: Stronger judiciary partnership to ensure those committing violent crimes receive maximum penalties."
What is one idea that you would seek to implement or introduce in your district if elected?
Bezoenik: "My one idea is more community policing. But we need to address our failed current chief and failed mayor. We need to address concerns that are real to our citizens, infrastructure, safety (and) out of control spending. I want to see (a) common sense administration."
Hall: "A fully staffed police force is my top priority. (Also) I don't want any more major developments approved for this portion of the county unless the necessary infrastructure is already in place. ... One example of this is Westport Road. It was widened, straightened and flattened, and a huge increase in traffic followed. Now, if you attend public meetings, they talk about the need to add turning lanes, or traffic signals or improved curbing, striping and lighting after residents already don't feel safe to pull out in traffic at their intersections."
Winkler: "One focus area will be continued improvements to infrastructure including additional traffic mitigation measures; investments in amenities in Hounz Lane and Berrytown parks; constructing a multi-use path to Tom Sawyer Park; median improvements along our commercial corridors to ensure our area remains a great place to live, work and play."
More city politics:Attorney, developer, runner: Craig Greenberg wants 'big changes' if he is Louisville mayor
District 21
Stephen Dattilo Jr. (Republican)
Did not respond.
Betsy Ruhe (Democrat)
Age: 60
Occupation: Environmental educator with the Louisville Nature Center
Political offices held: None
John A. Witt (Independent)
Could not be reached for comment.
What policies, ordinances and efforts must Louisville enact and keep in place over time in order to try to stem violence, shootings and homicides?
Ruhe: "We need to reduce the number of guns on our streets, whether that is through buy-back programs, destruction of seized weapons or other means. As a community, we also need to intervene before violence occurs, breaking the cycle of violence."
What is one idea that you would seek to implement or introduce in your district if elected?
Ruhe: "I will work to ensure our citizens have access to safe, stable housing and the resources to stay in it. My office will work with other organizations to get our homeless neighbors the resources they need to become productive citizens."
Other city politics:From J-Town to downtown, Bill Dieruf touts his 'centrist' bona fides for Louisville mayor
District 25
Khalil "Charlie" Batshon (Republican)
Age: 36
Occupation: Restauranteur, entrepreneur; has served as vice chair of Southwest Community Ministries and on board of Kentucky Restaurant Association
Political offices held: None
Amy Holton Stewart (Democrat)
Age: 58
Occupation: Retired from Jefferson County Public Schools; was the family resource and youth services center coordinator at Pleasure Ridge Park High School and Greenwood Elementary
Political offices held: Metro councilwoman since 2021
What policies, ordinances and efforts must Louisville enact and keep in place over time in order to try to stem violence, shootings and homicides?
Batshon: "Added pressure on our judicial system and state leaders to get tougher on violent and drug crimes and not put people accused of these types of crimes back on our streets. Many of these people are committing more crimes while they await trial and their presence on the streets can fuel even greater violence."
Stewart: "We need to hire more officers to assist our depleted LMPD force and give our divisions the backup they need. I sponsored the LMPD raise to incentivize the hiring and retention of officers. I speak daily to state lawmakers and judges to hold criminals accountable to address carjackings, robberies and juvenile crime."
What is one idea that you would seek to implement or introduce in your district if elected?
Batshon: "Getting the representatives from our area to stand up to the rest of the city and stop taking the South End for granted and pushing funding to areas inside of the Watterson. We must invest in the infrastructure, parks and other resources in the South End and demand the attention of the mayor and business leaders."
Stewart: "I have secured land and funding to build a new park in South Louisville that will include a sprayground and playground for citizens to have access to recreational and green space. This project will help close the gap of parks inequity in Southwest Louisville."
Reach Billy Kobin at bkobin@courierjournal.com
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: 2022 Election: What to know on Louisville Metro Council candidates
