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The Afternoons with Amos PODCAST for Friday, June 12, 2015.  By now everyone knows that the race between Democrat Joe Hogsett, Republican Chuck Brewer and a yet to be named Libertarian candidate is the first open election for Indianapolis Mayor in sixteen years where the incumbent isn’t running for re-election.  So, with interest in the Mayor’s race growing, Afternoons with Amos wanted to hear from listeners what they felt the issues should be the issues the next Mayor needs to focus on.  And did our listeners offer up a laundry list of serious issues and concerns for Hogsett, Brewer and the unknown Libertarian to tackle in their future appearances on the program.

chuck brewer joe hogsett

Mayor Candidates Chuck Brewer (L) & Joe Hogsett (R) at Community March in April

Our senior citizens listeners were very vocal on what the next Mayor needs to do about their concerns.  They fell into a category of Respecting Seniors and Their Rights.  Their suggestions included: Programs in the Winter months where elderly can get out – More efforts on shuttles and vans to take seniors shopping or recreation – Program to make sure elderly have heat in winter and cooling in summer – Respect Seniors Rights – Work with senior homeowners on fixed incomes that City requires to improvements on their homes to be able to make those improvements – City should stop bullying seniors. Now, here’s the rest of the summary of our listeners and the community’s suggestions.  ISSUES FOR THE NEXT MAYOR – Living Wage, at least $10.10 Minimum Wage. Improve Education Funding. Need more “homegrown” businesses in City. Crime. Improve discipline of children by parents. Improve public transportation, especially to jobs in the suburbs. Indy needs a Mental Health Institution/Hospital. Improve Mental Health Services. Development downtown is pushing minorities out. Disabled community doesn’t feel included. Feel marginalized, ignored, left out. City needs to do what they say they’re going to do. Lack of follow-up on problems of abandoned property, trash dumping, high weeds and growth. Major problems with Abandoned Property, Abandoned Houses. Turn Abandoned Houses into mini Youth Centers where young people can receive tutoring and other programs. Lack of swimming pools in Black neighborhoods. Need programs to teach Blacks how to swim. Help Police and Community educate Blacks not to run from police. Jobs – Major problem of people unemployed and underemployed in Indy. Restore integrity to government processes of deals and contracts. Copy the “Gig City” Concept used by Chattanooga in providing 1 GB per second Internet service to everyone in community. Need Affordable Before/After Care Child Care, for those in school. Not just for PreK. Strengthen and reinforce PAL Club programs. Turnaround underdeveloped areas like Lafayette Square and other abandoned or undeveloped older malls and office parks in the city.  Add More Police NOW, not in 5 years. Get Rid of the Electric Cars. Sell off the cricket field. Put money in inner city parks. Create Police Civilian Review Board. Improve Education Quality in IPS, or have Mayor take the District Over. Clean Up “corruption” in Indianapolis Housing Authority. Make sure background checks are done when hiring police officers. Program to help young people learn how to build houses. A Habitat type program that includes young people. Be more aggressive about illegal trash dumping. Get rid of school vouchers. People should have to live in Indy five to six years before they can run for office. Enforce the laws on homeowners with high grass and weeds. Cut down number of unused bike paths and bike lanes. Improve Indianapolis roads and streets. Be more aggressive in dealing with absentee landlords who don’t fix or keep their property up. Be accountable to media. Be more aggressive in attracting new jobs, especially manufacturing jobs. The Afternoons with Amos PODCAST For Friday June 12, 2015 Runs 91 Minutes ©2015 WTLC/Radio One. PODCAST Starts After Brief Video Ad.