Eyewitness News Sits Down with the Five Utica City Mayor Candidates

With five days until voters hit the polls the candidates in the race for Mayor of Utica are speaking out.  Eyewitness News spoke with each of the five candidates--Conservative/Independent candidate Bob Cardillo, Republican Mike Cerminaro, Democrat Robert Palmieri, Green Party candidate Robert Clemente, and Rainbow Party candidate Ernie Sanita.  We asked them what they felt are the most important issues to voters and what they'll focus on if elected.

"We have to really work on our process of economic development," Cardillo says, "It's the number one issue facing the country and certainly the number one issue facing the people of Utica," he says.  "We have a 100 day plan to attack the issues facing our community."

"People feel that government is not working for them anymore," says Cerminaro. "They also feel that spending is too much on all levels of government," he says.  "There just seems to be a disconnect between the people and their governments."

Green Party Candidate Robert Clemente is the only one running who does not have a political background, but feels he can bring the change the city needs.  "The most important issue that we really don't talk about is trust in government, the integrity, the favoritism, the waste that goes on," he says. "What I would have to do is look at accountability and streamline city services."

Robert Palmieri says that the most important issue to him is economic development and jobs.  "You have to feel good if you want to invest in this area to feel safe. You have to have clean streets to stimulate the economic development in this job. I'm not a man of speech, I'm a man of action," says Palmieri.  He says he wants to offer the city of Utica his service and bring city hall back out to the people.

"The issue is that these recycled politicians have brought our city down to where it is today. We're taking control of our own destiny. We're not leaving our desity anymore into the hands of a policital party," said Rainbow Party candidate, Ernie Sanita. Sanita says the people of Utica have the greatest opportunity to change their course.

And just a reminder, Election Day is Tuesday, November 8.  Eyewitness News will continue to bring election coverage this week