BUFFALO, N.Y. — During an interview with 2 On Your Side's Claudine Ewing, mayoral candidate Garnell Whitfield shared his motivations for running for mayor of Buffalo.
When asked why he wants to be mayor, Whitfield said, "It's not because I need a job. It's not because I'm looking for a job, but what I am looking to do is to have impact and to help bring about the changes that are needed in our community. And I think we need leadership and I'm ready to provide that leadership."
Whitfield, a former commissioner for the Buffalo Fire Department, explained how his previous experience qualifies him for the position. "I think being mayor requires you to be a manager, which is what I was as Commissioner," he said. "I think that's not a legislative position, that's a managerial position. So you're entrusted with the, you know, taxpayer dollars with a budget. You have to manage that and you have to manage the workforce. To manage the projects, you have to manage all of those things. I think that being the Fire Commissioner will help me, gave me, invaluable experience."
Whitfield also highlighted his additional experience with the New York Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Services.
Discussing housing issues and vacant properties, Whitfield described the current situation as "a crisis." He said, "The codes that are currently in place, the laws and the codes governing our housing staff, governing our landlords... those things have not been enforced."
When Ewing pressed him about the city's budget deficit, Whitfield was critical of current and past leadership. "I think that it's just basically a lack of oversight, fiscal, you know, oversight by all parties," he said. He argued that some of the current mayoral candidates were, "part of that problem, and part of that legacy."
Regarding American Rescue funds, Whitfield was clear that, "Self-created crisis should not be things that you can use those funds for." When Ewing asked if the city relies too much on one-shot revenue, he responded, "Absolutely."
Whitfield grew up in East Buffalo. He feels that revitalization of that neighborhood is long overdue. "Our community has been disenfranchised, under resourced intentionally for very, very long. And so I make no apologies about making that a focus. You know, where people are downtrodden and where people need help," he said.
You can watch Claudine Ewing's full interview with Garnell Whitfield on WGRZ+. You can download the FREE app on your Roku, Amazon Fire or Apple TV streaming device.