With the election getting more intense, and voting polls opening very soon, the candidates have been scrambling to get their word out to the public. Jeremiah Finch, another Mayoral candidate who, though he hasn’t been seen campaigning much, has a lot of great idea’s to talk about when it comes to the election.
Jeremiah grew up in New York, having a fairly average and seemingly uneventful childhood. After High School he attended Riker’s University, where he studied economics and philosophy. Following graduation he fell into a steady job, and had a family of his own. Life, not always turning out the way we expect, landed him on the streets for a period of time. After that, he made his way to Hathian where he has been ever since. He enjoys sports, loves to read and also likes to write. Jeremiah was kind enough to stop by the Observer and sit down with me one on one for a quick chat regarding his candidacy.
Thianya Kanya: What made you decide to run for Mayor, and was this a hard decision for you to make?
Jeremiah Finch: I am at the stage where I want to do something to benefit those around me. This isn’t the first time I’ve lived in Hathian, admittedly some of my surveys have been short, but since I have been here I have decided to make a real go of it. What I have found over time is that the city seems to be plagued by the same problems, as if caught in a downward spiral from which it is struggling to escape. I want to break that cycle, and as such it wasn’t a difficult decision, I believe in my ability to make a difference.
TK: What do you think needs improvement most in the city? Also, what would your main focus as mayor be, if elected?
JF: We need to take a holistic approach, implement programs to deal with drug addiction, consult with business owners about increasing employment, make the police department accountable for the persistent focus on everyday citizens whilst serious crime runs rampant. Poverty leads to crime, we know this, and as such we need to break that cycle and better use the resources that we have on hand at the hospital, the University, the police department.
TK: What are your thoughts on the HPD regarding brutality and corruption that the city has been plagued with for years?
JF: The HPD are something with which many people are dissatisfied. We, the citizens, and the ones they are meant to protect and serve, whereas HPD has a reputation for harassment, and as such we need greater transparency. We must find a way to lift the veil of silence that covers the true face of the HPD.
“Behind those closed doors they act as if they are immune to scrutiny, I would want to see their numbers, citations versus arrests, an independent body for those who have been incarcerated to voice their complaints,”
TK; Do you think there are any law that need changed or laws that need put in place to better the city?
JF: We need to see less focus on personal drug use, rather than simply charging those who are under the spell of illicit drugs, we need to give them the opportunity and means through which they can rehabilitate. Decriminalisation of marijuana and prostitution, these should not be the focus of a police force in a city that is rife with crime, and as I previously stated, I think we should enact a law whereby the police department needs to be more transparent with their arrest and citation number. The captain should front of the community in order to explain what they are doing, hopefully that will result in a focus on the gangs who are the ones that run the city.
With the fast paced nature of this election, a lot of our candidates haven’t yet had the chance to campaign around town and talk with people regarding their platforms. Jeremiah however, has been making strides. These are just a few things he told me when regarding what he’s been doing to get out there.
“I have conducted an interview with a local radio station, I have been out on the streets, as much as time allows. Twitter, obviously, and now the Newspaper. We’re trying hard to get my name and ideas out there, it is hard work, but even just campaigning I’m finding to be very rewarding.”
TK: Have you given any thought to if you are elected, and how you plan on raising the funds you’ll need to start improving things within the city?
JF: I think there is plenty we can do without extra funds, such as what I already mentioned regarding the HPD, consulting with business leaders about boosting employment, and looking to decriminalise some of the petty crimes that the police seem so intent on cracking down on. That being said, programs to deal with addiction and the like will cost money, I will look at the city’s budget and endeavour to minimise any inefficiencies that are identified, as well as taking a long view. We need to understand that the benefits of these interventions far outweigh the costs, the costs being those absorbed by the victims of crime. I think between the respective budgets of the institutions in town we will be able to find enough to bring my ideas to fruition.
TK: Have you had the chance to meet or get together with any of the fellow candidates to discuss any campaign matters?
JF: Regrettably not, and it is unfortunate that there is not time for organised debates in the lead up to the election. I think it is easy to make promises about changing things, but these words need to be taken to task. However, I am hoping to catch up with one of the sitting councillors in the next couple of days.
Social media has been filled with not only campaigning from the candidates, but a lot of butting heads and drama surrounding the election. I asked Jeremiah what his thoughts were on the constant bashing of each others personal lives and idea’s for Hathian.
“The fallacy of the ad hominem argument is regrettably rife in modern politics. Rather than using the platforms we are forwarded to talk about policies and ideas, to inspire people, there are those that can do little more than perform character assassinations. There are times when certain flaws should be made known, but personally I would much rather engage with people and others on respective agendas… No doubt you would have seen some of the mudslinging Online.”
While Jeremiah seems to have some very solid ideas pertaining to this election and the improvement of the city, ultimately it will be up to the citizens to decide who they want in charge. He only had one more thing to say before we wrapped things up for the day.
“The position of Mayor is still a part of a team, so we need to work together in order to get things done. Vote Jeremiah Finch for real change!”
Voting polls open Wednesday Feurary 10th at 8am, and will be ongoing until the 12th at 8pm. You can place your vote at the Civil Services building on Hathian Highway, inside the lobby of the Hathian Police Department, or within the gym at Columtreal University.
Jeremiah and others like him need your vote!
