CINCINNATI — City Council member David Mann and Hamilton County Clerk of Courts Aftab Pureval are running head-to-head to become the next mayor of Cincinnati.

​They were the top two vote-getters in a six-person, nonpartisan mayoral primary last May.

Ahead of the November election, the two candidates will square off in their first debate Tuesday, Sept. 21. The event is open to the public and broadcast across various media platforms.

A photo of Cincinnati City Hall in downtown Cincinnati.

The election comes at a pivotal moment in the city's history and a a time of great transition at City Hall. On Nov. 2, voters will choose which one will run the city for the next four years. The winner replaces incumbent John Cranley, who is term-limited after serving the last eight years as mayor.

As in other other cities, Cincinnati continues to work to recover from the social and economic impacts of COVID-19. But the city faces other issues as well — gun violence, development, jobs, affordable housing. Both candidates have voiced a need to clean up corruption and reestablish public trust. Three city council members have been removed from office since last winter, due to legal troubles.  

In addition to a new mayor, all nine city council seats are up for re-election and there are also questions about the future of other positions within the city administration.

Like Cranley, both Mann and Pureval are Democrats. They even live in the same neighborhood as each other — Clifton. Despite sharing a political party, each candidate has their own view on the key local issues shaped by their personal backgrounds.

Mann, 81, is a Harvard-trained lawyer, but has spent the bulk of his career in public service. He’s a U.S. Navy veteran and a former United States congressman. He has served on city council for more than 25 years during his career, most recently as vice mayor and chair of the budget and finance committee. He's also held the position of mayor of Cincinnati twice before.

He sees himself as a proven leader with institutional knowledge that can help the city during this difficult time.

"My experience, talents and reputation for collaboration are well-suited to leading a council which will be one of the least experienced and youngest in history," Mann said. "I offer stability at a moment when it is most needed at City Hall."

In many ways, Pureval, 38, represents a new era for the local Democratic party. A former federal prosecutor and corporate attorney, he decided to leave law behind to pursue a career in politics. 

Pureval, who grew up just outside Dayton, was elected Hamilton County Clerk of Courts in 2016. He was the first Democrat in more than 100 years to be elected to the position.

Following an unsuccessful race against incumbent Rep. Steve Chabot, R-Westwood, in Ohio’s 1st Congressional District, Pureval was reelected as Clerk of Courts in 2020.

He said he aims to bring "new and innovative ideas" to City Hall to help "move the city forward." 

"(I am) running for mayor to lift up all of Cincinnati, whether you live on the east side or west side, whether you’re Black, Brown or white," he said.

Spectrum News 1 sent both candidates a list of the same eight questions about local issues. Each candidate was told to keep their responses to about 100 words.

Below is that list of questions and each candidate’s response. Some questions have been modified for space considerations.

Questions and Answers

Development is a hot button issue in the city. What changes, if any, do you think are needed to the development process?

MANN: Members of council should not be directly involved in the development process. Council’s job is to set broad policy goals for our city administration to achieve in negotiating development projects. Then, council should review projects only as they come to council for approval to verify that council’s policy goals have, in fact, been achieved. Adjustments in a deal, at this point in the process, should be visible and transparent to the public and media.

PUREVAL: We have unfortunately seen what happens when politicians ignore rules and guidelines. We need to be skeptical about any politician getting involved in the specifics of development deals, and we have to put an end to the culture of backroom deals. The charter provides a strong framework for us to follow. We should empower the professionals working in City Hall to negotiate with developers – it will be my job to be aware of the patchwork of development, but it will not be my job to negotiate specific deals. That should be left to the professionals.

Where do you stand on the use of tax abatements to promote development? Are they still needed in neighborhoods like Over-the-Rhine and Oakley?

MANN: The question always must be whether tax abatement brings something of value to the public which, but for the abatement, likely would not take place. Remember, tax abatement does not involve giving away current revenues. Instead, if a development has important value to the public and would not occur without abatement, abatement gives up new revenues on new development for a time after which full tax revenues are collected. In recent years, our abatement policies have become more nuanced with different levels of abatement with different years of availability depending on the true needs as determined objectively by the city’s analysts.

PUREVAL: A comprehensive plan for economic development requires putting people first. We need a careful review of TIF (tax increment financing) and tax abatements to ensure that we are not only incentivizing growth, but incentivizing equity. Our city should be leveraging its dollars and its tax incentives to increase affordable housing and boost small businesses, not just to support our wealthiest neighborhoods. Geography and equity should be factors in our tax abatements.

There’s been a lot of talk about mistrust in government. How do you plan to help rebuild that trust?

MANN: I wrote the legislation creating the blue-ribbon task force which just presented its proposals for a cleaner, corruption-free city hall. The recommendations include a code of conduct for developers and public officials alike; proposals as to appropriate involvement of public officials with developers and developments; rules as to campaign contributions from developers, etc. 

In the final analysis, it matters most who we elect and the integrity they bring to the job.

PUREVAL: Our ethics disclosures for local elected officials do not provide enough information to hold our elected officials accountable for relationships with people who might have business in front of the city. This is true for both gifts and salaries. The good news is that we already have a model in Ohio: the state legislature has much more rigorous ethical reporting standards. Raising our ethical reporting standards to meet those of the state legislature is a priority for my administration, and it’s a very distinct and straightforward way to provide more transparency in the process.

There are calls for more engagement between City Hall and the community. Do you have a plan for increasing community engagement?

MANN: I wrote recently adopted legislation requiring documented engagement with community groups as developments evolve from a general idea to a final concept recommended to council for its approval. I always counsel community groups and developers that they assume a huge risk if either side fails to pursue a thoughtful productive-engagement process. More and more, council accepts nothing less when projects come before it for approval.

PUREVAL: Right now, 95% of the budget gets baked in prior to the public having an opportunity to study it and respond. We need to actively seek out community engagement much earlier in the process. As mayor, I will be collaborative and transparent, reaching out for feedback and an understanding of what’s important to our communities.

What do you see as the relationship between the mayor and city manager?

MANN: Ideally, the mayor and city manager each understands and professionally respects the role of the other. Similarly, the other leg of the city governmental triangle, City Council, must understand and professionally respect the roles of the mayor and city manager and the mayor and city manager must relate similarly to council. Our city benefits greatly if the mayor, council and city manager support each other in service to the city. Where there are differences, they require civility and commitment to the good of the city and its citizens. 

PUREVAL: Our city has seen decades of success and national recognition for our city manager form of government. We should respect the unique balance we have, but we should also make our search for a city manager as professional as possible. I’m committed to making sure the city manager shares my goals for lifting up all of Cincinnati.

Aside from challenges related to COVID-19, what is the biggest issue facing Cincinnati? How do you plan to address it?

MANN: Crime and gun violence lead everybody’s list. We each deserve to be safe in our homes and as we walk the streets of our neighborhoods. We must support our police and the vital work which they do. We must give (the Cincinnati Police Department) credit for all the ways it has improved in recent years.

Something is very amiss when a 16-year-old and 19-year-old kill each other with illegal guns at Smale Park, or anywhere else. The question for us is how we failed these young men. Did they see a path to a productive, satisfying role in our community? Did our schools prepare them for higher education, or a pathway to employment with a living wage? What could we have done to intercede in their lives in a positive way and why did we fail to do so?

PUREVAL: Recovery from COVID will require strong leadership and a comprehensive plan. As mayor, I will  prioritize recovering and rebuilding our economy so that all families can thrive. I will work to keep families in their homes and connect unemployed workers with in-demand jobs. I will grow our economy by streamlining the process to start a business and attract new companies and skilled workers to Cincinnati. And I will fight to share prosperity more equitably by expanding Black-business ownership and home ownership, reforming the city bidding process, and taking on the racial health disparities of COVID-19.

Housing advocates say there’s a deficit in affordable housing. Can you talk about your plan to increase affordable housing options?

MANN: Yes, there is a deficit in affordable housing in Cincinnati as in many U.S. cities. The (Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber) recently issued a thoughtful report stating eight principles for addressing the problem in our area. Affordability can be addressed by more jobs with higher wages. More overall housing units helps, as well. The city is borrowing $34 million from HUD to create a revolving loan fund for affordable housing. We set aside $19 million from federal stimulus funds for affordable housing, including a major contribution to the affordable housing trust fund, previously created under legislation authored by me. 

PUREVAL: I did not support Issue 3, but I do support affordable housing. I empathize with the frustration of those who did support this charter amendment, because our city has not had a comprehensive approach to affordable housing. I see the effects of this every day in eviction court. It is absolutely critical that we bring everyone to the table and prioritize affordable housing -- and I have released a comprehensive plan to do that. My plan can be read at aftabformayor.com/policy-plans.

What do you feel the city has to do better?

MANN: Every citizen must be safe and benefit from quality city services including litter control, pedestrian safety, well-maintained streets, ready access to healthy economical groceries, recreation centers, youth employment initiatives, visionary neighborhood organizations and an enthusiastic neighborhood and city spirit.

PUREVAL: We have to be honest that the success of the last 10 years has not been felt in all 52 neighborhoods. Our measure of success can’t be how the wealthiest of us are doing. So, it’s not enough to just grow. We need to grow equitably. We either take on the inequities in our justice, healthcare, housing and economic systems, or we fall short of what we can be.

I believe I’m uniquely situated to lead us forward given my track record of taking on corruption, reforming outdated bureaucratic systems and improving basic services to put people first.