CLEVELAND — Political candidates are busy on the campaign trail getting ready for primary elections throughout the state. Three candidates are hoping to become Cuyahoga County executive, which is open for the first time in eight years.
Longtime Warrensville Heights Mayor Brad Sellers is the latest to toss his name in the ring. A retired NBA player, Sellers has served as mayor for nearly a decade and said he's ready to work for the county.
"Getting out here and promoting the work in all 59 communities is important, right? Sometimes people forget that this county is so big and so diverse that many get left out, right. Well I'll tell you as a person sitting from the outside in I have a different perspective, right, and I think that we need a healthy balance around here that keeps everybody on level playing fields," said Sellers.
Chris Ronayne is also running for the open seat. Ronayne is the former University Circle president, a position he held for more than 15 years, and has high hopes for the county if elected.
"My platform is healthy communities, a healthy economy, and healthy government. And on the healthy communities front we have to start with public health. We are in an unprecedented time with our pandemic and we need to make sure that we stabilize our population here and we work in a way that people themselves are healthy," said Ronayne.
Rounding out the candidates running is Lee Weingart. Weingart served as a Cuyahoga County commissioner years ago and is hoping for another chance to serve the county.
"I think we need a fundamentally different approach to attacking poverty, and, of course, what's related to poverty is expected health outcomes, crime, and hopelessness. So I'm calling for a fundamental shift that would make investments in urban neighborhoods in Cuyahoga County," said Weingart.
One topic the candidates have an interest in is a possible new jail built in the county.
"It's a development project but it's more than building blocks, steel, it's more than that. When you have a jail people are in your care, right. And so there's a responsibility for that and we have to plan and develop accordingly," said Sellers.
Weingart also provided his stance on the jail.
"The current administration wants to extend a temporary sales tax forever, pay for a one billion dollar county jail. I think that's a mistake. I believe there are alternatives to incarceration for people who are arrested who are not dangerous and for people who are arrested who have mental health or addiction challenges," said Weingart.
All three candidates have long ties to the county and say they want to see it move in the right direction.
"A place that's globally known is a place where families can grow, where people can come home to jobs, where we can live our lives here with a quality of life that's unparalleled. And you look at the asset base here and there's no reason why Cuyahoga County can't be the greatest county in the world," said Ronayne.
Current County Executive Armond Budish has been in the role for eight years. The primary election for the Cuyahoga County executive seat is in May.