9 seek Dem. nomination for Gary mayor

Candidates look to unseat incumbent Freeman-Wilson

Gary voters Tuesday will decide whether Mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson will continue to be the Democratic candidate to lead the Steel City or one of her eight challengers will take her spot on the November general election ballot.

Freeman-Wilson faces challenges from Jerome Prince, the Lake County assessor; Common Council member LaVetta SparksWade; Kerry Rice Sr.; Eddie Tarver Jr.; Mildred Alcorn; Carl Jones; Joe White; and James McKnight II.

Mildred Alcorn

Alcorn said she’s running for mayor because it is time for change.

“Nothing in any administration has ever changed,” Alcorn said.

Alcorn said she thinks there needs to be more accountability and residents need a better picture of money being spent and coming in. Alcorn said she thinks the city could better engage its youths and get them trained to do jobs in the city like fixing streets.

“I think we should look at the youth, at his point, to build our city,” Alcorn said.

Karen Freeman-Wilson

Freeman-Wilson said she sought to create a plan for Gary and people should think about the progress and the potential in the city.

“It is not about me but really about the hope and aspirations for the city,” Freeman-Wilson said.

Prior to being elected mayor, Freeman-Wilson was a city judge, Indiana attorney general, deputy prosecutor and private practice attorney.

Freeman-Wilson is a graduate of Roosevelt High School and the current president of the National League of Cities.

Carl Jones

Jones says not enough is being done to listen to residents at City Hall.

“I believe it’s time we have an advocate for the people,” Jones said.

Jones first launched an insurance business in Gary before going to law school and working as a deputy prosecutor and the city attorney under former Mayor Rudy Clay.

Jones said the city needs to remembers its business and work to restore its middle class. Jones said he wants to establish best practices for city government, and will work to see more jobs go to Gary residents.

Jerome Prince

Prince says it is time for Gary to start in a new direction.

Prince’s priorities as mayor would be to address public safety issues, alleged mismanagement of city resources, problems with properties not meeting city code standards; education issues; and an overall lack of property valuation.

Prince, currently the Lake County assessor, previously sat on the Lake County Council and the

Gary Common Council.

Prince served in the U.S. Marine Corps and is a graduate of Lew Wallace High School.

Kerry Rice Sr.

Rice said he’s always asked why nothing changes in Gary and decided to run for mayor to be that answer.

“I believe our city is going in the wrong direction,” Rice said.

For the last 26 years, Rice has worked for the Gary Police Department and is now a patrol sergeant. Rice also served in the U.S. Air Force as a security police officer and the U.S. Army Reserves.

Rice is a graduate of Roosevelt High School.

LaVetta Sparks-Wade

Sparks-Wade says she isn’t about the status quo.

“I believe that we deserve better than what we’ve been getting,” Sparks-Wade said.

Sparks-Wade represents Gary’s 6th District and works at the Lake County 911 Center. She said she’s worked to see residents’ needs are met and sought to bring more transparency to city government.

Sparks-Wade worked for the state for almost 15 years with the Department of Child Services, starting as a caseworker and ending as a division manager. SparksWade is a graduate of Lew Wallace High School.

Eddie Tarver Jr.

Tarver said the city has forgotten its people and he wants to reach back out to them.

Tarver said he wants to see the city do more to engage its youths.

Tarver said he’s run an entertainment business and been a political activist and union organizer. Tarver says he wants to create an economic plan for the city to bring jobs, improve public safety and improve the tax base.

Tarver said he thinks the city’s department heads should hold meetings with residents, and he’d like the create a quality control group to see city services are working and residents’ needs are being met.

Joe White

White says he’s the candidate who wants to change the Gary’s infrastructure.

White said the city needs to be cleaned up and officials should want to change the way the city looks. He said that would help improve property values and people’s perception of the city.

White said he’s a Gary native and spent his career in business. White said after working for three large companies, he decided to start his own business.

McKnight could not be reached for comment.