Christina Pesavento
Staff Writer
AFTER SERVING over ten years as mayor of South Bend, Stephen Luecke has found himself in the middle of a heated election campaign against his Republican challenger, Juan Manigault. The most recent WSBT/South Bend Tribune poll shows Luecke is holding on to the lead with 44 percent, compared to 32 percent for Manigault and 23 percent undecided, putting either candidate within range of winning the election.
Luecke, however, remains confident that his accomplishments as mayor, in addition to his plans for the future of the city, will convince voters to reelect him for a fourth term.
When asked what he believes has been his most significant accomplishment as mayor thus far, he responded “Getting people involved in city government through our City Plan process and other outreach efforts that have engaged the community to help make decisions about public policy and public expenditure.” One achievement that this process has produced includes the plan for the Eddy Street Commons, which required the cooperative participation of residents, the university, and other institutions in the area.
Yet with 49 percent of South Bend voters believing that their city has lost ground as a business and economic center, the Eddy Street Commons plan is only part of the solution to the overall economic difficulties that the mayor will have to confront once elected. Some unfavorably compare the explosive retail expansion of nearby Mishawaka with what Manigault has described as the “stagnant” state of the South Bend economy.
Mayor Luecke admits that this is an issue but contends that South Bend’s economy is moving in the right direction. “The biggest challenge,” he said, “is continuing efforts to grow jobs and attract new companies to our community.”
The plan that he has already begun to implement in order to confront this challenge is threefold, and involves a partnership with the Chamber of Commerce that deals with meeting the needs of companies in hopes that they will decide to expand into South Bend, the installation of the Metronet system to make broadband access more affordable and attract high-tech businesses, and the construction of the new research park at Notre Dame that will draw in companies interested in working on research projects with the university.
The mayor is also interested in attracting students, who often travel to Mishawaka for shopping and restaurants, to the South Bend area. He is currently working with the Transpo bus system to provide students with transportation to the restaurants, nightclubs, and specialty stores that are unique to downtown South Bend. For the past two years, freshman orientation tours have been provided to incoming students to introduce them to the city’s offerings.
Many students, however, are reluctant to go into South Bend because of the perceived lack of safety. Luecke has taken steps to assuage their fears, and points to the 24 percent decrease in crime since the beginning of his time in office as evidence of his success.
“Our efforts,” he said, “are similar to what we make for all neighborhoods in the city: to provide community interaction with the police department, to do additional walking and bicycle patrols, [and] to provide our officers with the best equipment and training.” In addition, an annual safety fair and orientation day is held, where the South Bend Police Department offers incoming students safety information. The police have also met with students living off-campus to discuss ways in which they can “safeguard both their person and their possessions.”
In terms of the pending South Bend Party ordinance, which would place restrictions on off-campus gatherings, Luecke suggested that balance was needed. “We want the neighborhoods to be places where families and students can interact with one another and enjoy each other’s company. But our residents do deserve to be able to enjoy peace wand quiet in their homes,” he said.
He concluded on a positive note: “I’m encouraged about the conversations we’re having with University administrators, with the student body president, and with neighborhood residents to talk about ways for our neighborhoods to be welcoming for everyone.”
Contact Christie at cpesaven@nd.edu
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