T IMES
MID
HUDSON
Vol. 29, No 44
3
NOVEMBER 1 - 6, 2017
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Page 52
SERVING NEWBURGH AND NEW WINDSOR
Legislature candidates spar
Shakur throws support to Lujan
Newburgh
City
Council
race nears
finish
By SHANTAL RILEY
[email protected]
Eight candidates are running to fill four
open seats on the Newburgh City Council.
Voters will head to the polls on Tuesday to
decide who will represent them on the city
council in the coming term.
Ward 1
(From left) Kevindaryan Lujan, Omari Shakur and Anthony Tarsio took part in a candidate debate held by NAACP Newburgh-Highland Falls
Branch last Thursday.
By SHANTAL RILEY
[email protected]
Three candidates for the District 4
seat of the Orange County Legislature
came together to debate the issues at a
candidate forum held last week at the
Board of Education Auditorium.
Democrat
Kevindaryan
Lujan,
Independence candidate Anthony
Tarsio and Omari Shakur spoke on
topics such as taxes, water quality, jobs
and economic growth.
A change of heart
Shakur, a longtime community
activist, was running as a write-in
candidate for the seat until Tuesday,
following the debate, when he announced
he had dropped out of the race to throw
his support behind Lujan. “This will be
a win for Mr. Lujan and a win for the
city,” Shakur said that day.
Shakur said he also wanted to
help Democratic candidate for county
executive Pat Davis, who would stand
to gain votes from his supporters. “It
was a hard decision, but it was the right
decision,” Shakur said. “We’re trying
to encourage a large voter turnout. It’s
time for our city to be recognized by the
county.”
It is not the first time Shakur has
dropped out well into a political race.
In 2015, Shakur, then a candidate for
city mayor, ended his mayoral bid and
put his support behind Mayor Judy
Kennedy. “I made the decision to back
Judy Kennedy because I do what’s best
for the City of Newburgh,” Shakur said
Continued on page 7
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Karen Mejia is running unopposed
after serving one term on the city council.
The Democratic and Working Families
Party candidate has pledged to continue
work on economic development and the
rehabilitation of vacant properties.
“I am seeking reelection because I
have passion and vision that Newburgh
can write a great story on how economic
development can take place in a
responsible way - a way that respects
the scars of history and learns to create
an inclusive, diverse community for all,”
Mejia said in a campaign statement this
month.
“In the last four years, I’ve remained
steadfast on assuring that we have steady
Continued on page 2