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Two newcomers vie for Washington mayoral seat

By Paul Paterra staff Writer ppaterra@observer-Reporter.Com 4 min read
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Mark Kennison

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Courtesy of Jojo Burgess

Jojo Burgess

Each of the two candidates for mayor of Washington have a vision for the city.

For the most part, that vision involves a united Washington, a place where every resident has a say in what’s taking place and no one is forgotten.

Jojo Burgess, 53, won the Democratic nomination in the primary, defeating incumbent Scott Putnam by a count of 483-415. Mark Kennison, 40, secured enough signatures (152) to run as an independent candidate.

Burgess, a longtime steel worker and veteran political and union activist, feels the biggest issue facing the city is a need to maintain each neighborhood. Lincoln Terrace, Tylerdale and the city’s West End need as much as attention as downtown, he said.

“I’m not going to say the current administration and City Council haven’t done their best to do what they can, but there’s neighborhoods that have been left behind,” Burgess said. “I notice a lot of attention is paid to the downtown business district, and rightfully so with us being the county seat, but we’ve got to start spreading some of the wealth around the whole city.”

Kennison, who owns the President’s Pub restaurant and Nineteen North event venue in Washington, says the city’s limited tax base presents a challenge. He believes his years as a business owner can help the city be fiscally responsible and find ways to generate revenue.

“We have full-time needs for our city and residents, our neighborhoods, our parks, our playgrounds and infrastructure in general,” he said. “I want to find the best ways for the city to move forward, diversify its income and get creative to get new real estate and existing real estate back on the tax rolls. We just need more revenue to best take care of our residents.”

Burgess said he entered the race because he wants Washington to be a place where people plant roots. He has four children and 10 grandchildren and only one of them currently call Washington home.

“All of the rest of the kids told me, this is the same old Washington. There’s nothing here for us. Why should we be here?” Burgess said. ” I want my kids and grandkids back in Washington.”

Burgess said the city needs to lean on state and federal legislators to try to secure funding to help the city flourish.

“The federal government has that money for us,” he said. “I’m watching what they’re bringing back to Pittsburgh; why shouldn’t we have some of that? There are so many things this (presidential) administration has put in place that our police can get more money, our school districts can get more money. There’s money out there.”

Kennison said he can do more for the city as mayor, along with what he does as a business owner.

“My heart is in the city,” he said. “I’ve done a lot on the business side, but it’s not enough for me to impact what I want to to make people’s lives better who live in Washington and call this home.”

Burgess also wants to bring affordable housing and life-sustaining jobs to Washington. He said he has been meeting with business leaders to locate their businesses in Washington.

“We want people to come here to work here, live here and be here,” Burgess said. “I want Washington to be the place everyone wants it to be like. I want Washington to be something we can be proud of.”

Kennison said jobs are available in the city, and helping people find those jobs is of the utmost importance.

“Washington is a very welcoming community, very family-oriented,” he said. “There’s great people to hire, but connecting those people with the jobs is something the city could do more of.”

It’s part of his vision for a united community, which he feels can be augmented by a committee of representatives from all organizations, community leaders, state and county officials and business owners.

“We really need to make sure we’re reaching all of the people to make sure everybody has a voice,” Kennison said. “Recovery comes from a united community. I would love to get young people involved and I’d also like to get the older folks involved. It’s everyone. That’s what really speaks to my heart.”

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