Posted by Ed Nar

Pictured are Cleveland Mayoral Candidate Ken Lanci (in tie) and Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson, who will square off for the November mayoral election due to no others in the race for a non-partisan September primary, which will also be held for 17 Cleveland City Council seats. Both Jackson and Lanci are Democrats. Jackson is a two-term mayor and Lanci is a millionaire businessman who grew up in a housing project on the city's majority Black east side).

CLEVELAND, Ohio-Ohio Communities United and the Greater Cleveland African American Chamber of Commerce are announcing the first mayoral debate for Cleveland Mayor. The debate will be at the Cleveland City Club on Monday, August 19 and is scheduled to begin at 11 am. The moderator will be Ronnie Duncan, a former Cleveland sportscaster.  Democratic Candidate for Cleveland Mayor, Ken Lanci has accepted the invitation and looks forward to attending, organizers said.Tickets for this City Club event are $20 and can be reserved by calling the City Club at 216.621.0082.

"I look forward to sharing my thoughts on innovative ideas to curb this terrible wave of violence that has thrust Cleveland into a negative national spotlight,” said Lanci. “I also look forward to discussing how to make our schools better and how to create jobs for Cleveland residents.”

Although Mayor Frank Jackson’s campaign staff has been repeatedly contacted by phone calls, text messages and an official email, it has refused to respond to debate requests.

“Why is Jackson afraid to debate?” asked  Lanci. “He keeps trumpeting results. Results for who? Certainly not the forgotten residents of Cleveland that are suffering."

"A city must be measured by the quality of the life of the people that live in that city,' said Lanci. "By this most important of measures, this current mayor has failed."

Lanci said also that crime is out of control in the city, the schools have received the lowest possible rating on the state report cards, and the poverty rates have worsened. All this, he added, has occurred under eight years of his mismanagement.”

Lanci has committed to being at the debate and answering questions even if Jackson is a no-show.

“The people of Cleveland deserve to hear an exchange of ideas,” said Lanci. “They deserve a series of debates to address the many critical issues that are plaguing Cleveland residents.

"They deserve to hear this current mayor explain why conditions have degraded to this level," he said. "I’ll be there. I will share my ideas for a better Cleveland, even if Mayor Jackson is afraid to do so. I believe the residents of Cleveland deserve better and that together we will do better.”