Sophia Tascone 

After 12 years as mayor, Nancy Vaughan is stepping down, meaning Greensboro has an important election on its hands this year. The four people who will be appearing on next Tuesday’s October 7^th primary ballot are Marikay Abuzuaiter, Mark Cummings, Robbie Perkins, and Akir Khan. Early voting is going on now through this Saturday, October 4 at 3 p.m., and Greensboro and Jamestown precincts will also be open on Election Day, Tuesday, Oct. 7, from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.  

I have thoroughly studied their policies, histories, endorsements and more in order to provide a ranking of who I believe would make the best mayor for Greensboro. 

Of these four candidates, I believe that former District Court Judge Mark Cummings would be the worst choice for mayor. Although at first glance I agreed with his policies and positions, there were some red flags about his campaign. 

 First, Cummings lists no endorsements on his campaign website. While this is not necessarily an issue by itself, one would expect a former member of a government office to have some endorsements from other members of that government. The lack of these endorsements sparks some concern. 

The second red flag appears on the issues page: “God teaches us to love our neighbor, not to turn our backs on them,” Cummings writes. While the sentiment is important, what is more important —especially within this political climate—is the separation of church and state. Religion has no place in politics, even at the local level. 

Finally, the third and most important red flag, which may also serve as an explanation for the lack of endorsements, comes from further research into Cummings’ former position. Cummings resigned from his judicial position in 2019 amid an investigation into misconduct, including, but not limited to, an accusation that he had falsified court documents.  

My third-ranked choice for mayor is Robbie Perkins, former mayor and longtime City Council member. Most of Perkins’ endorsements come from white male CEOs of real estate and development companies, or, in other words, people who do not accurately represent the community Perkins would be serving as mayor. 

Perkins lists three issues on his campaign page, one relating to investment in police forces to “address the root causes of crime,” which is a method that has time and time again been proven ineffective for reducing civilian crime, and very effective for increasing police brutality. The other two issues both relate to city development: increasing attainable housing through partnerships with developers and infrastructure investments in the development of Greensboro. Again, Perkins demonstrates his connection with real estate and development companies. Perkins’ real estate endeavors have not always been easy, however. During his previous term as mayor, from 2011 to 2013, Perkins filed for bankruptcy due to having around $10.8 million in debt, mostly professional, related to his real estate endeavors. Do we really want our mayor to be putting so much faith and emphasis in real estate and development when this is how it turned out last time? 

My second choice for Greensboro mayor is Marikay Abuzuaiter. In my opinion, she is a huge improvement over the two previously discussed candidates. Marikay Abuzuaiter was a small business owner in Greensboro for more than 20 years before serving on the City Council. Her listed endorsements accurately reflect the community she hopes to serve, including many residents and community members.  

Her issues include public transportation initiatives and the development of Greensboro’s economy. However, when it comes to this development, she prioritizes the maintenance of existing parks and cultural centers, most of which are in already-developed areas, rather than focusing on the development of neglected areas. Additionally, like Perkins, Abuzuaiter plans to invest in policing initiatives to reduce crime, which, again, has not historically been effective. 

Finally, I believe that Dr. Akir Khan is the best candidate for mayor of Greensboro. Although he has never held public office before, that does not negate the fact that he is highly qualified for this position. Born and raised in the Triad, Khan has received an MPA from UNC Greensboro and a Doctorate of Education from High Point University.  

In his list of issues and policies, Khan is the only candidate to directly mention East Greensboro. He plans to invest in grocery stores and fresh produce markets to end food deserts, and specifically cites East Greensboro as his main priority for this. 

Khan plans to reform zoning to increase access to housing, as well as work to increase access to low-interest housing loans for lower- and middle-class families. He also wants to expand internet access to all Greensboro residents, as well as invest in and support organizations such as the Interactive Resource Center. 

Most important, however, is Khan’s approach to public safety. Instead of investing more money into existing policing methods, Khan plans to invest in community partnerships that will prevent crime. He also plans to require cultural competency training to teach officers how to respond to situations more compassionately. 

From this information about the candidates, it is clear that Dr. Akir Khan is the best choice for mayor of Greensboro. He is the only candidate who offers clear support for all the people he would be representing, and I believe that voting for him is a step toward making Greensboro a better place.