It is interesting to note that relatively early in this year’s election cycle, the Mayoralty election in Jamestown has been joined. It is a long way until November, but we now know that there will be a spirited election for Mayor this fall.

In making their announcements to seek the post, both the Republican candidate and Democratic incumbent voiced similar sentiments about spurring economic growth in the city, and in maintaining a strong financial balance sheet for the city’s budget.

There was much said about the current strong financial picture in the City, but, I thought, in both cases, there was little said about how much the influx of unexpected federal assistance through the various COVID-related and infrastructure monies coming from Washington contributed to the current upbeat financial picture for Jamestown.

When you have $20 to $30 million dollars of new federal money pumped into a city the size of Jamestown, it is pretty easy to keep taxes down and budget balances up. Of course, the matter will change once this “one-shot” injection of federal aid dries up. Jamestown’s next Mayor is going to have to deal with all of the old, underlying problems in a city with a high tax rate and declining population. Whoever is elected is going to have their hands full.

A decade ago, it looked like Jamestown had become a predominantly Democratic stronghold here in Chautauqua County. Of course, all of that has changed and now the Republicans control the City Council. The two-party system is still alive and well in Jamestown. Hopefully, its citizens will hear a robust campaign of ideas over the next few months on how the city can be turned around. Solutions will not be easy, especially as city government returns to more normal ways of financing its activities.

As an outside observer and former resident of the City, I was a bit surprised at the amount of time it took to spend and allocate the recent influx of federal money. One would think that with “free” money coming from Washington that there would have been a ready slate of capital projects that the City could have undertaken relatively quickly. However, it has taken two or three years, and, from what I have read, all of that money is still not spent.

Another “wrinkle” that has been thrown into the equation is how the City will deal with new State requirements on building more housing. It has been enough of a challenge dealing with old, “in-need-of-repair” housing stock. Now, places like Jamestown will be under some kind of mandate to not only maintain what they have…but to build additional housing. That will not be an easy task.

All of this is to say that this campaign for Mayor has a lot “moving pieces” going on. Everyone wants a better City and a more robust local economy. Jamestown is “home” for many of us, and we want it to succeed.

Two candidates have declared their interest in leading Jamestown forward. They now have an opportunity to lay out a “blue-print” for how Jamestown can best address the challenges it faces in the days ahead.

Rolland Kidder is a Stow resident and a former New York state Assemblyman.