It’s the man of few words versus the man of many. Right?

The popular perception of Republican mayoral candidate Randy Hubbard is that he never uses 10 words when five will do. Democratic opponent Doug England is seen as more likely to explain with 20 at least.

Of course, those perceptions have been embellished by each man’s political circumstance.

England, 63, was mayor, the face and voice of the city, for eight years in the 1990s. Council members, constituents and reporters seek a mayor’s comments on a wide range of issues, and when the fate of a bill or project hangs in the balance, the right, detailed explanation can be crucial.

More recently, Hubbard, 64, spent eight years as Floyd County sheriff, the leader of a police unit with lots of ground to cover. But the nature of police work means sheriffs rarely have incentive to explain developments more than necessary, and public-relations duties often fall to other officers.



Debatable

The perceptions were cemented after a request from an IU Southeast journalism professor. In August, Jim St. Clair asked both men to debate each other Oct. 16 or Oct. 17.

England said yes. Hubbard said no.

Hubbard cited a scheduling conflict from the outset, later adding that he didn’t believe a traditional debate would be as valuable to voters as would speaking with them one on one. England kept the event on his schedule anyway and spoke by himself to a panel of College Democrats and an audience of 40, taking time to chastise Hubbard for his refusal.

The only joint appearance came at a Develop New Albany-sponsored forum Wednesday night. England and Hubbard fielded questions, but in two separate, consecutive sessions; neither man was allowed in the room while his opponent spoke.

The previous two general-election mayoral campaigns included debates. But they also included incumbent mayors — England in 1999, Regina Overton in 2003, both of whom were unseated weeks later. This year, incumbent Mayor James Garner’s bid didn’t make it past the Democratic primary, as England beat him by 1 percent of the vote.



The mayor who isn’t there

When an incumbent is involved, it’s easier for the discourse to focus on the present. The sitting mayor explains the rationale behind the actions of the past four years, highlights the good parts and asks to continue the progress. The challenger points out the decisions the mayor botched, explains how he or she would have done things differently and prods the public to make a fresh start.

This year, there are two challengers, both to some degree still running against the record of a mayor, Garner, who’s no longer in the race.

It can be hard to distinguish one man’s promise for change from another’s. Both have been hesitant to pin themselves to specific remedies without knowing more about the city’s financial straits.

In his questionnaire submitted to The Tribune, Hubbard described his top priority as the hiring of qualified department leaders.

How to determine qualification? “What is their experience, education and background,” Hubbard said. “I’m not concerned about his political affiliation as much as his background.”

Hubbard plans to zero in on code enforcement and be “hands on” with neighborhood groups, but not with his former colleagues.

“I don’t plan on micromanaging the Police Department because I’m a police officer,” Hubbard said.

Hubbard supports merging some city and county services, although he predicts pension regulations would prevent the consolidation of police departments.

England said he sees Floyd County as a perfect candidate for combined government at some point. He also believes he’d want to combine jobs elsewhere on the city payroll to allow more Street Department staffing, but he wouldn’t want to get more specific until after campaign treasurer Ron Carroll analyzes city finances.

“I’ve been gone for eight years, I don’t know what the books say,” said England, who promised Carroll would do pro bono financial work for the city for six to nine months next year if England is elected.

Hubbard is in favor of doing more research into one contested aspect of city finances: tax abatements. Companies should be vetted before earning abatements and tracked afterward to make sure they’re living up to their end of the bargain, Hubbard said.

“Good, bad or indifferent, [the tax abatement] is a fact of life, and that’s a touchy subject with a lot of people,” Hubbard said.

Most people have been “talking to localized neighborhood issues more than anything else” when Hubbard has hit the door-to-door campaign trail.

“People want government to be responsive — they just want a venue,” Hubbard said.

England emphasizes the need to pay attention to incentives for existing businesses to remain, not just incentives to draw businesses from elsewhere. He has said he would be his own economic development director.

Both candidates can agree on one tenet: They’re up for being a thorn in the side of the railroad companies they perceive as being unresponsive to city needs.

Hubbard last week called the situation “a tough nut to crack,” while England acknowledged the railroads’ role in the rise of America.

“And they have that respect, but railroads have gotten to the point where they’re disrespecting,” England said.



What they’re saying

Hubbard and England have made few unsolicited comments about each other during the campaign.

That hasn’t stopped their supporters from waging a spirited collision of guest letters to the editor in The Tribune over the final two months.

England was criticized for perceived conflicts of interest over his business ties in his previous tenure. He has denied any ethical breaches.

However, England admits “an error in judgment” led to a regrettable incident in September 2004, one that also has been referenced in writings from Hubbard’s supporters. As England tells it, another driver sped by him on the Indiana-bound Sherman Minton Bridge. England followed the vehicle, flashed his lights until the other driver pulled over, then displayed identification from the Sheriff’s Department, told the man he was a sheriff’s deputy and lambasted him for speeding.

The driver told England he was rushing to the animal shelter to donate cans before going home, England said recently. Sheriff’s Department officials said the kind of identification card England had been given — which he soon returned — was honorary and carried no authority.

“If I had to do it again, I probably wouldn’t,” England said. “I perceived him as driving too fast.”

Floyd County Prosecutor Keith Henderson opened an investigation, but the county’s court-records system shows no charges filed.

Hubbard’s side has taken hits, too. Writers blamed him for jail crowding and a lack of sufficient budget room for the sheriff’s department year after year. Hubbard has said the county legislators gave him little to work with.

In 2001 through 2003, the county spent about a quarter of its money on public safety. In 2004 and 2005, the public-safety slice expanded to one-third as the pie grew bigger, too. Then in 2006, public safety again accounted for a fourth of county expenditures.

The most prominent criticism of Hubbard has come from Jeff Capehart, a former officer under Hubbard who took several leaves for military duty and has said he was treated unfairly and fired as a result. Hubbard said Capehart’s situation was handled according to federal law.

“He resigned. He wasn’t fired, contrary to what he said,” Hubbard said. “He felt he wasn’t given his just due.”

County legal staff determined Capehart should not be treated as a county employee during his active duty, and payroll records show several half-payments to him, as well as an absence of paychecks from February 2003 to October 2004. Capehart launched a Department of Labor probe after he said he was fired, resulting in some restitution.

However, his removal from the SWAT team came after members determined he had been absent for too much SWAT training, not because Hubbard wanted him removed, Hubbard said. Capehart resigned for good in May 2005, officials said.



What’s left

Polls open at 6 a.m., nine days from today. Until then, England and Hubbard will squeeze in more door-to-door campaigning.

“People want to see you and talk to you, no matter how many mailers you send out,” England said.

As of Oct. 12, England had a $20,701 war chest to Hubbard’s $2,672, but donations can come in until Election Day.

Until then, two senior citizens will knock on doors to make new friends and make sure their old ones remember to vote.

“No, I won’t solve everybody’s problems,” Hubbard said. “No, I can’t turn the clock back 40 years, [but] I think I’m still young enough to make one more contribution.”













SIX OF ONE...

“There’s more negative stuff thrown out there, [such as] ‘I’m dying.’ ‘I’m going to get elected and quit in six months.’”

— Hubbard, comparing campaigning for mayor to campaigning for sheriff



“I don’t see where there’s been information given to the citizens, ‘I believe in green, he believes in brown,’ and I believe that needs to be done.”

— England, on his race with Randy Hubbard



“I just felt it doesn’t really accomplish that much.”

— Hubbard, on political debates



“The sewers are bad, but they’re bad in almost every city in the U.S.”

— England



“It’s perfect for ‘Unigov.’”

— England, on Floyd County’s suitability for a combined city and county government



“You have to very carefully allocate resources to the problems you have.”

— Hubbard, describing his fiscal philosophy



“They think the streets are [in] deplorable [condition] ... People are not talking about crime. We know we’ve got good police and fire.”

— England, on what he’s heard from voters when campaigning door to door



“I need to be educated pretty thoroughly on the sewer situation.”

— Hubbard



“It was difficult dealing with the constraints placed on me by county government.”

— Hubbard, on his budget as sheriff



“There’s not hardly a developer out here I don’t know.”

— England, dismissing the notion that his development ties could present the appearance of favoritism



“We did a lot and it still wasn’t enough.”

— England, on his previous administration’s use of the riverfront for entertainment



“It’s a broader bigger picture and it’s a learning curve — not that I’m afraid of it.”

— Hubbard, on the office of mayor



ANYBODY’S GAME?

This year’s New Albany mayoral race is the second since World War II to feature no incumbent nominee, Mayor James Garner having lost in the Democratic primary.

The other instance was in 1991, when Republican incumbent Robert Real did not run for re-election — the only November ballot he missed from 1975 to 1995. That year saw Doug England’s first successful campaign for the office.

In the 14 other campaigns, beginning in 1947, incumbents won only six times. Three of those victories came in the 16-year tenure of Democrat C. Pralle Erni, one of whose opponents was current Republican candidate Randy Hubbard’s father, William H. Hubbard.

• 1947: Democratic challenger C. Pralle Erni defeats Republican incumbent J. Irvin Streepey, 5,113 to 5,092.

• 1951: Democratic incumbent C. Pralle Erni defeats Republican challenger William H. Hubbard, 5,272 to 4,629.

• 1955: Democratic incumbent C. Pralle Erni defeats Republican challenger Dolph F. Harmon, 5,633 to 4,016.

• 1959: Democratic incumbent C. Pralle Erni defeats Republican challenger Comer Biggerstaff, 6,867 to 4,545.

• 1963: Republican challenger Garnett Inman defeats Democratic incumbent C. Pralle Erni, 8,612 to 7,119.

• 1967: Republican incumbent Garnett Inman defeats Democratic challenger Henry Leist, 8,073 to 7,561.

• 1971: Democratic challenger Warren Nash defeats Republican incumbent Garnett Inman, 9,097 to 6,180.

• 1975: Republican challenger Robert Real defeats Democratic incumbent Warren Nash, 9,264 to 4,763.

• 1979: Republican incumbent Robert Real defeats Democratic challenger John Stein, 6,637 to 3,801.

• 1983: Democratic challenger Charles Hunter defeats Republican incumbent Robert Real, 6,148 to 5,888.

• 1987: Republican challenger Robert Real defeats Democratic incumbent Charles Hunter, 6,005 to 5,467.

• 1991: Democrat Doug England (4,785) defeats independent Phyllis Garmon (4,154) and Republican Kenny Keilman (2,344).

• 1995: Democratic incumbent Doug England defeats Republican challenger Robert Real, 6,573 to 5,628.

• 1999: Republican challenger Regina Overton defeats Democratic incumbent Doug England, 5,512 to 4,205.

• 2003: Democratic challenger James Garner defeats Republican incumbent Regina Overton, 5,968 to 3,893.

Source: Tribune archives