Developer and president of the Bakersfield Music Hall of Fame, Kyle Carter, announced nearly a year ago that he was going to run for mayor in 2016.
Still undetermined however is whether or not he’ll have an opponent.
According to the City Clerk, Roberta Gafford, on Wednesday there were four appointments and four individuals pulled paperwork, but so far, no one has filed as a candidate for mayor.
Those who pulled the paperwork were Valiant Robinson, William M. Minnick, Alex Merrill and Carter.
Carter said Hall has been a good mayor for Bakersfield, but he would want to do certain things differently.
“I would be happy to do the ribbon cuttings and those sorts of things, but I’d probably work more on being an advocate for the people,” said Carter.
He cited a recent neighborhood watch meeting and said he didn’t feel like people were being heard.
“We need an advocate to bridge the gap I think between the common man and the police department or the common man and the city government, that’s what the mayor does,” said Carter.
The homeless situation is one issue Carter said he wants to work on and added he knows there are local organizations trying to help, but he wants to be another person to try to find a solution to the homeless problem.
“We need to approach this situation with great compassion, but also due diligence. We really need to get in there and work at this full on.”
Carter said he would also like to continue Mayor Hall’s beautification of the city.
He said with his experience in business he feels like he knows how to draw in outside businesses to aid in the redevelopment of the downtown area.
“Maybe bring in some developers who would build some housing downtown that would be more modern kind of housing,” said Carter.
During the press conference Tuesday, Mayor Hall said he looked forward to meeting with future candidates to see what they vision would be as mayor of Bakersfield. He said he hopes whoever is elected has the same passion for Bakersfield as he's had for the past 15 years.
"You have to feel it, you have to talk it, you have to be able to walk it and commit yourself to it," said Hall.
The last day to file to become a candidate for mayor is March 16, 2016. The primary will be held on June 7th, 2016 and if there is a run off the election will be held on November 8, 2016. The new mayor will be sworn in on January 3, 2017.
