FAST FACTS:
(Memphis 8/11/2009) You may not recognize his name or face, but Charles Carpenter is Willie Herenton's long time campaign manager. It was Carpenter who played a key role in Herenton's historic election as mayor in 1991. And the hits kept on coming.
However, Carpenter will quickly tell you he was Herenton's campaign manager only... not a part of his administration. He says the two are quite different.
"All of us or many of us have sisters and brothers, you know, we have the same mother, same father, at least one parent. We may grow up in the same household. We may be taught the same principles of life. But, we don't think alike, we don't make decisions alike. I mean we see the world differently," said Carpenter.
Carpenter attended Southside High School... Graduated from Howard University... And Notre Dame Law School. Then he came back home to Memphis. "So with my Notre Dame Law degree and my accomplishments, I was so excited and I couldn't find a job. No one was interested in me," said Carpenter.
So, he set up his own law practice in North Memphis at Fifth and Chelsea.
He said "so I answered the phone, I typed my letters, I did all of my calls and my marketing, and here I am 31-years later. I have been very successful, and now we practice municipal finance law."
As mayor, Carpenter says crime would be on his list of priorities.
Carpenter said "we would roll out a very detailed plan in the near future. And we would be going back to a community based crime initiative where the community participates with the police division for the purpose of helping to solve crime. Let's face it, in our community most of the crime is committed by young black males between 17-and-27 years old. And the reason that our children are falling for that is because we're not as adults providing them with the proper role models, the proper leadership, proper guidance to let them see how they can become successful from within the system."
He says his second initiative would be the city's image.
"Memphis is the 18th largest city in the country and we don't act like it. We are one of the top distribution centers in America, and we don't act like it. There has not been an honest, earnest effort to engage the citizens of Memphis. There has not been the level of transparency that's needed, there has not been the level of outreach. And there has not been the level of service from government to make people feel good about the prospects of the future for the city," he said.
Carpenter says he won't waste any time trying to push consolidation.
He says he'll spend his time talking about tax equity. Because the bedroom communities surrounding Memphis enjoy the city's amenities.. While Memphis shoulders the tax burden he says "so we have to come to the table in a business manner to discuss sustainability. Because if we can't sustain Memphis, they can't sustain their communities.
Carpenter says he can win this race. "Absolutely. If I didn't think I could win, I would not have stepped from the side line into the front line."
Carpenter says he's running because the rest of the candidates represent the status quo. He said "so I decided after a lot of careful prayer talking to a lot of people that now is the time for me to step out and show the leadership, because in Memphis just because you're not a loud mouth and speak out on every issue people think well you must not have anything to say. But, that's not the way it works."
- Charles Carpenter running for mayor
- Campaign manager to former Memphis Mayor Willie Herenton
- Talks about consolidation
(Memphis 8/11/2009) You may not recognize his name or face, but Charles Carpenter is Willie Herenton's long time campaign manager. It was Carpenter who played a key role in Herenton's historic election as mayor in 1991. And the hits kept on coming.
However, Carpenter will quickly tell you he was Herenton's campaign manager only... not a part of his administration. He says the two are quite different.
"All of us or many of us have sisters and brothers, you know, we have the same mother, same father, at least one parent. We may grow up in the same household. We may be taught the same principles of life. But, we don't think alike, we don't make decisions alike. I mean we see the world differently," said Carpenter.
Carpenter attended Southside High School... Graduated from Howard University... And Notre Dame Law School. Then he came back home to Memphis. "So with my Notre Dame Law degree and my accomplishments, I was so excited and I couldn't find a job. No one was interested in me," said Carpenter.
So, he set up his own law practice in North Memphis at Fifth and Chelsea.
He said "so I answered the phone, I typed my letters, I did all of my calls and my marketing, and here I am 31-years later. I have been very successful, and now we practice municipal finance law."
As mayor, Carpenter says crime would be on his list of priorities.
Carpenter said "we would roll out a very detailed plan in the near future. And we would be going back to a community based crime initiative where the community participates with the police division for the purpose of helping to solve crime. Let's face it, in our community most of the crime is committed by young black males between 17-and-27 years old. And the reason that our children are falling for that is because we're not as adults providing them with the proper role models, the proper leadership, proper guidance to let them see how they can become successful from within the system."
He says his second initiative would be the city's image.
"Memphis is the 18th largest city in the country and we don't act like it. We are one of the top distribution centers in America, and we don't act like it. There has not been an honest, earnest effort to engage the citizens of Memphis. There has not been the level of transparency that's needed, there has not been the level of outreach. And there has not been the level of service from government to make people feel good about the prospects of the future for the city," he said.
Carpenter says he won't waste any time trying to push consolidation.
He says he'll spend his time talking about tax equity. Because the bedroom communities surrounding Memphis enjoy the city's amenities.. While Memphis shoulders the tax burden he says "so we have to come to the table in a business manner to discuss sustainability. Because if we can't sustain Memphis, they can't sustain their communities.
Carpenter says he can win this race. "Absolutely. If I didn't think I could win, I would not have stepped from the side line into the front line."
Carpenter says he's running because the rest of the candidates represent the status quo. He said "so I decided after a lot of careful prayer talking to a lot of people that now is the time for me to step out and show the leadership, because in Memphis just because you're not a loud mouth and speak out on every issue people think well you must not have anything to say. But, that's not the way it works."
