Mayor Dan Canan and opponent Dennis Tyler will have anunscripted debate at 7 p.m. today at Muncie City Hall. The eventwill air live on Comcast Channel 42 and be moderated by Ball Statetelecommunications professor, Stephen Bell.
"We certainly hope that this debate will help to generate publicinterest so that people will make decisions about who will be thebetter mayor," Bell said.
Canan, a Republican, has served two terms as the mayor ofMuncie. Tyler, a Democrat, has served as a Muncie firefighter forthe past 38 years and was elected as the Democratic Chairman in1999 . He has been active in politics since 1975.
Both candidates encourage students to be politically active andrealize they are a large part of the community — botheconomically and population-wise.
"Every vote counts," Tyler said.
The questions for the candidates were submitted by The StarPress and members of the community.
"I like to talk about economic growth of the city," Canan said."We've tried to clean the community up and our police does a goodjob of protecting the community."
Tyler said he understands the real issues going on in Muncie. Hesaid the city's infrastructure needs attention.
"I think I am more in touch with the issues in the communitythan Mayor Canan," he said.
Tyler and Canan said an understanding of the issues in one'scommunity is important.
Senior Curtis Little understands the importance of beingpolitically active. He is running for a position on the Parker CityCouncil in November.
"By being politically active you can change things," Littlesaid. "Not just as students, but as citizens; it's our duty."
Bell said he recognized the benefits of being involved inpolitics while he was in college.
"This generation is soon going to be in a position to make thedifference in how we do things, how we act as a community, as astate and as a nation," he said.
Bell, who served as a correspondent for ABC News from 1967 to1986, said young people do not appreciate the benefits of living inthe United States because so many negative aspects arestressed.
"Hopefully they'll see how important it is to preserve thewonderful privileges that are ours and protect them and do betterthan we have in the past, and the only way to do that is to beinformed and be involved," Bell said.
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