Meeting the mayoral candidates: Suthers and Makepeace both claim experience as a plus

One wants to return to his hometown.

“I’ve served the community in other capacities. I think the community is appreciative of that,”mayoral candidate John Suthers said.

Another did the job once and thinks she can set the city on track.

“I’ve lived here over 40 years, raised my family here, worked here,” said mayoral candidate Mary Lou Makepeace. “I think there are some things that need to change in our community.”

Mary Lou Makepeace, a former two-term mayor, and Suthers, a former Colorado attorney general, are two names familiar to most Coloradans.

Both have their eyes on City Hall.

“City Hall has had some issues that really has not been conducive to community and economic development,” Suthers said.

“I know the job, I think I have the experience and the talent to lead this city forward,” Makepeace said.

And they both have plans on an issue that resonates with many: the economy.

“For fifteen years, we’ve been lagging behind the rest of the state of Colorado on job creation,” Suthers said.

“If every local business could add one or two jobs, that would be thousands of jobs in Colorado springs,” Makepeace said.

Their backgrounds are different, with Suthers’ career focusing on law, while Makepeace’s dealt with city politics and currently education as a college professor. But both say their backgrounds qualify them as the next mayor.

“Experience, knowledge, day one I’ll be right on the job and ready to go,” Makepeace said.

“I’ve got the knowledge, the experience to be the person to make City Hall a positive influence,” said Suthers.

Two other candidates running for mayor are Amy Lathen and Joel Miller.

Look for their profiles Sunday night on KRDO Newschannel 13 and online at KRDO.com.