State College mayoral candidates focus on inclusion, town-gown relations and more
With just three weeks until the Pennsylvania primary election, the State College mayoral race includes two Democratic candidates who each have plans to help the community recover after the challenges of the past year.
Jim Leous — an employee at Penn State’s Office of the Associate CIO for Research and a third-term State College Area School District school board member — said he’s running to help repair the community amid the ongoing pandemic.
Ezra Nanes, director of business development at Accuweather, is keeping inclusion at the forefront of his campaign platform.
Leous, who has lived in State College since 1986, previously served as vice president of the school board and was instrumental in planning for the new high school building.
He has remained involved in the Penn State community since graduating with his master’s degree in astronomy, and currently serves as a faculty adviser for the Penn State College Democrats.
Regarding the student population in the borough, Leous wants to increase student outreach efforts to make students feel more welcome partially by sitting in the HUB-Robeson Center every week to meet students.
“I definitely want to hear from a wider swath of students,” Leous said. “I don’t want it just to be like, they’re visiting; I want them to feel part of the community for those four or five years.”
Nanes, who has lived in State College for 11 years and holds a master’s degree in business administration from Penn State, also hopes to strengthen the town and gown relationship, specifically regarding environmental justice.
Because Penn State employs some of the top scientists in the world, Nanes said the borough should partner with the university to address climate change in terms of converting to renewable energy, achieving carbon neutrality and increasing the walkability and bikeability of the town.
Additionally, Nanes said he has heard constituents fear the overdevelopment of downtown State College.
“Understandably, we need to develop ... but a lot of people feel like they’re losing touch with that wonderful, cozy, downtown feeling that they loved,” Nanes said. “We also need to maintain the character of this place in these spaces where we can come together.”
Leous got involved with politics during graduate school when former Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell was running for the position. Leous worked for Rendell’s primary campaign.
“I was pretty inspired by the guy,” Leous said.
Nanes jumpstarted his political career with his unsuccessful 2018 bid against Republican incumbent state Sen. Jake Corman. Nanes garnered 44% of the vote and said the race made him realize his true desire to serve the community and champion people’s rights.
“The whole thing about being ... an elected official is that you have to listen, you have to hear and understand what matters to the community,” Nanes said. “And that’s what I just love so much. I love people. I love connecting with people and listening to them.”
Amid the events of 2020, including the pandemic’s effects on businesses and the widespread protests of racial injustices, both candidates said fostering a more welcoming environment in State College is a top priority.
During Leous’s time chairing SCASD’s communications committee, he helped create the Excellence Policy, which included the school board’s plan for diversity, equity and inclusion.
He said community members should take more time to listen to one another, especially in times of need.
“We have to be a caring community and I think we are, obviously we can get better,” Leous said. “We just have to be more sensitive to the problems of other people.”
Nanes hopes to enfranchise voters to make sure every voice is heard in each election, adding that he would create a regular community forum to let members of minority groups share their thoughts on racial justice in the borough.
He would also form a student advisory board and hold regular office hours to consistently hear from these groups.
“I intend as mayor to elevate and center the voices of underrepresented minorities,” Nanes said. “It is proven that taking action to support and care for, and benefit and design around the needs of underrepresented minorities ... benefits everybody.”
The deadline to register to vote in the primary election is May 3.
This story was originally published April 28, 2021 at 7:00 AM.
