JEFFERSONVILLE, Ind. (WDRB) -- Voters will choose between two very familiar names with two very different styles in the race for mayor of Jeffersonville.
Republican Mike Moore is running for his third term as Jeffersonville mayor. He is being challenged once again by former three-term Democratic Mayor Tom Galligan.
Both are taking credit for the city's growth.
"You look around our city today, you see growth everywhere," Moore told WDRB News.
Moore said the city has added some 9,000 jobs since he took office in 2012.
“If you thought 10 years ago Jeffersonville needed something new, I think that's what we've provided,” Moore said.
Galligan said Moore is taking too much credit for the city's growth.
"All he does is cut ribbons," Galligan said. "When I took office, people didn't like Jeff. They weren't proud of it. I wanted to change that, and that's what I tried to do."
Galligan said he laid the groundwork for projects such as the Big Four Bridge and the River Ridge Industrial Park.
"I don't know what he's done, but I've got a whole list of things that I've done," Galligan said. "He keeps talking about how positive the growth is. It was positive when he came in."
Moore brushes off Galligan's criticism.
"I hope the people of Jeffersonville will take a look at the way things were eight years ago and take a look at the way things are today," he said.
Moore said he is focused on the city's future.
"We're creating a wonderful park system. We're fixing up our roads. We're adding police and firefighters. We've got a great partnership with Jeffersonville High School," Moore said.
But Galligan believes the city needs to re-prioritize spending, become more efficient and pay more attention to the basics.
"We need to address drainage problems and other infrastructure problems we've got," Galligan said.
Each man outlined different priorities for Jeffersonville going forward.
"I'm going to actively go after more Fortune 500 companies," Moore said. "I want to keep bringing in new jobs that are going to be careers for people."
"Anybody can cut ribbons, but you got to manage the whole city government," Galligan added. "And that's not what's being done."
Moore will get a high-profile boost Monday when Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb holds a campaign rally for him in Jeffersonville.
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