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Alex White.



Any doubts about whether Alex White would run for office were immediately erased when he showed up at his press conference this afternoon wearing a button with his name on it and the slogan, “A Rochester for all of us.”

White, a Rochester businessman, is seeking the Green Party endorsement to run for mayor (his speech from this afternoon's press conference is below). He has in the recent past waged unsuccessful bids for mayor and City Council with the backing of the Greens.

White is the third person to express interest in the mayor’s office. Mayor Tom Richards, a Democrat, is running again, while City Council President Lovely Warren is weighing a primary challenge to Richards.

White rattled off a populist platform at this afternoon’s press conference. He spoke out against subsidies for wealthy developers and in favor of community policing, though he didn’t answer directly when asked if Rochester should return to a multi-station model, as some advocate. He said there should be more officers on the street and they should be more engaging and not more aggressive.

“We live in a city where stop-and-frisk and pray for rain are the top police strategies,” he said.

A Green Party spokesperson said the party is attempting to run multiple candidates — possibly a full slate — for City Council this year; all five at-large seats are up. Council people Carolee Conklin, Dana Miller, Loretta Scott, Jackie Ortiz, and Matt Haag are all seeking re-election, according to a Council spokesperson.

Alex White speech by