Willa Powell to Run for Susan John's Assembly Seat

By Rachel Ward

Rochester, NY – Rochester city school board member Willa Powell says she'll run for the 131st district assembly seat. Fellow democrat Susan John, who currently holds that seat, announced Tuesday that she won't seek re-election in the fall.

Powell says she'd already been considering running for the seat, because of her opposition to the proposed mayoral control of city schools. When she heard about John's retirement she says it took her "about a half a second" to make the final decision.

But Powell says the issue of the mayor taking over the schools wouldn't be her only concern in an assembly campaign. The legislature has "enormous control" over education, and Powel says it "in many ways represents barriers to real success in urban districts."

She says her other top issues are fiscal responsibility in Albany and health care will also be critical.

The Democrat says as an opponent of mayoral control, she realizes she won't get her party's endorsement with two of its biggest local names -- party chair Joe Morelle and Rochester Mayor Robert Duffy -- backing the idea.