Pop quiz: a test for the wannabes 

How much do the Democratic candidates for mayor know about the city they want to lead? During our campaign coverage, we'll be testing the candidates --- no prior notice, no research allowed. (Want to suggest questions? Write to themail@rochester-citynews.com. Subject line: pop quiz.)

Questions:

1. How many homicides were there in Rochester in 2004?

2. What's been the largest capital-expense item in the past 10 years?

3. What will be the largest in the next 5 years?

4. What has been the largest single area of decline in federal funding in the past 5 years, and what did that money pay for?

5. What percentage of Rochester families live in poverty?

6. If you live near the intersection of Clifford and North Clinton and work at Marketplace Mall, what bus to you take to get there?

Bob Duffy

1. 35

2. Charlotte harbor

3. Renaissance Square

4. Community Development Block Grants. They're mostly for community development in the neighborhoods.

5. 70 to 75 percent.

6. You take the Clinton down to Main Street. I don't know what number it is. I'm not sure I've ever seen buses at Eastview or Marketplace. I'm gonna say there's not a bus that goes directly there.

Chris Maj

1. I think there was 43. 42, maybe? 42.

2. I think it's Renaissance Square. Pretty much the largest chunk of change has been allocated for that, I believe.

3. Renaissance Square still, because we're planning to spend money on that. That prison downtown was pretty big. I think that was like a good chunk of the tobacco money went towards that. So that's a damn shame, that we built that new prison. I can't recall the last time they built a new school, really.

4. Probably health-care dollars.

5. Something like 90 percent of children are living in poverty, so I think it's 90 percent. Over 90 percent.

6. Well, I know you take the 24 to get to Marketplace from downtown. I think to get down from Clifford you ride the Number 3 bus. Maybe along St. Paul?

Tim Mains

1. 30. No --- somewhere between 30 and 40. I'll say 30.

2. I would say, hmm, I would say the PublicSafetyBuilding.

3. Revival of the Rochester Erie Canal bed and tunnel.

4. Cops. But that money has been coming out of public safety. So I would say housing. Yea, housing.

5. 40 percent or very close to 40 for families. For singles it may be different.

6. Oh, let's see. Well, you take the bus and you have a transfer. I don't know the bus number, but you take it to Midtown, then you transfer. And you take the bus that says Marketplace Mall. Again, I don't know the exact bus number you take, but the sign right above the driver will tell you the route, and you take the one that goes to Marketplace Mall.

Wade Norwood

1. I do not know. I would say --- I would say somewhere in the mid 30's.

2. The PublicSafetyBuilding.

3. Oh, no. The Broad Street Tunnel (laughter).

4. It is probably the community block grants, which have supported so many of our housing needs.

5. I think it is in the upper 20's. Somewhere... yeah, I think it is up there near 30 percent.

6. I know the St. Paul and I know the Joseph. I say it's 7 Clinton, and you take that downtown and you need to transfer there to the 24. I think that's right.

The answers

1. 35.

2. The Public Safety Building was the largest single project. The largest aggregate project: harbor improvements in Charlotte, including the ferry terminal. (Renaissance Square and the jail are notCity of Rochester projects.)

3. Filling the subway tunnel.

4. Block grants, which the city has used for downtown and neighborhood development.

5. 23.4 percent, according to the US Census.

6. Take the Number 7 bus ("North Clinton") to Main and St. Paul. Transfer to the Number 24 bus ("RIT/Marketplace/Scottsville"), which goes directly to Marketplace Mall.