But Capizzi insists that his record is much broader than those two topics that captured the media spotlight. He says he has consistently worked to bring jobs to Dayton, preserve basic city services, encourage neighborhood input in government and revitalize downtown.
He promises to do more if elected mayor.
His platform calls for building a fourth runway at Dayton International Airport to accommodate growing cargo traffic, marketing the U.S. 35 West corridor and going after federal money to clean up abandoned factory sites.
He also promises to make City Hall more business-friendly by creating a one-stop shop for developers to get all the necessary permits and approvals.
Capizzi pledges to improve youth recreation options and to work with the Dayton Board of Education and Sinclair Community College to prepare students for the workplace.
"I think the school system has to make dramatic alterations to its overall system, that may include the concept of busing," Capizzi said. The reform plan of Dayton School Superintendent James Williams does not make big enough changes, Capizzi said.
In 1998, if elected, Capizzi plans to lobby state government for Dayton's fair share of school funding and to look at how Boston, Cleveland and Chicago have turned around their school systems. If having the city take over the school system is the only way to make wholesale changes, Capizzi said he would look at it.
Aside from campaign promises, Capizzi says to look at his record:
* In four years on the Montgomery County Economic Development/Government Equity committee, Capizzi said Dayton has received more than its fair share of available tax sharing money.
* He pushed for the expansion of the U.S. Air and Trade Show and the retention of Emery Worldwide at Dayton International Airport.
* He worked for short-term agreements with surrounding counties to use Dayton's 440-bed Human Rehabilitation Center.
* He has supported the Priority Board system and community-based policing to improve neighborhoods.
Mayor Mike Turner has criticized Capizzi for supporting the use of ED/GE grant money for the Metropolitan Arts Building to lease space to Pizzeria Uno, for traveling at city expense, for committing Dayton to paying $2.7 million in baseball stadium cost overruns right off the bat and for voting in favor of a landfill in West Dayton.
Capizzi has said his trips are city business, other restaurants downtown have received government subsidies and Dayton needs to support baseball rather than come up with excuses not to do the project. He has also said his vote on the landfill rezoning was based on the information he had at the time.
Others have criticized Capizzi about the Dayton Dynamo soccer team's playing almost rent-free at the Dayton Convention Center and then leaving after two seasons. Capizzi owned $25,000 worth of shares in the team, but transferred that ownership to his wife.