Denver mayoral candidates’ differing stances on crucial issues

The Denver Mayoral Race: Candidates’ Diverging Paths on Key Issues

As the Denver mayoral race enters its final stretch, the two remaining candidates, Mike Johnston and Kelly Brough, have laid out their plans to tackle key issues, such as homelessness, public safety, affordable housing, downtown revival, and climate change. While both candidates have pledged to end homelessness, provide affordable housing, and improve public safety, their approaches and records differ.

Homelessness

Johnston’s plan to house all who need it within his first term by creating “micro-communities” and converting existing motel rooms to permanent housing accommodates up to 1,200 tiny homes, but homeless advocates argue that it requires substantial financial investment that remains uncommitted. Additionally, Johnston aims to end evictions with new laws. Brough has vowed to eliminate homeless encampments in her first year and enforce the city’s camping ban by constructing sanctioned locations for tents. However, her proposal to arrest or involuntarily commit people who are living on the streets has raised concerns. To forcibly arrest people living on the street, the city must provide an alternative location, whether a shelter or tent site, which is expensive and still unclear if people will relocate.

Public Safety

The candidates plan to hire more officers and to expand alternative programs, with Johnston wanting to hire 200 more “community-focused” first responders to prevent crime through early intervention with diversionary courts for mental health, drugs, and firearms. Brough, endorsed by Denver’s law enforcement labor unions, strives to strengthen the police department to its full force of 1,600 officers and needs to target the recruitment and retention of women and people of color. Brough also emphasizes expanding Support Team Assisted Response (STAR) and co-responder programs to increase focus on violent crime.

Affordable Housing

The candidates aim for immediate action amid rising rents and exorbitant home prices. Johnston has pledged to build 25,000 affordable housing units and provide more down payment assistance to residents. Brough aims to build housing on city-owned property and incentivize landlords to convert vacant office spaces into residential units. However, the city faces a backlog of construction permits due to staffing shortages, meaning developers are waiting for up to two years for approval.

Downtown

Both candidates agree that more action is needed to revive downtown, but they have varying approaches. Johnston’s plan requires more city workers to return to the office, improve safety with more law enforcement patrolling the area. Brough wants empty office buildings converted into residential units, prioritizing the completion of the massive 16th Street Mall rehab project, and adding rapid bus service on Colfax Avenue.

Climate Change

The candidates differ on their position towards climate change. Johnston prefers to ban natural gas connections in new construction and electrifies all buildings, with expansion of public transit to reduce reliance on cars. Brough is not as strict towards natural gas, but she aims towards 100% renewable energy by 2040. However, her former CEO post at the Denver Chamber, supporting the oil and gas industry, undermines her arguments on the matter.

Editorial and Advice

Denver‘s next mayor will face several critical issues that need immediate attention, and thus understanding the candidate’s plans and approaches is crucial for informed voting. The editorial board suggests carefully evaluating each candidate’s background, experience, and policy proposals on homelessness, public safety, affordable housing, downtown revival and climate change critically. Voters should keep the following in mind:

Substantial Financial Investment:

Johnston and Brough’s homelessness proposals need significant financial investment, and uncommitted funding could affect realizing these promises. Voters should ask the candidates to clarify their financing plan on homelessness.

Enforcing Anti-Homeless Laws:

Brough’s plans to eliminate homeless encampments through enforcement of the camping ban and arresting or involuntarily committing homeless individuals for “humane purposes” require clarification on the effectiveness of enforcement and the availability of shelters or alternative locations.

Construction Permits:

The Denver construction permitting department is dealing with staffing shortages, causing a backlog in permit approval. Building affordable housing may become delayed, which calls for decisive action on the issue. Voters should pay attention to how the candidates intend to expedite this process.

Reviving Downtown:

Both candidates have various proposals for reviving downtown, but the editorial board recommends monitoring the practicality on the already proposed plans in terms of cost and addressing other factors crucial to implementation.

In conclusion, voters’ ballots should be based on critical evaluation of the candidate’s policy positions, actions, and potential solutions to the city’s most pressing issues.