The Denver Gazette and Colorado Politics hosted one of the final major mayoral forums on Wednesday. Thirteen of the 16 remaining candidates discussed issues held at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora. Here are five takeaways from the forum.
Majority of candidates not thrilled with Mayor Michael Hancock
A poll commissioned by the Denver Gazette, Colorado Politics, 9News and Metropolitan State University revealed 55% of those surveyed approve of outgoing Mayor Michael Hancock, compared to 31% disapproving. Standing in stark contrast, nine of the 13 candidates disapprove of his job performance. Only Trinidad Rodriguez and Renate Behrens say they approve. Mike Johnston and Debbie Ortega offered mixed reactions, with Ortega saying Hancock has done a good job with some things and a poor job with others. Hancock is serving his third term as Denver mayor. During the 12 years, he's brought Denver successes – notably at Denver International Airport — but crime and homelessness have also notably begun to spiral under his watch.
Not all candidates agree Denver is good for business
Despite major challenges facing the city, even the most vocal critics of current policies, such as Andy Rougeot, say Denver is a great city for business. Denver is the “best city in the country” and a top destination for starting a family or business, he said. Ean Tafoya believes Denver offers a lot of promises, but he wants to ensure future businesses are coming to Denver for more than just a tax break. James Walsh and Al Gardner touted the city's highly educated and highly motivated workforce, making it a good destination for CEOs seeking to relocate or expand business operations. Aurelio Martinez did not agree and said Denver is "unsightly" in places. "If you go to the Central Business District, you fear for your life, you’re afraid to walk streets and it’s filthy ... It looks like a ‘Mad Max’ movie," he said.
Eliminating single family zoning in city gets strong support
Only three candidates, Gardner, Trinidad Rodriguez and Aurelio Martinez said they would not support eliminating single family zoning within city limits. Gov. Jared Polis introduced a new bill that supporters say chips away at regulatory structures that choke growth. Candidates who support eliminating single family zoning stopped short of saying they want it eliminated citywide.
Support Team Assisted Response program gets mixed reactions
Denver's Support Team Assisted Response program came under some scrutiny. Robert Treta thought it was just “two guys in a van,” questioning whether it's a good idea to expand a program that he's not sure is succeeding, while Debbie Ortega and Kelly Brough said the program has, in fact, more staffing. Brough wants to increase funding for STAR by 50%. Currently, the program does not operate 24/7 and has five vans, 10 behavior health clinicians and eight paramedics. Next year, the program expects to expand to eight vans, 16 clinicians and 18 paramedics, according to a spokesperson. Every candidate except Treta supported expanding the program further.
Making fentanyl possession of any amount a felony draws support
The fentanyl crisis has gripped metro Denver, starkly illustrated by five people found dead in their apartment in Commerce City, presumably due to fentanyl poisoning. Of the 13 candidates on stage, nine supported making possession of any amount of fentanyl a felony. Terrance Roberts, Ean Tafoya, James Walsh and Renate Behrens balked at the idea.
