3 issues we realized from Portland’s 1st mayoral debate
PORTLAND, Maine — The primary debate within the ranked-choice voting race amongst Portland’s 5 mayoral candidates revealed usually refined however essential variations of their agendas.
The intertwined housing affordability and homelessness crises outlined the talk hosted by the Bangor Day by day Information and CBS Information 13 on Tuesday night. One candidate caught out by calling on Gov. Janet Mills for extra assist housing asylum seekers, and a shock got here when each hopeful within the liberal metropolis stated they wished to revisit a high-profile wage coverage.
Listed here are the three major classes from the hour-long dialogue between Metropolis Councilors Pious Ali, Mark Dion and Andrew Zarro, in addition to former Councilor Justin Costa and political newcomer Dylan Pugh.
Each candidate embraced development, however there have been {qualifications}.
Portland’s housing disaster is staggering. At one level in 2022, there have been simply 9 homes on the market within the state’s greatest metropolis. The common dwelling worth has doubled since 2016 to $529,000, and the median hire was as much as $2,800 earlier this 12 months, in keeping with Zillow knowledge.
Progress is on the agenda for each candidate. Each certainly one of them stated the town must construct extra housing. Zarro’s targets are maybe probably the most outwardly bold. He’s calling for 12,000 new housing models to be constructed over the subsequent decade. Mild and reasonable industrial areas and downtown heaps may very well be rezoned to permit housing, he stated.
Dion stated whereas the town ought to take a look at rising density alongside busy corridors, Zarro’s determine was unrealistic. He additionally cautioned that any rezoning plan should take the issues of residents throughout the town into consideration.
Costa took purpose on the three councilors on the stage, noting that they may have launched politically thorny rezoning proposals anytime, however the metropolis must act now by permitting builders to construct denser properties and tie that to affordability necessities.
“Each time that we delay, that we let the proper be the enemy of the nice, we’re actually doing super hurt,” Costa stated.
Dion plainly known as out the governor to coordinate asylum seeker housing.
Dion, a former state lawmaker and Cumberland County sheriff, was probably the most aggressive debater. He put Gov. Janet Mills on the spot in response to a query that famous some metropolis officers need her administration to take a extra lively function in supporting the lots of of asylum seekers who’ve come right here in latest months.
“Governor, I want you to return totally sq. with the town of Portland and take an lively management function to supply us sources outdoors course of, outdoors typical process, so first we will home all of the immigrant households which are right here,” he stated.
His central level was that Portland was bearing the brunt of federal insurance policies on this topic, together with one which bars asylum seekers from working for six months after their arrival. Just about everybody within the metropolis agrees with that.
Ali defended Mills and her administration, saying he has spoken with them and they’re working rapidly to arrange an Workplace of New Mainers. The opposite candidates had been extra equivocal on this topic, typically arguing for extra help and saying asylum seekers present a significant alternative for Portland. However Dion seemed like probably the most vociferous advocate on this subject.
There have been variations on wage insurance policies, however settlement stood out.
Practically two-thirds of Portland voters are Democrats, and each candidate here’s a progressive member of the social gathering on the statewide scale. However politicians right here lie on their very own spectrum, which was on show of their solutions to a minimal wage query.
Portland’s $14 hourly minimal wage is simply barely increased than Maine’s minimal now, however it’s going to rise to $15 subsequent 12 months. Zarro, Costa, Ali and Pugh stated they help elevating it additional. Dion stated the town shouldn’t increase it.
However the metropolis additionally has a hazard pay ordinance, giving staff at the very least $21 throughout a state of emergency. Enterprise teams oppose this coverage, which was invoked briefly over the weekend as Hurricane Lee descended on Maine. Every candidate responded “sure” after they had been requested if that coverage must be revisited as wages rise.
