PORTLAND, Maine — In a forum hosted by NEWS CENTER Maine, five candidates running for mayor in Portland debated issues pressing to voters with just weeks to go before the general election.
The candidates are:
Current City Councilor Mark Dion
Current City Councilor Andrew Zarro
Current City Councilor Pious Ali
Former City Councilor Justin Costa
Political newcomer Dylan Pugh
On Homelessness
Councilor Dion and Costa jumped out saying they support continuing to clear encampments, as Portland has attempted to do in line with their Encampment Crisis Response Team.
"Taking mentally ill into custody," Dion said would be a way to bring people into shelter. "You have to triage but on multiple levels at once."
Costa added bringing services to unhoused people is critical, but encampments must be cleared.
"They are a horrible situation for the people living in them and for the people abutting them," Costa said.
Zarro, who didn't support the recent news of two bills in Augusta aimed at banning encampment sweeps, said more money needs to be invested in transitional housing.
"We aren't going to get out of this problem by doubling down on emergency housing," Zarro said.
Pugh agreed with Zarro on transitional housing, even debating with Dion about the practicality of the city-run shelter on Riverside Street.
"You could provide wraparound services. Let's do it in a home and not a shelter," Pugh said.
Dion defended the city shelter, despite the vast majority of unhoused people refusing to go there because of barriers such as drug addiction, saying it provides the necessary services.
"Our HSC leads the way with wraparound services. There's active intervention plans being developed for these individuals," Dion said.
On Asylum Seekers
Portland moved a couple hundred people seeking asylum out of Portland and into hotels in Freeport and Lewiston this summer, after months of questions and pressure on how to care for people looking for a second chance at life in the United States.
Ali said he wants to make sure people in Maine today have the same opportunities that he had when he came to the USA more than 20 years ago.
"We are a city that welcomes everyone, and I will do that," Ali said.
Costa said, if elected, he would continue to support the current plans to have a new asylum seeker shelter open in November.
"Portland has long been a welcoming community, and that's something we are all proud of," Costa said.
Dion said the issue of asylum seekers is not for Portland to handle, asking the state for help.
"We can't continue as Portland, and I can't keep asking property taxpayers to assume a responsibility that was never a municipal one to begin with," Dion said.
On Affordable Housing
Pugh, who told the stage his family and friends continue to be priced out of Portland, blamed systemic failures that exist outside the city when it comes to the lack of affordable housing.
"Who are the people making the most money off the housing stock?" Pugh said.
Zarro added that Portland needs to be rezoned to comply with state recommendations, saying as mayor he would want to build 10,000 new units of housing over the course of 10 years.
"We need to have a comprehensive land use policy. We need to build housing in places that make sense," Zarro said.
On Climate Change
Costa said the city has done a lot to prepare for a changing climate, but said as mayor he would focus more on proposals that not only help the environment but help the city financially.
"We need to focus on the bang for the buck... expanding EV stations throughout the city," Costa said.
Dion agreed with the fiscal responsibility of making climate-friendly choices.
"My first reaction is do our taxpayers have the financial capacity to deal with these ideas?" Dion said.
Zarro said climate is the issue that made him run for city council originally.
"I want to know how we are going to help people 10 to 20 years from now," Zarro said.
Zarro added that he wants every city building to have solar panels on roofs.
If you missed NEWS CENTER Maine's Portland Mayoral Forum, you can watch it here.