Mayoral forum reveals candidates’ positions

BY FREDA MIKLIN GOVERNMENTAL REPORTER

A question-and-answer forum for candidates for Denver mayor sponsored by the Intermountain Jewish News (IJN) and held at the BMH-BJ synagogue in Denver on March 16 drew eight of the remaining 16 contenders (Kwame Spearman dropped out earlier that day). Candidates participating were Kelly Brough, Lisa Caldéron, Chris Hansen, Leslie Herod, Debbie Ortega, Terrance Roberts, Andy Rougeot, Ean Tafoya, and Thomas Wolf. Mike Johnston was scheduled to appear but tested positive for COVID.

As of press time, two candidates have been endorsed by Denver newspapers, Mike Johnston by the Denver Post and Kelly Brough by the Denver Gazette

IJN Editor and Publisher Hillel Goldberg moderated. Questions were asked by IJN Assistant Editor Chris Leppek and 850 KOA news anchor Susan Witkin. Leppek and Witkin are both winners of multiple journalism awards.

Witkin began by sharing that her goal was to give listeners an opportunity to learn something new about the candidates.

She asked Leslie Herod to identify the locations where unbuilt lots exist in Denver that Herod has previously said could be used for affordable housing. Herod responded that her campaign website had many specific examples of such properties. The Villager checked that website and found examples of properties identified as being city-owned and available to build affordable/workforce/ middle-income housing. It included renderings of housing that could be built on the lots. Herod also pointed to the possibility of land owned by Denver Public Schools and RTD being acquired by the city to be used for housing.

Witkin asked Lisa Caldéron if she was in favor of, “changing zoning to allow multi-family housing or higher density housing in all Denver neighborhoods.” Caldéron responded, “I am. The zoning that we live with today…harkens back to redlining where certain communities were excluded. We are in a housing crisis…Having gentle density where it makes sense and higher density in the transit corridors…We absolutely need to share this responsibility across this state.”