By Danny Gonzales-Hyde, Staff Writer
This year Regis had the pleasure of hosting the Denver Mayoral Debate on February 9, the debate featured 16 candidates all of whom were given a platform to state why they are the best candidate for mayor. The event was hosted in the Regis recital hall, filled with Denver residents of wide-ranging demographics. As the event got underway, President Aceves gave a quick address to the audience thanking everyone for their attendance and the candidates for their participation. The debate format was distinct, as there were a variety of categories with a few questions and a number of candidates were called upon at random to answer each question. On top of this, candidates were each given three rebuttal cards that they could use when they deemed necessary.
The first category addressed in the debate was the cost of housing as Denver has become increasingly expensive. In response, the candidates proposed a variety of different policy changes such as rent control, rent assistance, and increasing worker rights in an attempt to help Denverites accumulate more wealth. One of the most controversial topics introduced in the debate was that of houselessness which has been on the rise in Denver for a number of years. The candidates had an assortment of different takes on this such as having more of a focus on mental health and addiction services with the aim of creating stability, proposing that the city should invest in smaller housing units for individuals experiencing homelessness, and reevaluating where our tax money is going and repurposing that money. On the contrary, some candidates proposed that we should enact a camping ban as it creates an unsafe environment in the inner city.
Another fascinating topic that was touched on was the recent increase in population that Denver has been experiencing as people have been moving in from out of state. This is a relevant issue as Denver's infrastructure can’t support this influx of people. The candidates had varying ideas, most of which were centered around plans to improve infrastructure either by instituting more bike lanes or linking it to other issues such as Denver becoming increasingly overpriced and climate change. On the topic of climate change, the candidates all acknowledged the issue and stressed its importance, some even going so far as to call it a public health issue. In turn, they proposed solutions such as getting rid of fossil fuels, resorting to other forms of electricity, and holding corporate entities accountable as they disproportionately pollute our state.
The debate gave us a sneak peek as to who the future and current leaders of our city are as we will surely see their names topping headlines for a number of years to come. Furthermore, we also received insight into the issues that matter to Denverites as the questions were all submitted by Denver residents who took the time to submit questions that matter most to them. Lastly, this debate gave us a chance to envision what the future holds for our great city.
