For anyone who missed last night’s La Crosse mayoral forum, check out the video recording of the event below. Additionally, below the video are the questions we asked the candidates, and the time stamps for when the questions appear on the video.
We also hope to hold forums for council and school board candidates, in addition to another mayoral forum, but we need your support to make that happen! Become a member of the La Crosse Independent today for just $5.75 a month at this link.
Event starts on the video with an introduction at about 16 minutes, followed by opening statements from the candidates.
QUESTION 1 (21:39) Do you support the creation of a community oversight board for the police department in the City of La Crosse?
QUESTION 2 (28:09). Studies have shown that tenants often don’t have a fair shot in court when an eviction is filed against them, as many people cannot afford to hire an attorney. As mayor, would you support a city-funded program to guarantee legal representation for tenants faced with eviction proceedings in La Crosse?
QUESTION 3 (35:15). In 2019, the city council passed a resolution pledging that the city and community would transition to 100% renewable and carbon-free energy by 2050. Meeting this goal will have environmental, economic, and health benefits for our community. As mayor, how important will making progress toward that goal be for you? What one action or change would you propose in your first year to help accelerate our transition to renewable, carbon-free energy?
QUESTION 4 (45:30). Our nation is currently reckoning with centuries of relentless racial injustice and, in response to this, there have been many hollow calls for unity that lack actionable steps we can take to move forward toward justice. Knowing this, what are some of your specific and concrete policy ideas for addressing systemic racism in this community?
QUESTION 5 (56:20). What conflicts-of-interest might you bring to the position of mayor if you won and how would you overcome them?
QUESTION 6 (1:04:40). The city has a “housing crisis” in part because wages are too low, and rent and other costs such as transportation and medical care are too high. As mayor, what steps will you take to prioritize affordable housing and end homelessness in La Crosse? And would you support a housing-first policy?
QUESTION 7 (1:15:22). MTU buses are currently fare-free in La Crosse due to covid. Would you support making fare-free public transit permanent in La Crosse?
Question 8 (1:26:15). Would you support capping the amount of incentives developers can receive through the city’s TIF districts?
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