COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. -- It was a packed house at the Fine Arts Center in Colorado Springs Tuesday night as more than 400 local business leaders came out to hear the strong mayor candidates talk about current challenges and the future of the city.
The event organized by the Middle Market Entrepreneurs had candidates answering a series of business-related questions taken from the locals sitting in the audience, and unlike other debates and forums, they did not get the questions in advance.
Our new form of city government and our city's economic challenges were the main themes of the night, specifically the image of our city, which Mayoral Candidate Richard Skorman thinks needs to be revamped.
"They think of us as intolerant, so cheap in our government that we won't be able to take care of ourselves," Skorman said.
Others addressed the needs of the city.
"We are infact a tolerant, creative, and vibrant community," Mayoral Candidate Dave Munger said." And we need to welcome [future companies] as the best place to do business in the west."
Another hot topic at Tuesday night's forum was underserved constituents specifically locals in southeast Colorado Springs.
"South Academy is a key part of our community, and we need to do something for that part of town," Mayoral Candidate Steve Bach said.
Even though all nine candidates made it to the forum, three of them were originally not invited. According to Phil McDonald, he, Mitch Christiansen and Ken Duncan were told they "had not reached critical mass" based on their campaign contributions and campaign ads.
The three candidates agreed to boycott the event and sent an e-mail to forum organizers MME. McDonald said that same day, he, Christiansen and Duncan were all officially invited. However, the MME said 10 days ago all three candidates met their criteria, and that's why they were invited.
No matter how it happened, all nine candidates made it to the forum and agreed there's a lot of work to be done in Colorado Springs.
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