Madison mayoral candidates meet for community forum

MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) - For the first time, the three candidates running for Madison mayor gathered for a community forum to meet the community and answer questions.

Incumbent Satya Rhodes Conway, Gloria Reyes and Scott Kerr met at 7 p.m. at Sequoya Library. The event was moderated by Wisconsin Public Radio talk show host emeritus Joy Cardin.

The candidates discussed public safety, transit, housing and the city’s fiscal responsibility. They also addressed why they should be the city’s mayor. Incumbent Rhodes Conway pointed to her past four years in the position as a reason to bring her back, while the two challengers voiced concerns over the direction of the city.

“You know now if I’m saying I’m going to work on something for four years. That’s what you’re going to get,” Rhodes Conway said. “They know what we’ve been working on over the past four years and, perhaps most importantly, that I worked on the things that I promised that I would work on.”

Long-time government employee Kerr shared concerns about the city’s new transit plan.

“Measures that we installed to make pedestrian safety a priority is now being removed so that we can run the bus lane against the Curve,” Kerr said.

Former Deputy Mayor Reyes is looking to improve transparency in government.

“We definitely have to work on our transparency and government and communications and we’re just not seeing that right now from the mayor’s office,” Reyes said.

The three candidates will be the ones listed on the ballot. Write-in candidate Daniel Howell also attended the forum, saying he is ready for the challenge that comes with running a race as a write-in.

The spring primary is scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 21. The top two candidates will move on to the election in April.

The forum was being sponsored by several neighborhoods on Madison’s west side.

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