Denver mayor runoff election has been surprisingly civil between Johnston and Brough

What kind of political debate lacks sarcastic one-liners, rhetorical fallacies, eye rolls, obvious lies, outrageous accusations, and faux outrage? The one I recently witnessed between Denver mayoral candidates Kelly Brough and Mike Johnston at the Denver Botanic Gardens.

The debate for Denver mayor candidates in the June 6 runoff election, sponsored by Denver PBS Channel 12, engaged candidates and experts from Urban Peak, Colorado Village Collaborative, ULI Colorado, and BOMA Denver in a conversation about homelessness.

Watching a thoughtful exchange between political rivals was refreshing. In contrast to the unending abrasion of national politics, it was anodyne. They actually focused on their own extensive experience in public policy and positive campaign promises rather than hurling invective. From what I hear, Johnston and Brough are always like this: intelligent, winsome, and respectful to each other and the audience. The June 6 runoff election is just around the corner. It’s close and yet no candidate forum has deteriorated into the all too common campaign mud fight.

At the PBS 12 forum, both candidates were well-informed about the issue of homelessness and thoughtful in their responses. While they talked about new initiatives to help people experiencing homelessness, I would have liked to have heard more about how they would mitigate the negative impact of urban camping and vagrancy on downtown businesses and homeowners. I don’t recall the words “personal responsibility” mentioned and wished Andy Rougeot, the Republican candidate who came in fourth place in round one of the election, had been on the stage.

The city’s homeless population increased 44% over the past five years, according to a report by the Common Sense Institute, despite a record amount of money spent on the problem. In the past three years alone, the city budgeted $1.45 billion for programs for the homeless. Another CSI report estimated that Denver spends between $42,000 and $104,000 per homeless person per year through government agencies and charitable organizations. The more money-more programs approach espoused by the candidates may not be the answer.

Indeed, Johnston’s ambitious promise to “end homelessness” is likely to come to not. As long as there have been cities there have been people struggling with mental illness, addiction, poor decisions, and misfortune. Some people want to get into recovery, full-time work, and stable housing. Others prefer to beg, camp out, and get high. People struggling with severe mental illness cannot be involuntarily placed into a mental institution. For these reasons, the last plan to end homelessness, launched by then-mayor Hickenlooper, remains unfulfilled.

Despite my pessimism, I like both candidates and believe either one will be a good mayor. Their resumes are impressive. Brough has devoted much of her career to the City of Denver as an analyst for the City Council, the head of the human resources department, chief of staff to then-Mayor John Hickenlooper, the president and CEO of the Denver Chamber of Commerce, and a chief strategy officer at Metropolitan State University. Her achievements shine especially against the backdrop of personal adversity, namely the deaths of close family members by homicide and suicide. She is resilient.