David Marshall? Michael Brennan? Oh, wait, I can vote for both — and more! I heard from all 15 candidates for mayor at the Portland Club on Sept. 6, and took notes, knowing I can rank choices on my ballot.
I looked for three things: 1) a combination of experience and accomplishments in public service, 2) enthusiasm and fresh ideas, and 3) a dignified, positive and professional presentation.
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Brennan and Marshall impressed me the most and will probably get my top two bubbles in some order. After I do more research on Jill Duson, Hamza Haadoow, Nicholas Mavodones, Markos Miller, Jed Rathband and Ethan Strimling, I may vote for them, too.
Negative campaigners will lose my votes. The following candidates failed my criteria in at least one category and won’t get a vote from me: Charles Bragdon, Peter Bryant, Ralph Carmona, Richard Dodge, John Eder, Jody Lapchick and Chris Vail. I hope my impressions may be useful to other voters.
Sue Wall
Portland
Michael Brennan is without a doubt the best candidate for mayor. I have known Michael for over 15 years. He has distinguished himself through 30 years of combined experience and dedication to Portland at both the grassroots and political levels.
Due to his humble, down-to-earth nature, it is easy to overlook his impressive credentials and accomplishments.
Whether as the director of community initiatives at United Way of Greater Portland or as the Senate majority leader in Augusta, Michael has proven over the course of three decades that he is committed to the people of this great city and able to effectively represent and advocate for them locally and statewide.
Michael strives not for publicity and power but to benefit and improve a community into which he was born, a community for which he is grateful, a community that he loves.
One need only consult his resume to see that his campaign for mayor is not an orchestrated political move, but an organic expression of his lifelong passion for public service and his dedication to the welfare of this city.
Michael has the experience, the intelligence, the integrity, the compassion, and the vision to cultivate what is best about Portland while working to bring about change where it is needed. Please join me in supporting Michael Brennan for mayor.
Kathy Tosney
Portland
I am supporting David Marshall for mayor. I support his independent leadership and his ability to get things done without getting bogged down in City Council personal politics.
Councilor David Marshall initiated the effort to change our government to have an elected mayor. Then he worked hard and diligently to bring the choice for mayor to you, the voters.
One of my reasons for supporting an elected mayor to represent Portland was the whole idea of the city councilors having the choice of picking the individual from among themselves.
This policy led to inside discussions on who “deserves” to be next without any input from the electorate or any stated program by the individual.
It is critical that Portland has an individual who, with the blessings of the voters, can represent our interests at the local, state and federal levels over the long term, not just a one-year stint provided by colleagues.
Councilor Marshall initiated energy savings for taxpayers totaling millions of tax dollars. He recognized a need, brought all parties for a solution and got the work done. When the proposed Portland-to-Brunswick passenger rail was in jeopardy, he led the effort in getting statewide support for funding this service.
David has already brought needed changes to this city. Let’s help him continue.
My vote is for a responsible and independent leader for Portland. That would be a vote for David Marshall on Nov. 8.
Anthony J. Donovan
Portland
Let me get this straight: A handful of candidates running for mayor are very specifically touting their political inexperience as a positive asset!
And they are doing this while acknowledging that Portland is a great little city that even the national media has recognized.
Hello? As Washington Post columnist Ruth Marcus recently pointed out, “Wanting to do the right thing does not matter if you don’t know how to get it done. Forging relationships and building coalitions is necessary to get things done.”
Our current mayor, Nick Mavodones, has figured out how to use his office to get things done.
I’ve been told he was instrumental in bringing the City Council, developers and neighbors together to make the Thompson Point project and its 1,600 jobs possible.
He played a central role in helping keep Pierce Atwood and its hundreds of jobs in Portland instead of moving out of town. As far as I can tell, his position is simple: Keep the good things going in Portland that we all love, while he works to make Portland even better.
And what is required to make things better? How about leadership? How about experience bringing groups together to get things done? Such as the Ocean Gateway project and the brand new megaberth for cruise ships, the rebirth of Marginal Way and the Jordan’s Meats/Hampton Inn project.
Portland did not become the city that all of Nick’s opponents recognize as great because of inexperience. It’s because of leadership. And Nick Mavodones appears to have it.
Robert Cott
Portland
I wouldn’t consider myself especially politically savvy, but I am an informed young voter. I stay on top of the news, especially Portland news.
That is why when Ralph Carmona and I crossed paths while he beat the street trying to meet and speak with every citizen of Portland, I wasn’t going to let him off the hook.
I began drilling him with questions. I asked him about issues ranging from Portland’s relationship with our governor to the groundfishing/lobsterman debacle. I wanted to know how he would deal with the growing number of immigrants and the homeless.
I asked him this and more, and every time he answered my questions with responses that were not only eloquent, but actually made sense!
That’s why you should consider Ralph Carmona for mayor.
Lucas Good
Portland
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