PORTLAND — The veteran city councilors who represent the city’s peninsula last week announced they will not seek fourth terms in November.
District 1 Councilor Kevin Donoghue and District 2 Councilor David Marshall each said they are looking forward to more time with their families as they complete their third terms on the City Council.
“I believe I have had very a successful tenure at City Hall, but also know I am ready for a change,” Donoghue said in a July 14 press release.
Donoghue, who works at WEX in South Portland, serves in a district extending east from Forest Avenue and State Street. It includes the eastern city peninsula, a portion of the Back Cove area, and the Casco Bay islands.
On July 17, Marshall said he will also step aside.
“I am ready for a change, ready to spend more time with my wife and working on entrepreneurial pursuits,” he said.
Marshall’s district covers the city’s West End, past Deering Oaks Park to the University of Southern Maine area.
Donoghue and Marshall have been seated next to each other in council meetings and expressed similar views on policy.
“Portland is an expensive place to live and it needs to be equally aggressive about housing development and investing in public education if it wants to retain working families,” Donoghue said.
He said his work on inclusionary zoning to create affordable housing and strengthening the city public transportation network are his “enduring achievements.”
Marshall, an artist, said his work creating a fee on non-reusable shopping bags, banning foam cups and food containers, preserving Congress Square as a public space, and legalizing marijuana stood out as achievements.
“I think the efforts we put into housing policies will have the most lasting effect,” he said.
Races for the District 1 and District 2 seats developed before Donoghue and Marshall decided against running again.
In District 1, Brandon Mazer, of 45 Eastern Promenade,and and Steven Jefairjian, of 56 North St., have taken out nomination papers. Mazer is an attorney for Shipyard Brewing Co.; Jefairjian is a retired baker and chef.
In District 2, attorney Spencer Thibodeau of 69 Pitt St. and Mako Bates of 222 Danforth St. have taken out nomination papers. Bates is the primary author of the “livable wage” ordinance petition for a $15-per-hour minimum wage by Jan. 1, 2019. The ordinance will be on the Nov. 3 ballot.
Thibodeau has been endorsed by at-large Councilor Jon Hinck.
The field of potential mayoral candidates grew last week when city Green Independent Committee Chairman Tom MacMillan announced his candidacy on July 15. Municipal elections are conducted without party affiliations, but MacMillan said his party membership makes him “completely independent of the interests and lobbying of corporations to City Hall.”
Mayor Michael Brennan, District 3 Councilor Ed Suslovic, 2011 candidate Chris Vail, and Grant Street resident Zouhair Bouzrara have also taken out nomination papers.
David Harry can be reached at 781-3661 ext. 110 or dharry@theforecaster.net. Follow him on Twitter: @DavidHarry8.
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