As the campaign trail intensifies, mayoral candidates in Moscow outline their priorities as they continue competing up to the day of the general election on Nov. 4.
Candidates Hailey Lewis, 32, and Alex Simon, 65, will appear Oct. 22 for a candidate forum hosted by the League of Women Voters, according to their website.
Both Lewis and Simon are running to replace outgoing mayor Art Bettge, who announced he would not be seeking re-election after just one term.
The candidates previously appeared on Oct. 15 at a Chamber of Commerce forum to discuss policy areas, such as housing and infrastructure, as well as other issues facing the city of Moscow.
At the forum, both candidates named the housing crunch as one of the largest issues facing Moscow, as a lack of affordable housing options has plagued Moscow since the pandemic, according to prior reporting.
“We can and should try to ensure that people who are currently housed are able to stay housed,” Lewis said.
Lewis acknowledged mayoral authority over housing issues is fairly limited, though city leadership can and should act as advocates. According to Lewis, the mayor can defend residents, including the rights of mobile-home park residents, when park ownership changes.
Simon, however, felt addressing long-term housing affordability would instead require a change in land-use planning and the zoning that goes into it.
“Families who move to Moscow prefer single-family homes…[we need to] put our land in play for single, affordable family housing,” Simons said.
According to Simon, the city needs to better coordinate its use of land and how business permits operate to achieve this goal.
When addressing city infrastructure, both candidates agree the city needs to maintain and prioritize spending when addressing improvements.
Simon said limited city budgets necessitate those in power to distinguish between essential and non-essential projects. Meanwhile, Lewis said she felt a balanced infrastructural budget is the fundamental key to the city maintaining its resources.
Both Simon and Lewis are University of Idaho graduates. Lewis was born and raised on the Palosue, and Simon returned following retirement.
Lewis, born and raised in Moscow, was first elected to the city council in 2021, and is currently wrapping up her first term. Simon, now retired, has spent decades working in engineering for Boeing.
Early voting in the mayoral election is available through the Latah County Elections Office. The general election day is Tuesday, Nov.4.
