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Candidates call for cleaner, more resident-focused downtown, propose retail support and enforcement
Summary
At the Ward 2 forum, candidates proposed grants for local businesses, more foot and bicycle patrols downtown and public art and beautification programs to address graffiti, posters and panhandling.
Candidates at the Ward 2 forum said downtown Salem needs work to be more welcoming for residents and everyday commerce, citing graffiti, flyers on light poles, panhandling and losses of everyday businesses.
William Legault recommended more police foot patrols and bicycle patrols and said the city’s Main Streets team had helped remove posters; he also suggested stronger enforcement of existing ordinances to keep poles and streets clearer. John Newhall proposed grants and technical assistance to help small, resident-serving businesses open and survive downtown. Andrew Smith recommended practical steps such as more trash receptacles and community-led downtown cleanups to improve the look and feel of the core.
On panhandling, Legault noted the city has an “aggressive panhandling ordinance” passed around 2014–2015 that restricts behavior that impedes passage or access. Candidates emphasized services and affordability as longer-term ways to reduce panhandling, while acknowledging the constitutional protections around solicitation.
Ending: Candidates combined enforcement, public art and small-business supports as a three-part approach to make downtown more inviting for residents and daily commerce.
