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Mayoral candidates press public safety, budgets and housing in League of Women Voters forum
Summary
At a League of Women Voters–AARP forum in Fargo, five mayoral candidates debated downtown safety and policing, city finances and housing affordability. Candidates offered sharply different fixes — from reinstating loitering rules to task forces and 0‑based budgeting — while several urged more community engagement.
The five candidates for Fargo mayor debated public safety, the municipal budget and housing policy at a League of Women Voters–AARP forum that was livestreamed and recorded for TV Fargo 56.
Sen. Josh Bochee opened by emphasizing his 14 years representing Fargo in Bismarck and said his campaign has focused on listening to neighborhoods. Denise Kolpak, who serves as deputy mayor and commissioner, framed her approach around fiscal discipline and 0‑based budgeting. City Commissioner Dave Pepcorn highlighted property‑tax relief, promising a 1‑mill reduction and cuts to utility fees. Candidate Koo Surleaf and Michelle Thornburg also emphasized community engagement and restoring reliable city services.
Why it matters: Candidates’ competing approaches signal how the next mayor could set commission priorities if elected — from how much to restrict spending to where to invest in public safety and housing. Those priorities matter to residents facing rising housing costs, public‑safety concerns downtown and questions about the city's fiscal trajectory.
On downtown safety, answers diverged. Kolpak said collaboration with the incoming police chief and local businesses is the starting point and stressed that perception affects behavior. Pepcorn proposed closing the engagement center, tougher enforcement and reinstating laws on public intoxication and loitering; he told the audience that ‘‘we don't need to enable them’’ and pledged visible changes if elected. Bochee and Thornburg urged restoring foot patrols and community policing to improve interactions between officers and residents.
Candidates also discussed staff morale and governance. Bochee cited an employee engagement survey in which, he said, ‘‘30% of City of Fargo employees indicated that they were ready to leave at any time,’’ and called for changes in tone from the dais. Kolpak noted that 70% of employees took the survey and urged cabinet‑level follow‑through on recommendations; other candidates proposed open‑door leadership and greater personnel evaluations.
Budget and housing were central threads. Kolpak noted that the city put $9 million back into reserves last fiscal year and urged leveraging regional partnerships and infrastructure sales tax programs. Pepcorn framed his response around tax cuts and spending reductions, repeating a campaign pledge to lower property tax and utility costs. On housing, candidates offered a mix of fixes: task forces, using existing METRICOG study recommendations, incentivizing infill and revisiting permitting and special assessments to increase transparency and affordability.
The forum included a rapid yes/no round on whether Fargo should move from its at‑large commission to a ward‑based council, producing split responses. Kolpak favored adding two at‑large commissioners instead of moving to wards; others said wards would increase neighborhood representation but warned of cost and complexity.
The forum closed with one‑minute statements from each candidate and a reminder to vote on June 9. The next event on the schedule was a candidate forum for the city commission.
