RICHMOND, Va. -- When the candidates for Mayor of Richmond meet Tuesday night for the Citizens Debate, various topics will be discussed.
CBS 6 asked Richmond voters what it was like living in Richmond and what they wanted from the next mayor.
Musoni Rwatambuga
Musoni and his family came to this country for opportunity.
"Living the American dream, but right now is no longer the American dream," he said.
Rising costs have been crippling, especially when it comes to finding affordable housing for his family.
"It's horrible, two bedrooms is $1500, which I can't afford," he said.
Ms. Jones
"Living in downtown Richmond. I think it's wonderful, a wonderful place to live."
But for the Jones family, the downside to city living includes high meals and real estate taxes.
"If those dollars are going towards schools in the city, going towards beautification projects, streets, cleaning up the potholes. I feel like it's okay, but I would like it if we could lower it, or at least not spend those dollars outside of our city," Jones said.
David Burgo
Helping eliminate poverty and dependence on public housing with education and trade programs is something David Burgo would like to see.
"I'm probably one out of the 10 that was able to get out of the housing community," Burgo said. "If you can get one out of 10, it's a win."
The Citizen's Debate
All five Richmond mayoral candidates will appear at the Citizens Debate on October 15 at the Virginia Museum of History and Culture (VMHC) in Richmond.
The debate will broadcast live on WTVR CBS 6 and stream to WTVR.com, the CBS 6 News app, and the CBS 6 streaming channels on Roku and Apple TV.
Richmond First, the VMHC’s John Marshall Center, the Richmond Times-Dispatch, and WTVR CBS 6 are co-sponsoring the debate.
The debate begins at 7 p.m. Those who plan to attend are encouraged to arrive early to be seated for the 7 p.m. live broadcast.
The Candidates Speak
CBS 6 interviewed all the mayoral candidates leading up to Election Day.
- Meet the candidates: Michelle Mosby
- Meet the candidates: Harrison Roday
- Meet the candidates: Maurice Neblett
- Meet the candidates: Danny Avula
- Meet the candidates: Andreas Addison
CBS 6 is committed to sharing community voices on this important topic. Email your thoughts to the CBS 6 Newsroom.