AUGUSTA — Candidates for mayor David Rollins and William E. Dowling debated how best to deal with crime, maintain services while receiving less in state revenues, grow the city economically to add jobs and expand the tax base, and why each would be voters’ best choice to be Augusta’s next mayor Wednesday.

Somewhat different approaches to crime and punishment emerged when the candidates were asked by moderator James Cook, an assistant professor of social science at the University of Maine at Augusta, what they think the city should do about its violent crime rate, which since 2011 has been higher than the nation as a whole, and about complaints which surfaced earlier this year about criminal and intimidating behavior in the city’s downtown.

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Rollins noted the city has added a full-time police officer in schools and increased patrols downtown, and merchants have said problems there are better, but not solved. He said he recently joined a group working to build a restorative justice program which would take in first-time offenders and have them confronted by their victims to understand the impact of their actions. He said it is important to take the time and effort to break the cycle of crime in perpetrators at a young age. And, he said, when people who commit crimes are not “correctable, they have to do time.”

Dowling said he supports the additional police patrols downtown, but suggested the city needs to be tougher on criminals.

“At some point in time, when you have the same offenders who repeat and repeat, it’s time to go to court and go to court and they have to pay the price,” Dowling said. “When a merchant is losing business (because criminal behavior in the area is scaring off customers), that’s the same as stealing. Somebody has to be held accountable. Programs that help juveniles and people rehabilitate are fine. But at some point, habitual offenders don’t learn until they pay the price.”

Both candidates said they’d work hard to avoid a property tax increase, but offered differing ideas on how to accomplish that goal.

Dowling said the city has to look to other avenues for revenues, including private commercial development which could bring jobs and expand the tax base. He also said city officials should approach the state Legislature to seek legislation to force the many nonprofit organizations with offices and other property in the city, which don’t pay taxes but still require city services, to pay their fair share to the city. He said residents can’t afford to pay more property taxes.

Rollins also said the city needs to pursue private development to grow the tax base and lessen the property tax impact on residents and provide jobs, but warned against cutting the budget so much to avoid a tax increase that it would allow the city to deteriorate, because that could cause property values to drop.

“Under the current revenue sharing policies of the state of Maine, we’re being put upon to balance the state budget,” Rollins said. “We’ve done a great job managing budgets for the last eight years. Only in the last couple of years has it gotten to a point we’ve had to raise taxes more than we wanted to. But it comes to a point, are we going to do what we can to maintain our vitality as a city? I’ll fight to do the best we can to hold the line.”

Each candidate, in opening statements, had chances to make their pitches for votes.

“I believe this is a new era, and we need a new mayor,” Rollins said. “I’m approachable, you see me in the community. You know you can talk to me about your issues and concerns. And I’m passionate about this city. When it comes to challenges, I want to be a problem solver. I will always strive, as I have all my life, to exceed expectations.”

Rollins, 59, is an at-large city councilor elected in 2007 and serving his third term. He also was interim mayor for a few months in 2011 when Roger Katz was elected to the Maine Senate and vacated the mayor’s seat. He is a real estate appraiser.

Dowling said “I have a lot of experience, both in state government for 26 years, where I was deputy secretary of state, and, when I retired, I went to work for a development company. I’ve got 15 years in development. I know how to get things done. While I was mayor, I was able to achieve extraordinary things along with the council. We were able to secure funding for the third bridge, secure funding for (the new) high school, we were able to locate the YMCA at Capital Park, on city-owned land, and we leveraged and made that happen.”

Dowling, 66, was mayor of Augusta from 1999 to 2006 and Ward 2 city councilor from 1995 to 1998. He is director of development for Dirigo Capital Advisors, a Hallowell-based firm that developed and owns some major commercial properties in Augusta.

The two veterans of city politics took the stage in Jewett Hall at the University of Maine at Augusta Wednesday for the debate. The hour-long forum, which was also live-streamed and is available for replay this week at www.centralmaine.com was sponsored by UMA and the Kennebec Journal.

The candidate who wins in November’s election will serve the remaining year of William Stokes’ term, starting in November. Stokes resigned in July when he was appointed a state superior court justice.

Keith Edwards — 621-5647

kedwards@centralmaine.com

Twitter: @kedwardskj

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