40-year-old Justin Costa grew up in Brunswick and has lived in Portland for the past 15 years.A married father of a toddler, he has a law degree from the University of Maine and currently works as an accountant.Costa served six years on the Portland Public School Board and six years before that on the Portland City Council.”That kind of experience, that kind of knowledge, is really invaluable, I think, for the next mayor,” Costa said in an interview. “I will literally walk in the door and be able to start work immediately and have ideas, have questions, have people that we should be reaching out to and have relationships with them. you can’t overstate the importance of that.”Like his rivals, a plan to expand affordable housing tops his “to do” list.Costa said, “We should be making it easier for nonprofit developers to build affordable housing in the city by giving them additional allowances for height, reduce setbacks, and reduce parking requirements — if they agree to meet affordability restrictions.Costa promises to streamline the permitting process and make zoning changes.“As mayor, it’s going to be my job to help make sure that we get more affordable housing – period,” Costa said. “It’s incumbent on the mayor to just lead.Costa said the city should not let homeless people camp indefinitely on public land and needs help sheltering asylum seekers, with around one thousand of this year’s arrivals currently occupying city shelters and hotel rooms.Costa said, “I think we definitely have the opportunity as the city of Portland, to grow our partnerships with surrounding municipalities.”Costa believes the city council’s response time has been too slow.Costa said, “I think that they’ve been really flat footed in dealing with these issues. We have a big set of really complex challenges.”That includes financial oversight of the public schools, which consume half the city’s budget, a power voters preserved for the city council in a referendum last year.”I think it’s critical right now, given the financial mismanagement that we saw last year, that the mayor be really informed on those issues and know what they’re talking about,” Costa said. “We’re spending 8 to $10,000 a week having auditors in there. That’s the real world impact of this.”Costa supports raising the minimum wage in Portland, currently $14 an hour, further above the state rate, currently $13.80, and he wants the city to develop more renewable energy, like the four-acre solar farm he pushed for on top of an old landfill on Ocean Avenue.Costa said, “I believe that I am the most qualified candidate. I spent 12 years in municipal government. that’s more than anyone else that’s running.”
40-year-old Justin Costa grew up in Brunswick and has lived in Portland for the past 15 years.
A married father of a toddler, he has a law degree from the University of Maine and currently works as an accountant.
Costa served six years on the Portland Public School Board and six years before that on the Portland City Council.
“That kind of experience, that kind of knowledge, is really invaluable, I think, for the next mayor,” Costa said in an interview. “I will literally walk in the door and be able to start work immediately and have ideas, have questions, have people that we should be reaching out to and have relationships with them. you can’t overstate the importance of that.”
Like his rivals, a plan to expand affordable housing tops his “to do” list.
Costa said, “We should be making it easier for nonprofit developers to build affordable housing in the city by giving them additional allowances for height, reduce setbacks, and reduce parking requirements — if they agree to meet affordability restrictions.
Costa promises to streamline the permitting process and make zoning changes.
“As mayor, it’s going to be my job to help make sure that we get more affordable housing – period,” Costa said. “It’s incumbent on the mayor to just lead.
Costa said the city should not let homeless people camp indefinitely on public land and needs help sheltering asylum seekers, with around one thousand of this year’s arrivals currently occupying city shelters and hotel rooms.
Costa said, “I think we definitely have the opportunity as the city of Portland, to grow our partnerships with surrounding municipalities.”
Costa believes the city council’s response time has been too slow.
Costa said, “I think that they’ve been really flat footed in dealing with these issues. We have a big set of really complex challenges.”
That includes financial oversight of the public schools, which consume half the city’s budget, a power voters preserved for the city council in a referendum last year.
“I think it’s critical right now, given the financial mismanagement that we saw last year, that the mayor be really informed on those issues and know what they’re talking about,” Costa said. “We’re spending 8 to $10,000 a week having auditors in there. That’s the real world impact of this.”
Costa supports raising the minimum wage in Portland, currently $14 an hour, further above the state rate, currently $13.80, and he wants the city to develop more renewable energy, like the four-acre solar farm he pushed for on top of an old landfill on Ocean Avenue.
Costa said, “I believe that I am the most qualified candidate. I spent 12 years in municipal government. that’s more than anyone else that’s running.”
