Columbia — Local voters gathered at the Columbia Public Library on Tuesday to hear from candidates running in the upcoming April 8 election. The public forum, hosted by Race Matters, Friends, provided an opportunity for candidates to share their views and address critical issues facing the community.

The event featured candidates for the Columbia City Council, including those running for mayor and representatives for the city’s Third and Fourth wards. Additionally, contenders for two open seats on the Columbia School Board participated in the discussion.

Throughout the evening, candidates tackled a wide range of topics, including community violence, leadership structures, staffing levels, future funding needs, potential tax and utility rate increases, housing and transportation. Among the mayoral candidates, Tanya Heath emphasized the need for a broader perspective on local challenges. “I just feel that in a lot of areas, we are stuck. I feel like we need to do a 360 as far as understanding each issue from each perspective," she said.

Blair Murphy highlighted public safety as a top priority. “I still think Columbia is a great city in a lot of ways. I just am now going to concentrate on the public safety part, as most people can say in the community survey and stuff that public safety is something that’s needed."

Barbara Buffaloe, reflecting on her experience working for the city, spoke about sustainability and long-term planning. “I worked for the city for over a decade. I tried to work on things like sustainability, which I know right now is a political lightning rod. In my mind, it was about making our organizations more efficient and thinking about our future generations.”

Race Matters, Friends, a community organization focused on racial equity and social justice, organized the event to foster civic engagement and provide voters with vital information ahead of the election. The forum gave attendees a chance to engage directly with candidates and gain insight into their proposed approaches to addressing systemic challenges in Columbia.