Okuwe pointed to the data center rezone vote back in January, saying he would've voted to defer the decision to allow more time to get information, get more public input, and address the fears and concerns of the public.

• "I think the job of a city councilor is to go out and do the research, reach out to the different entities like the public utilities commission, environmentalists, Xcel Energy, Gemini, (etc.) and to gather this information right and inform the public so these fears and concerns are addressed," Okuwe said.

DeBoer also referenced the data center rezoning vote, saying he would've voted against it and also brought a motion to delay the vote to have more time for public comment and collaboration.

• "There were just a ton of people that had questions, and it just felt very secretive (from the council)," DeBoer said. "It felt very, 'You guys don't know what you're talking about. We have all the info." Transparency and collaboration is very important to me."

DeBoer said Via has improved the city's public transit system, and ridership is up, but the city has a long way to go. He also said public transit is "vital" to Sioux Falls.

"For a city our size, we should have a much more robust bus system," he said. "We should have a lot more riders, and the reason we don't is because of the way we have our current system set up. It's hard to have a robust public transportation system when you're not really putting any money into it."

Okuwe said the challenge is that there just isn't enough ridership, and he'd like to see more people choosing to ride the bus rather than driving themselves. He said the city could even invest in a marketing campaign to encourage more folks to ride the bus.

"Currently, those who ride the bus, the majority are captive riders," Okuwe said. "And if we want our public transit system to be successful in all aspects, I think those who aren't captive riders should ride the bus more often."

Okuwe said childcare is a "huge" priority, sharing the example of a colleague of his who's spending $2,500 per month on childcare. He said the challenge is funding, but he'd like to see the city looking at creative solutions like grants or collaboration with businesses and nonprofit entities.

"That's something I'm going to be pushing for," Okuwe said. "In order for us to make any progress when it comes to this very important issue, someone has to make it a priority. Someone has to bring it up on the agenda, and it's going to take collaboration."

DeBoer said he certainly understands the issue of childcare as both a father and a teacher. He said he'd look at ways the city can support childcare providers, whether through changes to permitting, licensing or connecting with resources.

"The city shouldn't have a role in every single facet of life, but the city has resources and the ability to set up frameworks for a lot of things," DeBoer said. "That is the role the city should really be doing. They have the staff, the money, the footprint to really be able to set up a framework where people can thrive."

DeBoer: "Yeah, absolutely. No matter how you feel about LGBTQ+ rights, we should not be able to discriminate against people for who they are."

Okuwe: "Absolutely, 100%. Discrimination has no place in Sioux Falls, no matter your background."

Okuwe said he plans on reaching out to church congregations and encouraging them to walk alongside unhoused individuals to offer additional support.

"Addiction and mental illness are some of the biggest drivers to this, and we don't have enough mental health professionals," Okuwe said. "We don't have enough treatment centers, and I think it's time for us to start having discussion in regards to that."

DeBoer said his approach will differ because he's focusing on housing first. He noted that it's harder for people to manage alcohol or drug addictions if they don't have a roof over their heads.

"The only thing that has been proven to work is a housing first policy," he said. "That's something I'm gonna push for really hard."

DeBoer said he's very supportive of the mayor's youth council and would love to see that continue.

"Having a direct line to the next generation -- those kids that we hope stay here, or at the very least come back here -- is vital," he said.

Okuwe cited his own experience in leadership development programs like Leaders of Tomorrow and said he's like to see more of those programs specifically for youth.

"It begins with involvement," he said. "And getting them to be engaged and be interested in government and civic responsibility ... understanding how we operate as a city and how different organizations come together to make this city safe and prosperous."

Okuwe emphasized his versatility and ability to meet with everybody in the community from all backgrounds. He also emphasized his work ethic and his focus on the future.

"I'm not thinking about seven or eight years ago," he said. "I'm thinking about eight to 16 years from now. What do we need to do now so we can remain a safe city, a prosperous city? That's what I'm focused on."

DeBoer emphasized his experience as a teacher, his ability to communicate and his commitment to transparency. He also pointed to his 15 years of community advocacy, placemaking, public art and traffic calming efforts.

"I've put in a long time and. a lot of work, and all those years have made me into a candidate who understands the city pretty well," he said. "I've been doing the work, and I think I've proven that I'm somebody that people can come to if they have a problem. I'm not afraid to roll up my sleeves and do it myself to get things done."