Thread: 3 Phoenix council seats up for grabs

3 Phoenix council seats up for grabs
Casey Newton
The Arizona Republic
Jul. 14, 2007 12:00 AM

The Phoenix City Council race that officially kicked off Friday could have ripple effects throughout the Valley, with three new council members guaranteed to be elected and key votes on transportation and the economy awaiting their attention.

With term limits preventing three veteran council members - Peggy Bilsten, Doug Lingner and Dave Siebert - from seeking re-election, Phoenix will replace a full third of its council. It's the most change to the council at one time since the district system was instituted in 1983.

The election's outcome could shape the city and the Valley for years to come.

Council newcomers will face key votes on the Sky Harbor International Airport $3 billion planned expansion, the future course of Valley's light-rail line, support for bioscience expansion in downtown Phoenix and the possibility of commuter rail on Interstate 10.

"Given that there are so many open seats, the business community is watching it very closely," said Todd Sanders, vice president for public affairs for the Greater Phoenix Chamber of Commerce. "The folks coming into the council are going to have to have that vision for the future in terms of economic development."

Political stragetist Doug Cole said the new council would be a key player in transportation issues such as the South Mountain Freeway.

One proposal would put the freeway through the Gila River Reservaion, but only if the tribal council can be persuaded. "Their relationship with the Gila River Indian Community is going to be important," Cole said.

Challenging Gordon

On Friday, the deadline to file nomination papers for the Sept. 11 primary, two Phoenix residents challenged Mayor Phil Gordon in his bid for a second term. They are Jarrett B. Maupin II, a civil rights activist and member of the Phoenix Union High School District board, and Steve Lory, a lawyer and nightclub owner.

More than a dozen candidates are vying for the four council seats on the ballot.

Among them: Thelda Williams, a former Phoenix mayor and councilwoman; Maria Baier, a conservation advocate and former policy adviser to two governors; Stacey O'Connell, Arizona director of the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps; and Ruth Ann Marston, president of the Phoenix Elementary School District board.

Councilman Claude Mattox will run without opposition for a third term.

"Significant changes on our council will affect decisions made in the Valley as a whole," said Councilman Greg Stanton, who's not up for re-election. "We work in collaboration with cities on too many issues to name - transportation, air quality, even economic development. Who gets put on the Phoenix City Council affects regional issues."

Baier, who is running to replace Bilsten in her north-central Phoenix district, said the new council would have to pay close attention to the myriad projects already under way.

"With so many new faces, it's great because there will be a wealth of new ideas that come forward," Baier said. "But I also think it's important that we finish what we started and not get distracted. A lot of the heavy lifting is yet to come."

Key projects pending

Baier and other candidates point to a wealth of ongoing projects in need of strong council oversight: a $3 billion development expansion plan at Sky Harbor, construction of the Valley's 20-mile light-rail starter line and the growth of Arizona State University's downtown campus.

The race also could see the election of the first Hispanic council member in decades.

Laura Pastor, college administrator and daughter of Rep. Ed Pastor, D-Ariz., and Michael Nowakowski, a radio station general manager and community activist, are both Hispanic and considered the front-runners in the race to replace District 7 councilman Lingner in representing central and south Phoenix.

The practical effect of so much change will depend on who wins. But candidates for each of the open seats have expressed a willingness to challenge the status quo.

Lack of debate?

Since Skip Rimsza became mayor in 1994, the council has been marked by unanimity - 9-0 votes are the norm.

The perceived lack of debate has drawn criticism from would-be council members.

"It's not healthy," said Art Harding, who is running for Lingner's seat. "It takes something as big as a $100 million tax incentive to get two no votes. That's insane!"

Harding was referring to the council's 7-2 vote earlier this year in favor of a $97 million subsidy to the CityNorth development.

Other candidates have pledged to change the tone at council meetings, which are run with the ruthless efficiency of cattle auctions.

"We've seen time and again this council voting in a unilateral manner with very little discourse," said Jim Mapstead, who is running to replace Bilsten, in an e-mail. "I am not saying that is right or wrong, but I will say that when I am on the City Council, I will ask a lot of questions, give a lot of opinions and not become a rubber-stamp for anyone's agenda."

Candidates have also criticized Phoenix's efforts to fight crime, its subsidies to developers and its approach to improving transportation.

Gordon said he welcomed the newcomers.

"The nine of us for the last four years have shown that we can really move Phoenix forward with a level of energy that had been lacking the past," Gordon said. "And I think you're going to see that energy with the new blood."

And as for the coming changes to the status quo? "Fasten your seat belts," the mayor said.

http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepubli ... s0714.html

Duplicate

http://www.alipac.us/modules.php?name=F ... ic&t=73512

Duplicate seems to be gone???
Will just open this thread up again.

Jean wrote:

Duplicate seems to be gone???
Will just open this thread up again.

Unfortunately it's the original that is gone, but that's cool because I don't believe it had any responses either.

Thanks for reopening this, Jean.

Thank you for helping MW!