Flagstaff mayoral candidates debate current issues

(Photo by: Nathan Clements)

City government candidates preached their standpoints on pressing issues at the Flagstaff City Council and Mayoral Forum this past Thursday.

The four mayoral and six City Council candidates were allowed a two minute opening statement, in which they introduced and set themselves apart from the others. The mayoral candidates included Paul Kulpinski, Jerry Nabours, Paul Reilly and Al White.

Reilly said he is running in hopes of returning Flagstaff to a democracy where everyone’s voice is heard.

“The reason I really want to run is because people really feel like they are disenfranchised in politics right now,” Reilly said. “I truly believe in a democracy.”

Similarly, White explained that  his candidacy will rely on assurance from voters.

“To become mayor, I must win your confidence, confidence that I can learn by experience and capitalize on the relationships I’ve made to best move us forward,” White said.

The candidates were asked a number of questions on important issues regarding Flagstaff and northern Arizona.

Almost all of the candidates agreed that the main issue that needs to be addressed immediately is the city budget. Nabours said he believes it is pertinent to examine all public services to determine if any can be cut.

“Budget [is the] number one issue,” Nabours said. “We have to look at every item in the budgets and [ask if] we can afford this and is there a way to do it cheaper and better.”

Kulpinski agreed with Nabours, and said he thinks the city budget needs to be lengthened to a three year budgeting cycle, instead of just one year.

“I think from the standpoint of budgeting, what needs to be addressed is the city budget actually needs to get into a longer-term budgeting cycle,” Kulpinski said. “Right now, the city is only budgeting for twelve months at a time, and the city needs to move into a three-year budgeting process.”

Another issue concerned increased fees and taxes and how they affect city business. When asked how to make Flagstaff more business-friendly, Reilly said although fees and taxes do impact whether businesses come here, it is more an issue regarding regulations.

“I do think fees and taxes have an effect on which businesses come here, although I think to a much lesser extent than to complications of the regulations themselves,” Reilly said. “I think we need to make it easier on small businesses in particular, to come here and to thrive in Flagstaff.”

However, White said he believes fees and taxes are not synonymous, and taxes are pertinent in making businesses thrive in Flagstaff.

“I think that taxes are the purpose of spreading cost among the entire community, and fees are more specific to users,” White said. “Flagstaff’s tax system is fairly low compared to the rest of Arizona. I think we do a better job welcoming tax towards bringing businesses in.”

When asked his thoughts about cutting the city budget by 20 percent, Nabours stood firm in his statement to reduce city staff.

“You have to start with the staff, and not to say we’re necessarily going to cut the staff 20 percent, but if you have to start there that’s a huge part of the city budget,” Nabours said. “To me, nothing is sacred in that city budget except police, fire, street and recreation.”

White was hesitant to state where the cut would occur, but did not agree with Nabours that recreation is a sacred service.

“A 20 percent cut at this point in time, I think, would be devastating and very hard to come up with,” White said. “So, at this point in time, a serious cut would have to evolve in basic services and we would have to make a determination through public input as to what things you want the most: police, fire or forest. But I’m sorry Jerry; guess what, public recreation may be on the block.”

The candidates did not hold back to point out other’s flaws in order to help their campaign. Reilly surprised the audience when he made remarks about decisions his opponents had made in the past.

“The difference between me, politicians and my opponents, is that I don’t say, ‘No,’” Reilly said. “My opponents: We have one who has been on the council for ten years and he’s been no friend of small business. One of my other opponents sued the city [because] he didn’t want to maintain the sidewalks; he switched parties just to run. Another one of my opponents ran the FDIC [Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation] into a five million dollar deficit.”

Rick Mihalik, president of the Flagstaff Tea Party, said they look for someone who will stay firm on their promises and agrees with their views.

“Based on the tea party, we look for candidates who are fiscally conservative; who watch where the tax dollars are going and make sure that we’re spending them wisely,” Mihalik said. “We look to hold people to their promises; what they tell us they’re going to do.”

The Flagstaff Tea Party does not endorse any of the candidates nor try to sway people to vote for one person over another. Mihalik said they are concerned about informing people to make the best decisions for themselves.

“We’re about educating citizens and our members to learn for themselves; to learn about the candidates [and] make a judgment for themselves,” Mihalik said. “So we don’t tell them who to vote for. Our whole program at the Flagstaff Tea Party is education.”

The first primary mayoral election will take place on March 13, 2012.