In the District 4 race, Republican Steve Christy and the Green Party’s Josh Reilly will vie to replace outgoing Republican Ray Carroll, who was first appointed to the board in 1997 and won his first election in 1998.
Carroll announced he would not seek reelection earlier this year.
On Aug. 30 Christy handily won a three-way primary contest, taking nearly 55 percent of votes cast.
Reilly, whose party has scant membership in the district and whose campaign filed paperwork stating it would not raise or spend more than $500, faces long odds against Christy, who has raised and spent more money than all other supervisor candidates and seeks to represent a heavily Republican district.
Less than .2 percent of registered voters in the district are in the Green Party, and Democrats make up just shy of 30 percent. Registered Republicans are just over 39 percent.
Q. Caterpillar’s move to Pima County, along with several other developments, has been pointed to as evidence that the county’s economic landscape is improving. However, some have criticized the taxpayer-funded incentives and other means used to attract businesses to the area. What are your thoughts on the county’s recent role in economic development? Would you push for a different approach?
Christy: We have recently heard a number of exciting job announcements in the region; however, businesses — not government — create jobs. What government should do is foster the best possible environment for jobs. We need to continue to reduce regulatory burden in order to foster even more job creation. Government incentives should only be used with great care and consideration.
Reilly: I oppose incentivizing Caterpillar’s move to Pima County as well as World View’s expansion. The county likely violated state law by acting on the World View proposal without competitive bidding. These projects increase taxes, not jobs. Large corporations seldom create new jobs, they relocate personnel. More people, more public services, increased taxes. Incentivizing these corporations is a shortsighted use of tax dollars. My focus is on grants and low-interest loans to small businesses for job creation. Incentivizing local business, along with passage of a $15 minimum wage, will create huge gains in quality of life and increased employment.
Q. Roads, and their often poor condition, are a perennial source of complaints in Pima County. What do you think is the best approach to improve the condition of county roads in coming years?
Christy: We must immediately reprioritize county spending in order to more greatly emphasize road funding. We must reduce administrative waste and abuse, and insure that all available dollars are spent on roads. At the same time, we need to explore creative ways for the Regional Transportation Authority to play a role in road maintenance.
Reilly: First, contractors involved with road construction, maintenance and repair must be held accountable for cost overruns and poor performance. Second, we must do everything possible to offer more options for public transportation, like high-speed rail and increased accessibility to buses, trains and even biking to reduce roadway congestion and harmful carbon emissions.
Finally, I do believe bonding initiatives for road repair must be separated out from bonding initiatives for road expansion. I predict most voters want their roads fixed, but they don’t want roadway expansions by politically connected developers to harm the scenic beauty of Pima County. Working with local-communities, and county engineering and planning, I’m confident we can implement an aggressive pothole repair and road maintenance schedule.
Q. Beyond the issues raised in the previous questions, what is the most significant problem or issue facing your district, and what would you do to address it?
Christy: Economic development and the roads must be top priorities. However, we must find ways to revitalize our home building industry, while reducing spending and property taxes. As a lifetime Tucson businessman, I look forward to applying my experience, leadership, and expertise in cutting costs and increasing efficiency.
Reilly: The Rosemont mine. Open pit mining is both environmentally and financially catastrophic. A significant percentage of our drinking water comes from the Santa Rita Mountains. We don’t need acid rain, toxic water, and heavy metals polluting our wildlife or us. I disagree with Steve Christy’s idea of passing the buck to U.S. Rep. Martha McSally. We live in a desert, and scarce resources must be preserved for the benefit of local taxpaying citizens, not resourced out to Canada or China while Pima County residents pay the cleanup costs for someone else’s profits. I will vehemently oppose this project using all legal means at my disposal.
Q. What is the most significant problem or issue facing the county as a whole, and what would you do to address it?
Christy: High property taxes, and the impression that we are not “business friendly.” We must work together to change the image of Pima County.
Reilly: Ordinary people no longer believe elected officials are making public policy decisions that are in our own best interests, or in our children’s best interests. When Steve Christy raises nearly $200,000 in campaign donations to secure a position paying $76,000 per year, then the political will of the people is being hijacked by the desire of the politically connected to maintain the status quo. I believe in keeping corporate money out of political campaigns, and I believe in moving away from Pima County’s regressive tax structure, which punishes the poor and rewards the rich.
There’s no reason that nearly 20 percent of our population is poor. There’s no reason to be paying excessive property and sales taxes. There is no reason children should be homeless, and parents scarcely making ends meet. A graduated income tax is equitable and it works.
Q. Why should voters pick you over your opponent?
Christy: I am the lone candidate, and will be the only member of the board, with decades of local, real business experience. As a business owner, I worked to control costs and faced the daily reality of managing employees. Serving the state and the region later on the State Transportation Board and Regional Transportation Authority provided me with great experience and insight into public policy and procedures. My unique combination of skills, and proven ability to lead, will help take Pima County to a much more productive place.
Reilly: I believe in challenging the status quo. My opponent is the status quo. I believe we must think differently, try new things, and take bold, innovative approaches to public policy. Progressive policy begins with putting people before party. I’ve done this job before. I was deputy mayor in my hometown of Jackson, New Jersey. Friends and neighbors helped me to stabilize property taxes, enhance public safety with smart planning, and preserve over 3,000 acres of public lands. I believe in modern clean technology, high-speed rail, free higher education for all residents and a $15 minimum wage. I believe in a community that is focused on sustainable energy, a sustainable economy, and an environmental future that will sustain us for years to come.
