Last Minute Notes on the Mayor Race

Open Mic Notes

Monti for Mayor:

• Swimming Pool in Tempe Town Lake
• Volunteer Corp
• Incentives for city employees who save money
• Ban on texting while driving
• Work with ASU and business community to bring in jobs.
• Technologies to encourage green energy - like the electric car charging stations at Monti's.

Kolby Granville for Tempe City Council:

Tells an anecdote of spending the afternoon with a lady in her nineties who he met while canvassing all afternoon.  This lady really just needed a listening ear.

There's a lot of policy papers on his website:

• Pages on graffiti
• Pages on the street car
• etc.

 No special interest money.   He gets money from people he knows - a lot of $25 donations.  These people want Kolby to be himself.  He has attended every city council meeting for ten straight years.   He's listened and spoken in these meetings about:

• Cutting libraries
• Closing pools

"Democracy is advanced leadership."

Dick Foreman for Tempe City Council

He will support our decision with great decision no matter what.

Served on bond committees, school boards.  He's the candidate that spent his time with our children.  He won't error on education.  He's a business person.  He will support investment.  He will question waste and surplus where it cannot be afforded.  City council can support jobs in Tempe.  When we restrict small business from growing, how they banner, how they can set signs out.  This cost us jobs.  This also costs us investment in our town.

He's the candidate that support investment in Tempe - ASU corridor around Rio Salado.  These are great assets in Tempe.  We need to embrace these things.

His campaign has been boring but positive. 

He has not been paid for his time on the Tempe Prep Academy, etc.

Mark Mitchell for Mayor

Serving in the city of Tempe has meant the world to him.  He's facing the most vile political attacks he's ever seen.  Sick to think about or disgust.  He has done nothing wrong not now or when he was a child.  This is politics at its worse.  He's disgusted to have to deny something so awful that's never happened.  These are all lies.

A race for mayor on the issues not on personal attacks.  These issues are too important to be ignored.
Fiscally solid with minimal impact on city services.  Thriving downtown, family friendly neighborhoods.  Good companies. 

Still a lot of work to be done.  We need to continue to invest in our neighborhoods, infrastructure.  And continue to be fiscally responsible.  Low cost, high acheiving city.  This is not a time for political games.  This is not a time to destroy lives.  Create jobs, improve neighborhoods.

Elections are held to give us each a voice to choose what comes next.

My Thoughts:

First of all, wow!  Kolby Granville was downright inspiring.  I admit Dick Foreman has more experience and time with the city, but Granville showed more passion and energy.   Mark Mitchell spent the first part of his discussion refuting some accusation that he commited a sex crime when he was 14.  He's right, it is a vile accusation and interestingly timed.  I can only take Mark at his word that he's done no wrong.  I doubt anything will come of it, from the Republic:

To date, no complaint has been filed, and experts said the prospects for a conviction may be remote given the purported victim's murky account, the lack of other evidence and myriad legal issues.

Mitchell is right, though.  Monti has run a pretty nasty and mean campaign.  There's not a significant difference between them on specific issues, but I think Mitchell wins based on his experience and detailed knowledge of city issues and the relationships he's been able to build within the valley of the sun.

Anyway, I'm convinced.  My vote will be with Mitchell and Granville tomorrow.