Mesa voters who didn’t request an early ballot head to the polls Tuesday to cast votes on a packed ballot that includes elections for council, school board and bond measures.
The marquee race locally is the face-off between former Mayor Scott Smith and Councilman Mark Freeman jockeying for the job to lead Mesa.
Although Smith’s been out of office for a decade, he’s managed to raise substantial financial backing totaling $519,000, nearly double the size of Freeman’s campaign war chest for the nonpartisan race.
Smith’s also spent most of it or $491,000 on his race, according to the pre-general election report filed Oct. 26. His latest donors included homebuilder Jeff Blandford who gave $3,650, his wife, Lori Blandford, who gave $3,000; real estate developer Peter Martens of Marwest Enterprises, $5,000 and entrepreneur Vicki Mayo, $6,650. He’s also received $500 from the Association of General Contractors’ political action committee.
Smith, who has over 20 years as a CEO under his belt, has touted his leadership skills while in office from 2008-14, including leading Mesa through the Great Recession.
His priorities include expanding and improving education opportunities for all Mesa residents and ensuring that city government reduces red tap and facilitates job growth and economic opportunities for residents.
He counts among his endorsements, Mesa United Fire Fighters, Mesa Police Association, Mesa Chamber of Commerce and former Gov. Jan Brewer.
Freeman, a retired Mesa firefighter and farmer, was first elected to council in 2016, representing northwest Mesa.
He’s raised a total of $293,000 and spent $255,000, according to his pre-general election report.
The recent list of donors included entrepreneur David Darling, $1,000; Builder Barry Paceley, $1,041; builder Jeff Blandford, $5,729; Jeffrie Borum, manager of KinKaid Civil Construction, $6,650 and Chandler firefighter Rudy Owens, $6,650. The Arizona Farm Bureau and the Southwest Gas PACs also gave $250 and $500, respectively.
Freeman’s campaign platform includes creating jobs, implementing pro-growth policies that stimulates entrepreneurship and support local businesses, and finding a cost-effective solution to ease traffic congestion in Mesa.
District 1 race
Voters in council District 1 also will choose between Ron Williams and Rich Adams to succeed Freeman.
Williams, a U.S. Air Force veteran and entrepreneur, raised $37,000 in his election bid and spent $26,000 of it, according to the pre-general election report. One donor was listed in the latest report, Travis Lindberg, a consultant, who gave $250.
Williams also is heavily involved in community and civic volunteer work, including serving on an advisory committee involved with crafting the city’s 2050 General Plan.
His priorities include ensuring the city’s financial stability and quality of life, supporting public safety and addressing housing needs for Mesa residents.
His endorsements include Mesa Police Association and West & Southeast Realtors of the Valley and a slew of personal endorsements that included former Mesa Council members David Luna and Dennis Kavanagh, sitting Mesa Councilwomen Julie Spilsbury and Jen Duff, former state Sen. Leah Landrum, Mesa community leader Roc Arnett, Gerrit and Judy Steenblik, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints faith leaders and Paul Smiley, Arizona Veterans Hall of Fame Inductee. (Williams was inducted into the Arizona Veterans Hall of Fame in 2022).
Adams, the president and CEO of a regional trade association, raised $28,000 and spent $18,400 in his run for office. Donors included land-use attorney Adam Baugh, $300; Scottsdale retiree Paul Gilbert, $1,000 and Brent Berge, owner of Berge Toyota, $500, according to the latest campaign filing.
Adams also has served and chaired on municipal and community boards, including the Economic Development Advisory Board, Visit Mesa Board, Planning and Zoning Board and Mesa United Way.
Adams, a 2019 recipient of the Mesa Man of the Year award, lists his priorities, which include putting citizens first, fiscal responsibility, economic development and government transparency.
His endorsements include Mesa Chamber of Commerce United Mesa Firefighters Local 2260 and Mesa Lodge 9, Fraternal Order of Police.
City bond measure
Voters also will decide the fate of two bonds totaling $260 million – $90 million for public safety-related projects such as upgrading the city’s emergency 911 center and $170 million projects related to recreation, education and culture. Some of those projects include a new indoor recreation center in central Mesa, two new aquatics facilities and the renovation of the i.d.e.a. Museum.
General obligation bond debt is repaid with secondary property taxes. The city estimates that the bonds would cost the owner of a home with an assessed value of $177,213 about $49 a year.
Voters also will be asked for their approval on two other ballot measures – a permanent base adjustment and the 2050 General Plan, a blueprint for Mesa’s future development.
The adjustment asks voters to allow Mesa to increase its spending limit by $148 million. The base limit is a formula based on 1979-80 spending. The adjustment won’t increase taxes and won’t allow Mesa to spend more than it has in revenue, according to the city. Rather, the approval would allow the city to better predict and plan its future budgets for critical municipal functions such as public safety, according to Mesa.
MPS Governing Board
Voters in Mesa Public School’s boundary will cast ballots to fill three open seats on the Governing Board. Dr. Joe O’Reilly and Kiana Sears are not seeking re-election and Courtney Davis, who was appointed to her seat, is running in her first election to return to the board.
Sears is running as a Democrat against Republican incumbent Klye Jones for the justice of the peace for the North Mesa precinct.
The other board candidates are Sharon Benson, Lacy Chaffee, Josh Chilton and Ed Steele.
According to the pre-general election campaign filings, political newcomer Chaffee was ahead with $31,951 raised for her bid for office. She’s also spent $29,500 of it.
Next highest fundraiser was Davis with $20,600, of which she spent $13,000.
Steele reported raising $10,900 and spending $6,200 while Benson raised $10,890 and spent $8,690.
Last was Chilton who raised $10,700 for his race and spent $9,300.
Benson and Steele are running as a slate and has the backing of sitting Board member Rachel Walden, who gave each $200.
Walden also is running as a Republican for the Arizona Corporation Commission. She is allowed to hold two elected positions under state law.
Both Davis and Steele agree on a number of issues, including support for school choice and parental rights, opposition to the district’s transgender guidelines and the need to improve fiscal responsibility. They also are critical of MPS’ student academic performance.
Chaffee, Chilton and Davis also are running as a team and got financial support from either MPS Board President Marcie Hutchinson or her husband, Mike Hutchinson, vice president of PHX East Valley Partnership and former Mesa city manager.
Mike Hutchinson gave Chaffee $250 and Chilton, $200, according to campaign filings. Marcie Hutchinson gave Davis a total of $9,100.
Chaffee, Davis and Chilton have secured endorsements from the Mesa Education Association (or teachers’ union) and from Save Our Schools, a nonprofit that advocates for strong public schools and opposes school vouchers.
The trio also garnered the endorsement of Stand For Children, which has spent $44,942 in this election cycle for each in an effort to get them elected, according to pre-general election campaign filings. The nonprofit works in seven states, advocating for equity and racial justice for children.
Chilton believes that a student’s success is more than just test scores and that wise-spending decisions can be made while protecting programs that are having a positive impact on students.
Davis said that her primary goal is to ensure students not only learn the basics “but also develop critical thinking, creativity, and collaboration skills.”
And Chaffee promises to be a passionate advocate who will work to strengthen MPS schools.
Both the school board and council races are nonpartisan.