Mesa mayoral candidates explain their visions for city

Mesa residents Ryan Winkle, Scott Neely, Carey Davis, Scott Smith and Mark Freeman are running for the position of mayor of Mesa and will appear on the primary ballot.

Mesa is holding its primary election on July 30, although early voting will run by mail from July 3 to July 19 and from July 3 until July 26 for in-person early voting. The general election is on Nov. 5. Early voting for the general election will begin on Oct. 9 with Oct. 25 being the deadline for requesting a mail-in ballot, and Nov. 1 being the last day to vote early in-person.

Register to vote at https://servicearizona.com/VoterRegistration/selectLanguage.

The Mesa Independent emailed the five candidates about their plans as mayor. Their responses are below.

Mesa Mayoral Candidate Ryan Winkle

(Ryan Winkle for Mesa)

Ryan Winkle

What sets you apart from the other mayoral candidates?

I will be the next mayor of Mesa because I am the one candidate that wants to put our residents and small business owners back in the driver’s seat of city decision making. The everyday folks who live, work and play in our great city understand that it is not only a right but a responsibility to take initiative and better our neighborhoods in a person to person, neighbor to neighbor, small business to small business manner. We the people of Mesa need to be involved and informed of all decisions being made. I invite anyone to call my personal cell at anytime to discuss: 602-741-6465

The average age in the city of Mesa is late 30s/early 40s. The median individual income in around $40K with a household median of around $70K. I am the only candidate that has a lifestyle that most closely relates to the majority of the residents in Mesa. I am a regular neighborhood guy who works for living, pays a mortgage, owns a small business, am married with young children, and involved in multiple community groups and cultural clubs. My background in neighborhood preparedness and resilience, small business support, environmental/heat planning and financial wellness gives me the unique qualifications that will build Mesa and its residents from the ground up. As your future mayor, every decision will be made with the experience of the people living and working in Mesa in mind.

My top three priorities:
Accountability and transparency - These are foundational principles in governance, business and social system. When processes and decisions are open to scrutiny, it becomes harder for corruption and unethical behavior to flourish. Accountability ensures that individuals and organizations can be held responsible for their actions. The city’s financial transactions, how the city interacts with its citizens and how it regulates should be open and with the intention of bettering its citizens.

Small businesses and neighborhoods - The city is a service and it should act like one. Cities play a crucial role in supporting small businesses and neighborhoods, acting as catalysts for economic growth, community development and social cohesion.

• Community up, economic development and financial support systems,
• Infrastructure, accessibility and public spaces,
• Regulatory support and streamlining,
• Regulatory support and streamlining,
• Small businesses training and capacity building,
• Affordable housing and commercial spaces
•-Public safety and cleanliness

Increasing community involvement in city decisions and improving local control - One of the first orders of business is to move the mayors office from the seventh floor to the first floor and make it easy to access. As mayor, or public servant No. 1, increasing community involvement in city decisions and improving local control are essential for fostering democratic governance, enhancing public trust, and ensuring that policies and projects reflect the needs and desires of residents. Participatory governance with citizen assemblies and public consultations. More neighborhood and character area committees and collaborative development and planning.

My guiding principles for my time as the peoples mayor are:

• Preparedness: Cities can enhance the resilience of small businesses and neighborhoods by providing disaster preparedness resources and support during emergencies.
• Opportunity: By creating an enabling environment for entrepreneurship and citizen empowerment, cities can expand economic opportunities for all residents.
• Resilience: Building strong, self-sufficient neighborhoods fosters community resilience and reduces dependency on external resources.

As mayor, what would you do to bring affordable housing to Mesa?

Increasing the availability of affordable housing is a critical challenge for many cities in the United States. I was directly involved as a community partner and supporter of the last five LITHC developments in the downtown area. It is important to remember that housing that is affordable and affordable housing are two different things. Here are some ways we could inspire more housing that is affordable and more affordable housing:
• Inclusionary zoning and incentive based inclusionary zoning
• Public private partnerships with nonprofits, churches, hospitals and schools
• Development of land trusts
• Funding financial mechanisms like housing trust funds and approving more LITHC
• Zoning and land use reforms through upzoning, by right zoning, ADU’s and infill development
• Increased density in appropriate areas and mixed-use development especially in areas around public transit investment

How would you address the rising homelessness population in Mesa?

The first thing that we as a community need to address is that our unsheltered/unhoused brothers and sisters are people. As good brothers and sisters we need to understand that unsheltered/unhoused folks can come in many ways.

These are women with kids living on friends couches, these are working people living in their cars, these are foster kids aging out of a broken system, these are people experiencing mental illness and addiction. Research shows that a housing first model and permanent supportive housing is ultimately the most cost-effective approach to addressing homelessness.

The public saves money by getting homeless people, particularly people with the most severe issues, off the streets and into housing. People over profit. People over politics. People over property. I am the only candidate taking a people first approach to our unhoused/unsheltered neighbors.

What do you think of Mesa’s current public transportation offerings, and what would you change about it?

I support public transit as long as it fits with the area it is servicing and it absolutely needs to be safe, frequent and reliable. At current frequency, if one has just missed the light rail or bus, it may take comparable time to simply walk to your destination rather than wait for the next one.

Example of the Tempe/Mesa streetcar extension: If this is approved by the people in the area that is affected, while planning streetcar and public transit expansion, Tempe and Mesa should make smart design choices such as giving the streetcar and bus rapid transit options an exclusive right-of-way, and comfortable and safe waiting areas, allowing it to bypass traffic and provide faster and more reliable service, giving it a clear advantage over our current bus system.

Transit also needs to have complimentary circulators and last mile options for folks using these systems.

How would you uphold Mesa’s commitment to clean energy and water preservation as mayor?

I am one of the original founders of the Mesa Urban Garden and I was a part of the original Heat Action Planning that the city of Mesa used to enhance their current environmental plans. (https://keep.lib.asu.edu/items/141453) I am absolutely concerned with the rising heat (more of my work https://railcdc.org/heatready-neighborhoods), the air quality and drinkable water. One of my guiding principles is preparedness. On my own house I have solar power, battery back up, I’ve planted about 30 trees and have a small garden. I want to add a water collect system.

I would like to see a large increase in solar on rooftops and more battery back up, I want to see more water collection systems and low impact developments like the curb cuts we did at the mesa Urban Garden, setting the standard for the city.

I am also extremely interested in a neighborhood’s resilience and a portion of that is the area’s atmosphere (https://railcdc.org/community-resilience). I am the only candidate that has done any work in this area and I am committed to a future that is sustainable and I believe that the city of Mesa can be a leader in that.

Mesa Mayoral candidate Carey Davis

Carey Davis

What sets you apart from the other mayoral candidates?

I am running for mayor to help Mesa city government live within its means and stop overburdening its residents.

As a CPA and former mayor of San Bernardino, California, my experience has helped me to identify the budgetary weaknesses of Mesa’s fiscal policy. I have reviewed the city’s financial statements; since 2009 through 2023 Mesa overspent general governmental revenues by nearly $1.2 billion and transferred over $1.5 billion from the utility fund to cover this spending gap. Essentially, we over pay our utilities by nearly 30%.

As mayor, what would you do to bring affordable housing to Mesa?

Mesa is overbuilding high-density multifamily housing. I would work to promote more single-family housing development to increase housing stock for families.

How would you address the rising homelessness population in Mesa?

I believe Mesa does a good job addressing homelessness in our community with the Off the Streets program. But we need to encourage our neighboring cities to step up and be more aggressive in meeting the needs of the homeless population instead of relying so heavily on Mesa. The 2023 point-in-time count demonstrates Mesa leads in serving the homeless.

What do you think of Mesa’s current public transportation offerings, and what would you change about it?

According to the March 28 council budget report Mesa transferred $20 million to the transit fund from the general fund and plans to transfer $25.2 million for FY 2024/2025. Clearly this is already an excessive cost to the city and the city should not fund the cost of extending Tempe’s street car line into Mesa.

How would you uphold Mesa’s commitment to clean energy and water preservation as mayor?

I support small modular reactors that provide reliability and operational flexibility.

Additionally, I believe Mesa should encourage data centers to use less water intensive methods for cooling their data systems.

Mesa Councilmember and Mayoral Candidate Mark Freeman.

(City of Mesa)

Mark Freeman

What sets you apart from the other mayoral candidates?

I am deeply committed to the well-being and progress of this city. My family and I have served the city of Mesa for over 40 years. I have a genuine love for Mesa and a strong desire to contribute to its continued growth and success. I bring a wealth of experience and a strong set of attributes to the council that sets me apart from other candidates. With nearly eight years of dedicated service as an elected official representing District One on the Mesa City Council, I have a deep understanding of our community’s needs and a proven track record of effective leadership. I know how to collaborate and compromise to make common sense decisions that will better the community.

My experience as a Mesa firefighter has allowed me to intimately know our neighborhoods and the challenges they face. I pride myself on being a great communicator and community advocate, always seeking to understand the concerns of our residents and working toward practical solutions. I currently hold positions on the Mesa Chamber of Commerce board, the city of Mesa Audit and Finance board, as well as chairman of Public Safety Committees both locally and nationally. I serve on the Arizona Municipal Water Users Association Board of Directors that discusses policy regarding water usage and conservation for 10 valley cities.

As mayor, what would you do to bring affordable housing to Mesa?

I am committed to collaborating with the city and developers to create a balanced housing plan that includes “missing middle housing” such as townhome duplexes, condos and accessory dwelling units to support our workforce, so teachers, police officers, fire fighters, nurses, construction workers and all residents of Mesa can make homeownership a reality.

What do you think of Mesa’s current public transportation offerings, and what would you change about it?

Expanding public transportation services is a challenging decision when considering that current ridership levels do not warrant the need for additional offerings. The bus routes and light rail in the region are underutilized, posing a challenge in justifying the expansion of the system, such as with the proposed streetcar line. It will be important to evaluate the demand and efficiency of our existing transportation choices before embarking on new projects.

How would you uphold Mesa’s commitment to clean energy and water preservation as mayor?

It is crucial for the next mayor to understand the challenges posed by the dwindling water supply from the Colorado River, and to implement strategies that promote both conservation and economic growth. As a farmer and elected official for Salt River Project I am an advocate for water conservation and resiliency. I understand Mesa’s water portfolio. To enhance water conservation efforts, I would continue partnering with Salt River Project on conservation initiatives implementing measures like raising Bartlett Dam to capture excess water during high rain events and participating in forest thinning projects for watershed protection. The installation of smart meters in all our water systems will save approximately two million gallons of water annually once completed.

Mesa is at the forefront of the renewable energy movement, making significant strides in clean energy initiatives. Currently, the city has 800 kW of power for its electric company, with plans to add an additional 2,950 kW to the electrical grid. The City Council has recently approved purchase power agreements to enhance the electric supply and ensure affordable prices for customers. In addition, Mesa conducts energy audits, upgrades systems, retrofits lighting and closely monitors energy consumption in all city buildings. By leading the way in sustainable practices, Mesa sets an example for other developments and focuses on reducing heat energy, water usage and carbon emissions through resilient building codes.

Mesa will also lead the charge in food waste-to-energy initiatives. Plans are underway to collect food waste, process it in digesters and convert it into fuel. I support all these innovative measures that demonstrate Mesa’s dedication to clean energy and water preservation and would continue to position the city as a leader in sustainable practices.

Former Mesa Mayor Scott Smith.

(Scott Smith for Mesa)

Scott Smith

What sets you apart from the other mayoral candidates?

Experience and a proven record of success. I served as mayor of Mesa from 2008 to 2014. During my term, we successfully navigated the city through the Great Recession while preserving a high quality of city services, especially public safety. But we also led the city into one of the most successful periods of economic opportunity and job creation in its history.

But I’m not running on the past, but on my unique vision for Mesa’s future. I will use my experience to secure Mesa’s future, focusing on public safety, expanding economic opportunity, reducing red tape and ensuring quality growth.

As mayor, what would you do to bring affordable housing to Mesa?

There is no simple answer to making housing more affordable. One initiative I would like to pursue is opening opportunities to utilize excess or underutilized property in the city. The city has a substantial inventory of property that could be repurposed for residential use. These parcels of property are most often not currently zoned for residential use.

They might be large parking lots in an old retail center, or excess commercial or industrial parcels that will probably never be developed as zoned. I would work to make this property available for high-quality affordable housing by offering a zoning incentive: the parcel will be rezoned for residential use, but only for affordable housing. This would put a market based lid on what bidders will pay for the rezoned property, thereby lowering the cost to build.

How would you address the rising homelessness population in Mesa?

Homelessness is a complex issue that requires a multi-faceted approach. The city is ill-equipped to handle mental health and drug dependence related homelessness. We can, however, work closely with state and county governments and non-governmental agencies to provide needed services.

The city can, and should, take the lead in facilitating short-term transitional housing that allows people to get off the streets so they can receive the services they need. We cannot legislate away homelessness. This is a human problem that requires empathy, help and a bit of tough love to manage.

What do you think of Mesa’s current public transportation offerings, and what would you change about it?

Mesa is woefully short of public transportation offerings for a city its size. The area east of Power Road, fully one-third of the city, has no public transportation. That being said, providing these services takes massive resources, and Mesa receives no financial assistance from the state of Arizona for transit.

The proposed Proposition 479 does not include any additional regional funds for transit. Without more money from the state government, I simply do not see any realistic chance transit offerings will be materially expanded.

How would you uphold Mesa’s commitment to clean energy and water preservation as mayor?

We live in a desert, which means two basic truths: 1. We have lots of available sunshine we can utilize to provide clean energy; and, 2. We will always need to be searching for ways to both preserve our water inventory and conserve this most valuable resource. The city should serve as an example for both, utilizing in a very visible manner, the opportunities for implementing clean energy, especially solar, and efficiently using water.

I am somewhat leery of over committing to other so-called clean energy initiatives such as electric vehicles and wind power. Studies have shown that over their life-cycle, these types of “clean” energy actually have the potential to be less environmentally friendly and create a larger carbon footprint than other energies we currently utilize, such as clean natural gas. We should be energy smart, not simply follow the crowd.

Mesa Mayoral candidate and small business owner Scott Neely

(Scott Neely 4 Mesa Mayor)

Scott Neely

What sets you apart from the other mayoral candidates?

What sets me apart from the other Mayoral candidates is my outsider status and commitment to addressing critical issues such as education, public safety, and economic revitalization with fresh perspectives and pragmatic solutions.

As mayor, what would you do to bring affordable housing to Mesa?

To bring affordable housing to Mesa, I would incentivize developers to include affordable housing units in new developments, explore public-private partnerships, and streamline the permitting process to reduce construction costs.

How would you address the rising homelessness population in Mesa?

To address the rising homeless population in Mesa, I would turn off the magnet that is drawing folks to our city with the lifestyle of homelessness by implementing a no-panhandling ordinance that our surrounding cities have. I would have NGOs take over funding of shelters including the homeless hotel shelters, offering mental health services, and job training programs while providing alternative drug and rehab assistance options.

What do you think of Mesa’s current public transportation offerings, and what would you change about it?

Mesa's current public transportation offerings need improvement, particularly in the safety of riders as most folks don't feel safe on the light rail. To curb this problem, I would demand that all riders must pay to increase safety and ensure fair usage of public transportation resources.

How would you uphold Mesa’s commitment to clean energy and water preservation as mayor?

As Mayor, I would uphold Mesa's commitment to clean energy and water preservation by continuing current initiatives for clean energy and water preservation, ensuring ongoing investment in renewable energy projects and water conservation measures.