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District 2 candidates’ differences on display

Candidates give views on Facebook Live as election looms

Posted 7/7/20

With about a month to go before the city primary election Tuesday, Aug. 4, the gloves are already coming off in the District 2 race between two challengers.

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District 2 candidates’ differences on display

Candidates give views on Facebook Live as election looms

Posted

With about a month to go before the city primary election Tuesday, Aug. 4, the gloves are already coming off in the District 2 race between two challengers.

Wendell Fountain and Alyson Cline recently sounded off on topics such as the COVID-19 pandemic response, taxes, the City Center and even a couple of jabs about each other’s length of residency.

It happened over two nights on a Facebook Live conversation that business networking group Epic Networking Series produced.

Mr. Fountain and Ms. Cline each separately sat in with local businessman Raymond Grim at Uptown Alley to make their cases to voters.

Here’s a breakdown of the each of their views on a various topics that were covered in less than an hour.

Reaction to pandemic

With COVID-19 on the rise across Arizona and Surprise’s cases increasing, the coronavirus is still the No. 1 topic on voter’s minds this election season.

That’s especially true in a district that encompasses a retired-age Sun City Grand population. About 80% of the district is made up of people 65 and over, which is the age group for a majority of the COVID-19 deaths.

But the two candidates showed different approaches to how government should step in during times like these.

“I honestly believe there has been tremendous government overreach during this terrible pandemic,” Mr. Fountain said. “I don’t think they have the right to dictate my life. I’m an adult. I’m a grown man and I can make my own decisions.”

Ms. Cline said government has to do something to help stop cases that have tripled in Surprise over the last month.

“Sometimes we have to take extra steps to make people safe,” Ms. Cline said.

Mr. Fountain said he believes it’s going to take awhile to fully recover.

“I think it’s going to take at least two years to get past this pandemic,” Mr. Fountain said. “I can be wrong, and I hope I’m wrong, but I doubt it. In the meantime we have to work on essential services.”

For voters who are against wearing face masks in public despite the Maricopa County mandate to do so, Mr. Fountain is the candidate for you.

“I don’t believe any level of government should be limiting my freedom and ability to move about as I choose,” Mr. Fountain said. “After all, this is America.”

Ms. Cline, however, said she felt wearing a mask is a social responsibility and makes sense.

“Having to wear a mask for a few hours is no more of a burden than wearing a seatbelt or making sure the baby seat for the grandkid is put in correctly or wearing protective glasses when you’re working with machinery, or wearing a hardhat,” Ms. Cline said. “Some people feel wearing a mask is not important.”

Defunding the police

Defunding the police is another hot topic in light of civil unrest protests that have been happening across the country for more than a month.

“There is a serious Marxist-type insurrection going on across the nation,” Mr. Fountain said.

He called defunding the police to siphon money to other social aid programs “not only stupid, it’s insane,” 

“You can’t have a society without law and order,” he said. “If you don’t have law and order you cease to be a civil society.”

Ms. Cline said she doesn’t want to take funding out of the budget for essential items like police and fire protection.

Mr. Fountain aired strong feelings against the recent curfews Gov. Doug Ducey instituted because of rioting potential.

“This is nonsense,” Mr. Fountain said. “This is not the America I’ve grown up in and not the America I love. I think it’s an incredible overreach, and I think it’s ridiculous.”

Top priorities

As expected, the two candidates don’t agree on their top priorities for Surprise, although they both are favoring a good business climate and economic viability.

“The bill is going to come due for lack of revenue for businesses in this community,” Mr. Fountain said. “Of course the natural thing to do is raise taxes. Well, I don’t agree with that.”

Mr. Fountain said the purpose of government is to help business.

“As a member of the council, I’d be pro-business 100%,” he said.

Mr. Fountain said he favors more light manufacturing companies coming to Surprise.

“We need to bring in businesses and work with businesses that mirror the values of our overall community,” Mr. Fountain said. “Not every business is suited for us.”

He also listed a missed opportunity for the city.

“Not too long ago in Phoenix they were able to get the Honeywell contract for the N95 masks,” Mr. Fountain said. “I was very disappointed Phoenix got it. I think it would have been much better here. It would have been a beautiful fit. I wouldn’t give up on that if I was on the council. I would try to convince them to relocate to Surprise.”

Ms. Cline said transportation would be among the top of her list of priorities once the COVID-19 crisis settles down.

“Many of our seniors who wish to be able to get around better,” Ms. Cline said. “Some of them don’t drive and some of them shouldn’t be driving. And some of them really need assistance getting to where to they need to go.”

As for the other needs in the district, Ms. Cline said they aren’t much different than Surprise as a whole.

“Everybody who’s in the district wants to eat and go to movie theaters and go out and do things in the community,” she said. “And what that district wants is information. They want to know what’s available to them. They want to know how they can participate on the events going on.”

Ms. Cilne also said she wants better communication between the city and the three communities the district serves — Bell West Ranch and Arizona Traditions are the others.

City Center development

The two seem to agree the most on development in Surprise’s City Center, which has been slow in going over the years.

“I would like to see us move a little faster,” Mr. Fountain said. “I don’t see enough execution of the master plan which has been in existence for quite some time.”

Both candidates said they would like to see more hotel and dining options in the downtown area.

“I’m not talking other hotels,” Mr. Fountain said. “I’d really like to see us have a nice upscale restaurant in the downtown area as soon as possible.”

The Mera City Center project, which is upscale housing for people 55 and over, has been drawing criticism online the last few months because of its age restriction near the Ottawa University Arizona campus.

But Ms. Cline said she favors senior access to the Northwest Regional Library, Surprise Stadium and community park.

“Lot of older citizens that take classes through RISE will have chances to use those services,” Ms. Cline said. “I don’t think we should be critical of it.”

She said only the pandemic is holding back development there now.

“It may be a little slower coming in the next few years,” she said.

Ms. Cline said her perfect vision of the City Center includes a water feature, a children’s museum on site, a bunch of hotels with restaurants and some small shops.

“An ice cream store would be great,” she said. “Something people can go to after they’ve been to the library after they’ve been to the ballpark.”

Transportation

Both candidates agreed about the need for more transportation in the region, especially with the age-range of residents in District 2.

“I would like to see a normal-scheduled busing system for the entire city,” said Mr. Fountain, who referenced his time living in Laughlin, Nevada, a 7,500-person city with a circular bus system. “It’s very reliable. I would like to think we could at least do that.”

Ms. Cline said if elected she would like to be assigned to transportation with the Maricopa Association of Governments.

“One of the arteries that really needs to help this community is an east-west artery,” Ms. Cline said, suggesting a bridge on Olive Avenue over the Agua Fria River will ease traffic in that direction.

Ms. Cline also said because a bus program is going to cost the city $2 million annually, she’s more interested in the circular idea Mr. Fountain also favors.

“Something along those lines could facilitate congestion,” Ms. Cline said.

Qualifications for office

Both candidates took swipes at each other for their length of residency. Ms. Cline has been a resident of Surprise for 18 years, while Mr. Fountain has lived here less than three years.

“Just living here a long time does not necessarily entitle you to a job on the city council,” Mr. Fountain said during his interview.

The next night, Ms. Cline shot back in hers, “Nor should just coming into town 2-1/2 years ago guarantee them a job.

She continued, “I think the difference is somebody who is willing to work to support the city of Surprise and do what needs to be done and bring people together. I will work for all of Surprise. I’m not afraid of hard work.”

Mr. Fountain touted years of business executive experience as a key reason he’s running for the seat.

“My opponent does not have that background no matter what she says,” Mr. Fountain said. “It’s not true. I’ve seen what she says. She does not have the kind of background I do. I’ve had all kinds of business experience at many different levels.”

Ms. Cline disputed that assertion and said her previous banking experience and volunteer experience within the city of Surprise should set her apart.

Editor’s Note: Jason Stone can be reached at jstone@newszap.com. Visit yourvalley.net.