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Growth tops supervisor candidate forum discussion
Thelma Grimes/San Pedro Valley News-Sun
Growth was the hot topic Wednesday night in Benson as two of the four candidates running for the Cochise County Board of Supervisors District 3 debated the issues.
Democratic candidate Sharon Thomas and Republican incumbent Richard Searle's differed mainly in how the county should grow, as they discussed water and subdivision approvals at the forum, which attracted about 30 people.
The forum was hosted by the League of Women Voters for Cochise County.
Not attending the forum were Republican candidates Pamela Harlan and Bob Everett. Searle will be running against the two first-time candidates in the Sept. 2 primary election. Thomas does not have an opponent in the primary.
Thomas specified that she is not against growth but is not happy with how the current board continues to approve subdivisions throughout the county.
"All of the Republican candidates are part of the growth machine," she said. "I am the only candidate dedicated to keeping rural areas rural. We have projected growth to go up 120,000 over the next 20 years. The current supervisors have already approved enough subdivisions for all of those people and more. Growth needs to be planned for or it will take over like it did in Pima and Pinal counties."
Searle said the county population has been steadily increasing by about 3 percent a year over the last 20 years.
"The board is not pro growth; it's happening whether we approve the subdivisions or not," he said. "It's legal use of land and we can't stop it, but we can control it."
One of the issues on growth is water, and candidates were asked how they would help protect the current supply.
Searle said the problem is in Phoenix and until state laws are changed, the county has little authority.
However, Searle said they are doing what they can to protect current water users through the 100-year water adequacy law that requires prospective developers to consider the current water supply.
Thomas agreed that it was a good first step, but said the plan needs to be expanded and more advocating needs to be done by supervisors in Phoenix to better protect the rights of current residents instead of future ones.
Both candidates agreed that economic growth is important to the economy, but disagreed about residential development.
Thomas said the best use of land is leaving it empty where sufficient taxes are collected, because residential development never pays for itself.
Searle said both economic and residential growth is good for the county's future.
In local issues, Thomas was asked why she opposed the proposed incorporation of St. David a few years ago. She said the proposed incorporation came from outsiders who just wanted to develop the land and took issue with Searle's allowing the issue to go to a vote in an election.
Searle said he felt it was up to the people to decide their own fate and voted to approve an election because three board members shouldn't make such a decision.
In other issues, the candidates were asked about the $7,000 pay increase the board will be receiving in 2009.
Searle said the county board did not approve the pay increase, but he will be glad to accept what he called a cost-of-living increase. State lawmakers set the salaries for county supervisors in the state, and are usually approved once every four years.
Thomas said she was "horrified" by the amount the board is paid, and noted she would accept the pay increase, but wouldn't be opposed to donating it to charity.
In line with salaries, Searle was also asked about his opposition to moving from a three-member board to five members.
The supervisor said he doesn't see a need to spend an additional $200,000 a year to pay two more supervisors who will likely represent Sierra Vista.
"I don't support a five-member board where districts are proportioned by population," he said. "They are equal right now. If we move to five members, there's no doubt that three members would be from Sierra Vista. Right now I have an equal voice."
Thomas disagreed, saying some of the bullying Searle and District 1 Supervisor Pat Call have done against District 2 Supervisor Paul Newman would stop under a five-member board.
The deadline to register to vote in the Sept. 2 primary election is Aug. 4. For more information, log on to the county web site at www.cochisecounty.com.
Growth was the hot topic Wednesday night in Benson as two of the four candidates running for the Cochise County Board of Supervisors District 3 debated the issues.
Democratic candidate Sharon Thomas and Republican incumbent Richard Searle's differed mainly in how the county should grow, as they discussed water and subdivision approvals at the forum, which attracted about 30 people.
The forum was hosted by the League of Women Voters for Cochise County.
Not attending the forum were Republican candidates Pamela Harlan and Bob Everett. Searle will be running against the two first-time candidates in the Sept. 2 primary election. Thomas does not have an opponent in the primary.
Thomas specified that she is not against growth but is not happy with how the current board continues to approve subdivisions throughout the county.
"All of the Republican candidates are part of the growth machine," she said. "I am the only candidate dedicated to keeping rural areas rural. We have projected growth to go up 120,000 over the next 20 years. The current supervisors have already approved enough subdivisions for all of those people and more. Growth needs to be planned for or it will take over like it did in Pima and Pinal counties."
Searle said the county population has been steadily increasing by about 3 percent a year over the last 20 years.
"The board is not pro growth; it's happening whether we approve the subdivisions or not," he said. "It's legal use of land and we can't stop it, but we can control it."
One of the issues on growth is water, and candidates were asked how they would help protect the current supply.
Searle said the problem is in Phoenix and until state laws are changed, the county has little authority.
However, Searle said they are doing what they can to protect current water users through the 100-year water adequacy law that requires prospective developers to consider the current water supply.
Thomas agreed that it was a good first step, but said the plan needs to be expanded and more advocating needs to be done by supervisors in Phoenix to better protect the rights of current residents instead of future ones.
Both candidates agreed that economic growth is important to the economy, but disagreed about residential development.
Thomas said the best use of land is leaving it empty where sufficient taxes are collected, because residential development never pays for itself.
Searle said both economic and residential growth is good for the county's future.
In local issues, Thomas was asked why she opposed the proposed incorporation of St. David a few years ago. She said the proposed incorporation came from outsiders who just wanted to develop the land and took issue with Searle's allowing the issue to go to a vote in an election.
Searle said he felt it was up to the people to decide their own fate and voted to approve an election because three board members shouldn't make such a decision.
In other issues, the candidates were asked about the $7,000 pay increase the board will be receiving in 2009.
Searle said the county board did not approve the pay increase, but he will be glad to accept what he called a cost-of-living increase. State lawmakers set the salaries for county supervisors in the state, and are usually approved once every four years.
Thomas said she was "horrified" by the amount the board is paid, and noted she would accept the pay increase, but wouldn't be opposed to donating it to charity.
In line with salaries, Searle was also asked about his opposition to moving from a three-member board to five members.
The supervisor said he doesn't see a need to spend an additional $200,000 a year to pay two more supervisors who will likely represent Sierra Vista.
"I don't support a five-member board where districts are proportioned by population," he said. "They are equal right now. If we move to five members, there's no doubt that three members would be from Sierra Vista. Right now I have an equal voice."
Thomas disagreed, saying some of the bullying Searle and District 1 Supervisor Pat Call have done against District 2 Supervisor Paul Newman would stop under a five-member board.
The deadline to register to vote in the Sept. 2 primary election is Aug. 4. For more information, log on to the county web site at www.cochisecounty.com.
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