District 12 candidates face off during forum
Tom Collins
Legislative candidates from the Northwest Side agreed that Pima County needs more clout at the Capitol, but disagreed at a forum last night on handling growth and bilingual education. The eight candidates aim to represent District 12, which includes much of the Northwest Side and a sliver of Pinal County. They pledged during the forum to better support education and efforts to bring more tax money back to this area. State Senate candidates Scott Alexander and Toni Hellon will face off in a GOP primary to go up against Mark Osterloh in the general election. And two of three Republicans in the race for the House of Representatives, incumbent Rep. Steve Huffman, Pete Hershberger and Jane Madden, will face Craig Molloy and Mort Nelson in November. Republicans outnumber Democrats 39,366 to 29,444 in the district. Sen. Ann Day and Rep. Dan Schottel were forced from the Legislature by term limits and are running for the Board of Supervisors. Facing questions from about 30 people at Nanini Library, candidates disagreed on growth and bilingual education ballot issues. Huffman said the Citizen's Growth Management Initiative would cripple the state's economy, especially in attracting companies. "We would literally be tying both arms and both legs behind our backs and trying to run in the Olympics," Huffman said. Hershberger agreed. "It's disguised; it's no-growth," said Hershberger, an administrator with the social service agency Open Inn. But Osterloh, a former eye doctor, countered that the measure allows voters to make choices locally about growth and said developers are planning to pour millions into the campaign to convince people not to trust themselves. Voters are unlikely to pass an overly restrictive local plan, he said. All three Democrats support Proposition 203, which would end bilingual education and begin a one-year immersion program. Osterloh and Molloy, a local businessman, cited California data that show test scores rose after a similar measure passed. Nelson, an optometrist, agreed, saying dissatisfaction is apparent in the Hispanic community. "You can't get anywhere in this country if you don't speak English fluently," Nelson said. But Republicans said such decisions are best made locally. The candidates also disagreed on public financing for elections, approved by voters in 1998. "I don't believe that taxpayers should be funding campaigns," said Hellon, a longtime GOP activist. Hellon, who leads all of the district's candidates in fund raising, said that with a maximum contribution of $256 a person, influence was not being purchased. Osterloh, who helped write the system approved by voters in 1998, said his use of public financing demonstrated he does not owe special interests anything. Molloy and Nelson have applied for public funding. Alexander, a former lawmaker, said he's using the cleanest form of money - "mine." Forum sponsors were Citizens Clean Elections Commission and the League of Women Voters. |