Here's where Buckeye City Council candidates stand on 2024 election issues
Alexandra HardleAs the only city in the southwest Valley with council districts, the Buckeye City Council election will look a bit different from its neighboring cities.
Seats in Districts 1, 2 and 3 are up for grabs in the July 30 election.
Current District 1 Councilmember Tony Youngker will be running unopposed.
District 2 will be more competitive, with incumbent Jeanine Guy declining to run for reelection. Newcomers Ryan Belshee, Jamaine Berry and Tedy Burton will be competing for the spot.
In District 3, incumbent Michelle Hess will compete with Curtis Beard for the seat.
Arizona election: Read our full election coverage of the Buckeye City Council races
The Arizona Republic sent the candidates a number of questions about various city and state issues. Youngker, Berry and Burton did not respond, but here’s what the other candidates said. Answers appear in alphabetical order by district and some may have been trimmed to meet agreed-to lengths for all.
Buckeye District 1
Tony Youngker did not respond to any questions.
Buckeye District 2
Vision: Why are you running for Buckeye City Council?
Why are you running for Buckeye City Council? If elected, what will your first priority be?
Belshee: I have been involved in Historic Downtown Buckeye since relocating my family and business to Buckeye in 2018. My wife Melanie and I purchased the old icehouse on Fifth Street for our small business, Bootleg Botanicals. Since then, I served as a volunteer on the board of the Buckeye Main Street Coalition and as an alternate Commissioner for District 2 on the Planning and Zoning Commission.
The lack of widespread public knowledge about this election and other issues prompted me to run for City Council. If elected, I will continue to foster open, honest communication between all the residents of District 2 and provide resources to help inform everyone about all city issues that will affect their lifestyles, families, and property here in District 2. I have learned that segments of the residents in my district feel marginalized and as a result no longer trust our city leadership. Bridging the gap in communication and rebuilding trust is going to be key to improving and growing this area. Furthermore, with the Downtown Specific Area Plan being in its infancy, having a representative that will communicate frequently is important to ensuring everyone has a say on the improvements along Monroe Avenue.
Jamaine Berry did not respond.
Tedy Burton did not respond.
Taxing and spending: Where do the Buckeye City Council candidates stand?
New state policies will affect city budgets. If faced with a deficit, will you support raising taxes to maintain city services or cutting programs? Which specific services and/or taxes would you consider first and why?
Belshee: Based on the publications that the city has provided to the public, it sounds like Buckeye has a healthy reserve currently. However, should this not be the case and the city does experience a deficit I would need to learn more about where our current budget is being allocated before weighing in on what services or programs should be cut and what taxes need to be amended.
Unfortunately, the city’s bond issue being placed onto this year’s ballot has highlighted, for me, a lack of important information that I need to make an educated decision about why the Council chose to support some projects over others. Projects I feel are necessary were overlooked in favor of some that I disagree with without more data. I have requested the data I need to change my no vote to a yes but have not received that information yet.
Berry did not respond.
Burton did not respond.
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Water: How should Buckeye grow, while preserving the water supply?
The availability of groundwater has complicated the development of Buckeye’s master-planned communities. At what point, if any, should the city address this in the general plan? How?
Belshee: Water is an important and very complicated issue, especially in Buckeye. There are areas of the city that are waterlogged and others that are hundreds of feet from any water source.
Much of the growth we are seeing currently involves replacing farms with residential homes and multifamily housing. Matching the density of the construction to the previous water use allows growth without an increased demand on water resources.
As large-scale planned communities like Teravalis are built out, they could greatly impact the water resources of the city. The city needs to establish a long-term strategy to manage our finite resources. Currently, Buckeye treats wastewater and allows it to seep back into the ground as a means of replenishing the aquifers. Unfortunately, this process can take 50-plus years to recharge. It is important that we investigate alternate strategies to recycle wastewater more efficiently.
Buckeye needs to consider the water resources in the General Plan. It should be a multipronged approach that includes water conservation, along with other proven strategies to ensure we have a thriving city with safe drinking water for generations to come. Ensuring Buckeye’s waterwise codes are being enforced with all developers is crucial to sustain responsible growth.
Berry did not respond.
Burton did not respond.
Jobs: What would Buckeye City Council candidates propose to create local jobs?
More than 88% of Buckeye residents commute outside of the city for work. What should the city do to create more local jobs?
Belshee: The city could do better about reaching beyond manufacturing, service and transportation as the main job offerings available to residents of Buckeye. By supporting small business growth and diversifying into the tech and skilled labor arena, we can bring more jobs to our residents.
An incubator space in Downtown Buckeye offering a lower cost of entry, mentorship and community support would be beneficial to foster growth of those who want to run their own businesses. These spaces can help jumpstart fresh business ideas and spur creativity.
Additionally, I see contractors being brought in from other states to help with our construction projects. I have hosted several out-of-state contractors at my Airbnb downtown. If there is a need for skilled labor, we could do a better job supporting the trades locally. Speaking as a licensed general contractor, trade jobs generally pay more than many of the jobs being brought to Buckeye currently.
Improving access to education options closer to Buckeye would also help drive new business opportunities. Incentivizing online college or training would be beneficial. Being along a truck route has pigeonholed us into a particular job offering and if we are not careful, that will cause issues as we grow.
Berry did not respond.
Burton did not respond.
Inspiration: Who shapes the Buckeye City Council candidates' thinking?
Who in public life, past or present, do you admire most? Why? And what lesson do you draw from that person’s experience?
Belshee: This may sound funny but, after watching his documentary on Netflix, I gained new admiration for Arnold Schwarzenegger. I see a little bit of myself in him with our shared passion for learning and bettering ourselves through various endeavors. I also appreciated his openness in admitting that he isn’t a perfect human being, which in a politician, seems to be a rare trait. I think his story is a lesson to everyone that no matter their background, with enough courage and motivation anything is possible.
Berry did not respond.
Burton did not respond.
Election integrity: Where do the Buckeye City Council candidates stand?
Do you think Arizona elections are fairly run? Do you trust the results? Will you abide by them? Why or why not?
Belshee: I personally believe that Arizona elections are fairly run, and I trust the results 100%. Having now taken the step of running for office, I’ve learned things about the process that affirm my trust in the system. There are rules in place that make it extremely difficult for a candidate to partake in underhanded measures to become elected. I do not doubt that some have tried but generally they get caught and the percentage of people is effectively a rounding error and inconsequential. In the end, I want what is best for Buckeye. If I am elected as the next council member to represent District 2, I’m happy to put in the hours and do my best. If I don’t win, it means that the residents felt the other candidate was better for the job and I wish them the best of luck.
Berry did not respond.
Burton did not respond.
Buckeye District 3
Vision: Why are you running for Buckeye City Council?
Why are you running for Buckeye City Council? If elected, what will your first priority be?
Curtis Beard: My first priority would be to engage with the community, listen to their concerns, and understand the issues they face. Building a strong connection with the people I would represent is crucial. From there, I would prioritize initiatives that promote transparency, accountability, and inclusivity in local government, ensuring that the voices of all residents are heard and considered in decision-making processes. Additionally, I would focus on initiatives aimed at improving infrastructure, enhancing public services, and fostering economic development to create a thriving and resilient community for everyone.
Michelle Hess: It is an exciting time to be in Buckeye! There is such incredible momentum in planning, projects, and staff that I would be honored to continue to be part of the growth and strategy for Buckeye's future. The West Valley region will continue to see most of the growth in the future of Maricopa County, and it will help to have experienced leaders as voices to help guide and protect the region's development. For me, this leadership position is not about power or prestige, but about making a genuine impact in the community I love.
The priority would be to ensure that Buckeye receives either the Alternative Designation of Assured Water supply or another mechanism to allow a path forward for all types of growth for Buckeye.
Taxing and spending: Where do the Buckeye City Council candidates stand?
New state policies will affect city budgets. If faced with a deficit, will you support raising taxes to maintain city services or cutting programs? Which specific services and/or taxes would you consider first and why?
Beard: As a business owner for the past 17 years, budgeting and learning to adapt is crucial. When spending exceeds revenue it’s obvious there is a problem, whether it be from a new policy or an issue with the city in general. Where there’s a problem, there’s always a solution. Working with each department diligently to find a solution and where we can cut some funds. The citizens should be the last resort to make up for the funds that are overspent or short.
Hess: The state recently cut the residential tax and implemented the flat tax. We have seen decreases in our annual budget from cuts, but over the years, we have tried to ensure we have diverse revenue sources to better protect the city from the unforeseen. In addition, with the rate of new growth, we have been able to balance the losses and gains that would not require the cutting of services, nor would it require tax increases.
Water: How should Buckeye grow, while preserving the water supply?
The availability of groundwater has complicated the development of Buckeye’s master-planned communities. At what point, if any, should the city address this in the general plan? How?
Beard: I think the City is moving in the right direction with the Harquahala land purchase in mind. Although we should have acted when Queen Creek did as that would have saved us $50 million. Something the city lacks (the ability) to do, is plan. In order for Buckeye to grow we need this to be completed and for now pump it in the CAP so we can pull it out where we need it. Then plan and start having developers pay for a main waterline to towards Buckeye so we are not paying CAP anymore. More importantly the council and city staff need to work diligently with the governor’s office and fixing the loopholes for multifamily (and) rental housing projects not needing a assured water supply certificate. This is a huge issue, ye we need “affordable” housing but at the same time we must learn when enough is enough.
Hess: Let me start off by saying that Buckeye has a strong water future. The first step is working with the Governor’s office and the Arizona Department of Water to solve groundwater issues for the future. One of those solutions is through an Alternate Designation of Assured Water. This would allow Buckeye to grow incrementally and control growth as we explore new opportunities to diversify our water portfolio. That could be the purchase of new waters in the Harquahala Basin and participation in the Bartlett Dam Expansion. The city is also working with the local irrigation districts to capture new waters that will become available as more farmlands convert to development. In addition to new waters, we would encourage water-saving measures in current homes and discuss measures as new developments begin to be planned. We will also explore new technologies to assist in conservation. I believe those options should all be explored before looking at the General Plan, which would be another option.
Jobs: What would Buckeye City Council candidates propose to create local jobs?
More than 88% of Buckeye residents commute outside of the city for work. What should the city do to create more local jobs?
Beard: Infrastructure Development! We have lost many employment opportunities due to the lack of infrastructure. Warehouses are a good employment solution for many jobs, but not everyone wants to work on a Sunday driving a forklift at 1 a.m. Buckeye needs to look further than the warehouses and focus on working with higher paying companies and see what we can do for them to come to our city. Visiting other cities that have larger employers and speaking with those companies and asking the question, why there and not Buckeye? If we don’t learn from them to see what the issue is then we can’t fix it moving forward.
Hess: The city has been actively looking for ways to create all types of jobs. From our Entrepreneur Outreach Program that helps residents take business ideas to reality to Kore Power, jobs are an important part of the Buckeye ecosystem. We have partnered with our local education system to create pathways to jobs that are relevant to Buckeye and the region. Two examples are the programs that have been created to assist high school students through West-Mec in getting certifications to work directly with regional companies or work through a certificate through Estrella Mountain Community College for jobs at the nuclear plant. Another one is our water operator program that we helped to create with West-Mec to create a pathway into water jobs within the city and beyond. We also work with companies to host job fairs and connect residents to jobs through Reduce the Commute events. We created the Catalyst Program for our local businesses to help improve their facades to develop additional businesses that could equal more jobs. We have reduced fees in the downtown area to spur growth and create more jobs. We are adding much-needed retail that will offer a variety of job types for our residents.
Inspiration: Who shapes the Buckeye City Council candidates' thinking?
Who in public life, past or present, do you admire most? Why? And what lesson do you draw from that person’s experience?
Beard: There are two people. First is my father. I’ve worked alongside my dad now for 20-plus years and wouldn’t have it any other way. He’s one of my best friends, always there for me, believes in me and supports me in anything I do in life. He served on Buckeye City Council and Vice Mayor back in early/mid 2000’s as well. He’s taught me so much in life and I owe him the world. Second is a gentleman I met 5 years ago or so, Tony Mangat. Tony has taught me so much over the short period of time I have known him. Tony believes in giving, a true philanthropist in life. Someone we all could look up to and admire. He’s teaching me to be the same way and for that I admire Tony Mangat.
Hess: I have met so many, but the late Georgia Lord lived a life of nothing short of extraordinary. Mayor Lord accomplished so much in her lifetime, yet despite all her accomplishments, she didn’t seek recognition. Her focus was always on the work she believed in, and she pursued it with an unwavering commitment that was both admirable and inspiring. She had an incredible way of connecting with people.
The true measure and impact of her life would be difficult to quantify. The lives she touched, the changes she championed, and the legacy she left behind are testament to a life well-lived and a career devoted to service. Her influence continues to resonate.
Georgia's teachings have influenced my approach to leadership. She taught me that authentic leadership is more than just guiding others; it's about living a life of purpose and conviction. She showed me the importance of believing in the work we do and approaching it unapologetically. Her example has profoundly shaped my own approach to leadership, reminding me constantly to lead with both heart and integrity. She made difficult decisions during her career, never wavered from the mission, and instead chose the path of grace and strength.
Election integrity: Where do the Buckeye City Council candidates stand?
Do you think Arizona elections are fairly run? Do you trust the results? Will you abide by them? Why or why not?
Beard: Yes, 100%. Results are what they are, they’re not rigged in my opinion, while many others think differently apparently. Being prepared for running for any political seat or a voted in position I’ve learned you must be willing to lose and accept it.
Hess: Earlier this year, I had the opportunity to tour the Maricopa County Elections Center to learn about the ballot process. I am grateful that I can now track my ballot and have seen some improvements in the process. There is always more that can be done to keep our elections safe and secure, but I have confidence in the results and will respect the outcome of the election.
Reach the reporter at ahardle@gannett.com or by phone at 480-259-8545. Follow her on X, formerly Twitter: @AlexandraHardle.