District 18: Showdown In West Mesa
Andrew Wild
In preparation for the Mesa recall election in Legislative District 18, the Mesa Chamber of Commerce held a candidate forum at the East Valley Institute of Technology on Oct. 6.
Supporters of both candidates were out front with signs vocalizing their choices. Jerry Lewis, if successful, will push Russell Pearce, who was elected to the Arizona Legislature in 2000 and has been the Arizona State Senate President since January 2011, out of office.
Those happy with the recall and Jerry Lewis supporters have accused Pearce of using heavy-handed politics.
“Pearce has made too big of a mess economically and politically in this state,” Spencer Morgan, former ASMCC president during the 2009-2010 school year, said. “His record of retaliatory and attack-driven politics is damaging to the state. SB 1070 has further destabilized an already unstable economy.”
“If we can eliminate the poor image that vexes our city and our state and attract more businesses, and get the economic engine rolling again, we can grow our way out of this,” Lewis said. “We are seen as a very unfriendly business state. We are seen as something akin to maybe 1964 Alabama. Business owners do not want to move their businesses here.”
“The main issue is just changing the tone of the debate. Having a more positive debate on things we need right now,” Augie Gastelum, a Jerry Lewis supporter, said. He wants Mesa to “have a fresh voice that’s positive, that’s willing to work with people instead of forcing and conniving people into working” with Pearce.
Pearce supporters, however, said he has done well by the state.
“I’m a firm believer in the Second Amendment,” Mike Keating, a Pearce supporter, said. “Russell has a good record regarding gun rights.” Keating’s main issue though, he said, is illegal immigration. “It’s such a mess. 1070 had good points, but it wasn’t enough.”
SB 1070 is the controversial immigration law passed last year that has garnered national attention.
“Arizona suffers from a great reputation,” Pearce said. “We’ve changed the debate in Washington. Tourism is up 10 percent in 2008-2009. It hasn’t suffered too much apparently.”
Michael Lee, a precinct committeeman for the Arizona Republican Party and former MCC student, agrees with Keating.
“The real issue is conservatism, particularly illegal immigration. The support is there. Around the country, something like 65-70 percent of Americans are against illegal immigration,” he said. “It’s bad for America. We need to protect our borders. There are Americans, black, white, or whatever that will take the jobs.”
“Here’s what has happened since we’ve started enforcing our laws: We’ve had a dramatic decrease in crime, three times that of the national average. We have 15,000 fewer students in K-12 providing us with smaller classrooms for better education,” Pearce said about illegal immigration. “The citizens of Arizona, the taxpayers, the voters made it very clear in 2006 when they passed proposition 300 by about 75 percent. I support the voters and the taxpayers in this state.”
“Federal law prohibits public benefits for those in this country illegally. I oppose the DREAM Act. I oppose subsidizing with taxpayer money students that are in this country illegally to get a higher education,” Pearce said.
“We need to look at this issue, as well as countless other issues in the immigration arena, to come up with immigration reform that will really work,” Lewis said about illegal immigration. “We need to consider the effect of Piecemeal Legislation as opposed to legislation that looks at all of the issues, including what does this do to the separation of families? We need to make sure that we address this issue in a humane way that we can all be proud of, and that we can all live with.”
“The recall is wrong. It’s being used for what it’s not intended for. It’s a minority group trying to change the election because they couldn’t win it during a regular election,” Matt Tolman, a Pearce supporter said. He said that recall laws are meant for cases of corruption.
Education was a topic of focus during the forum.
“We need to work the with elementary students right from the very beginning,” Lewis said specifically about how to encourage Mesa students to go on to college. “We have to promote this at the very youngest level possible.”
“It comes down to inspiration, there’s no doubt about that. In addition to inspiration though, there’s got to be a job when they get out, (instead of) spending all those dollars and walking away with, in many cases, huge debt. You’ve got to make sure there (are) jobs out there. Today we’re graduating students and there (are) no jobs available,” Pearce said.
The recall election is set for Nov. 8. The voters will decide then who they agree with and if change is needed in the leadership of Mesa and Arizona.
