MARANA, Ariz. (KGUN) — Greg Johnsen is running against incumbent Mayor Jon Post in the July 21 election.
A challenger is entering the race for mayor in the town of Marana, promising more transparency and community involvement in the town's biggest decisions.
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Johnsen has lived in Marana for more than 20 years and works in finance and accounting, experience he says has prepared him to manage a rapidly growing town. He is challenging incumbent Mayor Jon Post in the July 21 election.
Johnsen said current leadership is not addressing the issues that matter most to residents.
"There are certainly issues and problems that these people are not addressing at the present time that we need to address. We need to have the people's input in this type of thing," Johnsen said.
One of his central concerns is a proposed data center planned near the Veterans Cemetery. Johnsen said the project is a threat to Marana's agricultural identity and water supply.
"It has long-term environmental effects on the community, and we need to protect our water resources from these people who would drain our reservoir and cause our town to have long-term viability issues," Johnsen said.
He said the data center was approved with little public input, leading to frustration and confusion in the community. If elected, Johnsen said he would start by taking stock of where the town stands.
"We don't know what we're getting into when we get into office. I would like to propose that we have an audit of the town so we can nail down to exactly where we're at, what's going on," Johnsen said.
The proposed ICE detention facility has also been a divisive issue in Marana. Johnsen said he would bring the community and law enforcement into the conversation.
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"We'll involve the community in the resolution of this problem and the police department also to help maintain and keep the town safe," Johnsen said.
Johnsen is promising a development plan focused on protecting agriculture, growing infrastructure, and keeping residents informed and involved.
"We'll actively share what we're doing in the community. We'll seek their input. We'll provide them enough information so they can hold us accountable for what's going on," Johnsen said.
Johnsen also wants to attract more small businesses and encourage more home building. He is promising a transparent master plan for Marana's future.
Election Day is July 21.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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Marc Monroy joined KGUN 9 as a multimedia journalist after moving from KGUN 9’s sister station, KXXV, in Waco, Texas. He graduated from California State University, Northridge, in 2024 with a degree in journalism. A native of Southern California and a bilingual reporter, Marc is excited to serve Southern Arizona and looks forward to connecting with neighbors in the community. Share your story ideas and important issues with Marc by emailing marc.monroy@kgun9.com or by connecting on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook.
