TUCSON, Ariz. - Tucson's next city elections are a primary August 27 and a general election November 5th but candidates for Mayor are already lining up.
For the first time in eight years there's an open seat for Tucson Mayor. That means candidates are beginning to line up.
The latest to declare is former State Senator Steve Farley. Fresh off a run for Governor, he points to years of dedication to city issues; including transportation work that helped lead to Tucson's streetcar system, and efforts at tax reform.
He says 12 years as a state lawmaker should help defuse the continuing conflict between city government and the state legislature when state lawmakers try to impose laws Tucson government regards as infringing on Tucson's right to govern itself.
Farley says he looks for creative solutions like ideas that would help address climate change and create jobs in the process.
"One of the things I'm proposing to train youth to be able to get skills in retrofitting insulation and some of our homes in the middle of the city. We could reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and give people cheaper, utility bills at the same time without them having to invest all the money and cost to be able to do that. And that would create more jobs and create more more skilled workers for construction industry looking for that."
Late Wednesday, Ward One Councilmember Regina Romero announced she's running for mayor.
She says eleven years as a councilmember leave her well prepared for the Mayor's chair.
“I know the city up and down, I know our budget, I built relationships with police fire every department in the city of Tucson and I have the energy the commitment the support of the community to to continue pushing forward."
And Romero says her priorities include adapting to climate change and help small businesses thrive.
Five other candidates have declared for Mayor: Joe Arocha, Frank Konarski, Denny Crafton, Iman-Utopia Layjou Bah, and Robert Reus.
