TUCSON (KGUN9-TV) - It's youth versus experience in the race for Pima County Supervisor for District 5.
Green Party candidate Martin Bastidas is challenging incumbent supervisor Richard Elias. He has been spent 14 years on the Board of Supervisors.
Richard Elias' history on the board reaches back to 2002. He's seen a lot of changes in Pima County, and he says he's seen a lot of progress.
“I've worked hard to defend Kino Hospital and making sure we have a hospital available to the entire community. I've worked hard to defend the Sonoran Desert Conservation Plan and it's implementation and we've had great success with that and I've really changed the dynamic of growth here in Tucson. I've also worked hard to create good management for Pima County. We've survived one of the worst financial crises that's ever hit our country and we did pretty well."
Elias did not draw a Republican opponent. His challenger for this election is Martin Bastidas with the Green Party.
"One of the reasons I decided to run for the Board of Supervisors is because our politicians on the board are making decisions that are affecting my generation."
Bastidas was student body President at Pima Community College's Desert Vista campus. He wants the county to push state government for free community college tuition, and require 90 percent of Pima County's government vehicles to be electric within five years.
He also wants to work for transportation beyond simply more cars on pavement.
“Let’s say a high-speed rail system from here, from Tucson to Phoenix and something that would just take the congestion off the roads. Craig: Is that something that's within the realm of county government? I believe so. It's not just Pima County we would also have to work with other counties as well; Pinal County, Maricopa County."
Both men understand county roads need a lot of repair and gas tax revenue has not covered all of the cost. Bastidas says a county income tax would be more fair than relying on property tax.
Elias says one option may be to ask voters to modify the mission of the Regional Transportation Authority so some of the RTA sales tax can be used for repair as well as expanding the roadways.
