Government Affairs
2008 Election Candidates and Candidate Survey Responses back to main Candidate page
MAYORAL Candidate
The Honorable Mayor Joseph Donaldson
Joe has resided in Flagstaff for almost 57 years. He attended NAU and has an honorary doctorate degree in Humane Letters from NAU. Joe has been elected Mayor of Flagstaff four times and currently serves in that position. He’s retired from Safeway Stores.
Candidate Survey Responses – On The Issues
1. Please list and briefly describe the three most important issues you intend to address if elected in May.
The three most important issues I will continue to address while working within the City Charter and working with the Council and community focusing on supporting education and assuring citizens opportunities to economically sustain themselves and the community, continue to support work force development through various community efforts and Council involvement, and to continue to find community solutions to the affordable housing crisis. I have the skills to provide community leadership through the Council to continue to find lasting solutions to these top three issues. It does take time and it does take a community working together void of silos.
2. Describe your commitment to solutions related to the growing homeless problem in Flagstaff.
As has been demonstrated, I have provided leadership that is bringing forward a temporary homeless shelter and I am working with the community to establish a permanent homeless shelter with access to needed services.
3. Outline your opinion of the Flagstaff housing market and what role you feel local government should play in attempting to influence that market. How specifically would you use local government to affect our housing market?
In my opinion, the city government can not influence the housing market as such. As I have been told by successful housing developers, the market is what any house is going to sell for in spite of incentives and regulations. The only way to decrease the cost of any house at the government level then is to effect those hard costs that are within the market price. Namely, two are the land costs and proving the home buyer up front cash assistance that reduces the market price to the buyer. The Community Land Trust removes he cost of the land on which the home is located, and cash subsidies to the buyer assists the buyer in qualifying for loans to purchase the home.
The Community Land Trust inventory can be increased by developers who work with the Council in addressing the housing shortage by contributing land to the land trust inventory. Builders know how to construct homes more affordably through various construction methods they use. Government can effect the housing market by working with both developers and builders to construct quality and affordable homes. We have many examples of just that cooperation.
4. What is your position regarding Development or “Impact” Fees in Flagstaff?
My position on impact fees is still in need of more information. While I do favor implementing impact fees that will provide opportunities for new growth to begin paying its community way, I want to see the final summary of the consultant group. Many Arizona cities have impact fees. Many Arizona cities are growing at very high rates in spite of their impact fees. As one Council member put it in considering an annexation recently, every annexation should pay their way into the city. That Council member stated the obvious. If they don't pay, the community broadly picks up the costs of belonging to our community.
5. The City of Flagstaff’s Historic Overlay Zoning District has generated a high profile lawsuit on behalf of citizens who seek to improve their properties, but are not restricted by the Overlay Zoning. What is your opinion of the Overlay Zoning? Would you have voted for/against this zoning change?
In my opinion, the Overlay Zoning accommodates an individual who wants to declare their property as Historic as long as it meets the qualifications of an historic designation. Individual property owners are entitled to do with their property as they wish as long as it fits the community vision. In my opinion, neighborhoods that wish to preserve their historic character have the right as a majority of property owners to make that decision and establish internal guidelines that assure their historic neighborhood character. I support neighborhoods and what they want their community environment to be.
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6. What role do you feel the City of Flagstaff should play with respect to economic development? Specifically, what should local government do or not do to influence economic development?
The City of Flagstaff's role in economic development has to be one that works in harmony with the community. The City has the tools that make economic development work Instead of an outside agency working with economic development and having to run incentives and approvals through the city, economic development decisions can be made on the spot. As an example, Phoenix does its economic development within the city. They do and an outside economic agency that works on their own to develop economic opportunities. Both working separately and together has worked well for them. The city is in a prime position to assist local businesses to stay and expand in our economic market. As a Council member I have a better accounting for the citizen's tax dollars that go into economic development.
7. Do you support/oppose the adopted Downtown Management Plan? Why or Why not?
I support the adopted Downtown Management Plan. It is necessary to further capitalize on the potential economic value of the downtown. However, I can not support further implementation of the plan until the surrounding residential and commercial communities are protected from the impact of downtown employee parking. Alternate parking accommodations must be in place before the plan is fully implemented.
8. Describe your level of commitment to our City’s airport and its needed improvements beyond the airport runway extension.
I am committed to supporting the community economic engine at the airport. As a full-time mayor I will commit whatever time it takes to secure the local, state and national funding to keep our airport that viable economic engine it is and must become. Not only do our businesses depend on access to national and international markets, but local citizens want access to regions beyond Flagstaff. We need to expand and improve the terminal facilities to accommodate the increased passenger traffic. We also need to improve the parking areas to accommodate additional parking needs to serve passengers flying on our newest airline, Horizon Air.
9. What opinion do you have of the City’s approved plan to end train horn noise downtown and mitigate noise on the east side of town?
I support the adopted train horn noise plan and want to wait to see the results of a discussion with BNSF on the closure of one of the crossings on the east side. It does not make any sense to spend more money than necessary on silencing a crossing that may be closed. Also, as recent east side train horn tests seemed to confirm, the sound from the wayside horns is audible within a small distance at the crossing. In the test, a resident in their home upon the way side horn being blown exclaimed, “have them blow it again, I didn't hear it.” If the wayside horn is still an inconvenience, I am committed to reviewing the decision once the BNSF discussion occurs.
10. Would you support/oppose the City offering financial incentives, including infrastructure improvements that may assist in attracting new employers to Flagstaff? Why or Why not?
I would support offering financial incentives for infrastructure improvements and capital investment as long as there is a strong community benefit. We have already done that for local businesses and we recently did that to attract a new airline to Flagstaff. Being a full-time mayor gives me the opportunity to be where a mayor must be to secure these opportunities.
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11. What are your priorities to improve transportation in, around, to, and from Flagstaff?
My priorities to improve transportation in, around, to and from Flagstaff are to continue to work at with the Arizona Department of Transportation, the Federal Highway Administration, the Rural Transportation Advocacy Council, Governor Napolitano's staff, bqArizona, the TIME Coalition, Northern Arizona Council of Governments, Coconino County, The Flagstaff Metropolitan Planning Organization, the Northern Arizona Intergovernmental Public Transportation Authority, the Maricopa Association of Governments, the Pima Association of Governments and whoever I need to work with to systematically work towards facilitating transportation movement in , around, to and from Flagstaff. It takes a full-time mayor with major time flexibility to represent our community's transportation needs. If we are not there, it is assumed that decision these groups may make that effect us is acceptable to us.
Priorities include cost effective and efficient public transportation within Flagstaff, eventual Fourth Street connection to the I-40 freeway, completion of the John Wesley Powell Boulevard, eventual a six lane I-40 to accommodate truck traffic, six lane expansion on I-17, eventual Lone Tree Interchange, a bridge over the train tracks in the vicinity of Enterprise, widening of Lone Tree, eventual Traffic Operations Center to facilitate traffic movements on Milton and Route 66, reconstruction of the underpass on Milton, facilitating traffic movement at the corner of Route 66 and Humpherys, facilitating traffic movements on Highway 180, and many internal road improvements. The problem is, we are a small community with a limited ability to pay for all of this at once. There is a prioritized plan in place that involves strategically motivating partners to assist us in further planning and funding. As a full-time mayor, I am able to be where I need to be to represent our community in these and other discussions.
12. What is your position regarding the City’s new energy-efficient building codes? Specifically, do you understand the codes? Do you feel they are overreaching and unnecessary or a necessity for development in our community?
My position on new energy codes is that while the International codes were much more comprehensive in maximizing energy use by utilizing products and methods to provide energy and resource efficiency, I chose to modify the codes to fit our community and to begin implementation of energy codes that while providing energy efficiency still kept the home building costs down. Our national plan to extract us as far from oil dependency as possible does include our efforts. While we are not a national energy code leader we are indeed a player within our means.
13. What is your opinion of local government competing with local, state or national businesses for services in our community?
I'm not sure of the intent of this question. If you are referring to having attorneys in house, or the community's own sanitation department, or the community's own fire department and police department, or the community's own community development department, or the community's own economic development department, or the community's own housing department including the Flagstaff Housing Authority, or the community's own senior services center, or the community's own aquaplex and recreation departments, and so on, then I support these community services.
14. Do you have an opinion on storage boxes and their use in our community?
In my opinion, these storage boxes and their use in our community should be allowed as they first are utilized on a temporary basis for construction; second, used for storage in a way that does not create an eyesore or impact neighboring property values; and third, are maintained along with the property.
15. What are your specific thoughts about residential and commercial development in Flagstaff?
My specific thoughts about residential and commercial development in Flagstaff is that I view this development as a capital investment in Flagstaff and welcome it. However, it must meet and conform to the community's vision as set forth in Vision 2020 and must conform to the community developed Regional Transportation and Land Use Plan as well as the design standards. Residential and commercial development must be done in balance with the community standards of preserving and protecting both character of the community and the environment.
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16. How would you address commercial redevelopment opportunities in areas like Fourth Street/Sunnyside and Southside/Downtown?
Addressing commercial development on Fourth Street will come once developers recognize the potential gold mine they are sitting on. The Fourth Street Bridge gives phenomenal access to both the north and south. The Coming Aquaplex will increase more traffic and encourage Fourth Street capitalization. Soon the Council will approve development on the three parcels created when we moved the railroad tracks. The plans will draw more commercial development in the area. Add to that the construction of the new WalMart and the planned development awaiting WalMart to begin construction across from the WalMart site, capital investment and renovation will begin and grow on Fourth Street. Unfortunately, I don’t see strong capital investment until the national and state markets improve. Investors who have the money are purchasing sites now while the market is down
As for the Southside, much capital is happening now that will attract further capital investment in the Southside proper. The Northern Arizona Conference Center and Drury Hotel project and the Aspen Place at the Sawmill Mill are only the beginning. The key impediment to Southside development is the flood plan in which the Southside sits. Once the Rio de Flag project nears completion, we project upwards of $100 million being invested in capital growth in the Southside. Investors are taking advantage of the market conditions to secure property in anticipation of the flood plain being eliminated.
Both on the Fourth Street Corridor and the Southside the community has development a vision and plan for their respective neighborhoods. Much community time has been invested in these plans and I look forward to the City with the Mayor and Council in assisting these plans to reality.
17. Are you committed to maintaining the Arizona Cardinals summer training camp in Flagstaff? Do you view the partnership with the Chamber and NAU on this issue as a priority or not a priority?
I am committed to maintaining the Arizona Cardinals summer training camp in Flagstaff and I do view the financial partnership with the Chamber and Northern Arizona University as beyond a priority but an imperative.
18. Do you support the City’s contract with the Arizona Snowbowl to sell Snowbowl reclaimed water for snowmaking? Why or why not?
I do support the City’s contract to sell reclaimed water to the Snowbowl for their use as making snow. The contract is binding and it is supported broadly by the community. Only the Federal Courts will decide if the Snowbowl can use reclaimed water for snowmaking.
19. What are your specific thoughts on the City’s Public Works yard? How would you work to improve the current Public Works yard? Do you support relocating the yard?
I support relocating the Public Works yard out the community park and residential area. We should be ashamed of ourselves for expecting our city employees to work under these less than adequate conditions. The current Public Works yard after soil mitigation could be turned into additional community park area and become part of the Community Land Trust initiative for affordable workforce housing. The site is a prime spot for both park and housing.
20. What major capital projects does our City need? How would you propose funding these projects?
The City needs to pull back in all of its satellite sites by adding to its current City Hall and providing structured parking to accommodate its needs. We need a better City Court Facility that assures the safety of judges and their staffs. We need a bigger library on the Eastside to accommodate the community. The current facility underserves its customers. We need to renovate many of our facilities and assure are initial capital investments in these are not lost by a lack of maintenance.
In fact, the Mayor and Council has directed the City manager to conduct a facilities needs assessment. From that assessment the Mayor and Council will prioritize the plan for action and enter into discussing how to pay for these identified needs. One way is to ask the community to bond for these needs. Another way is to continue to budget out of the general fund monies to patch and paste worn facilities.
21. How do you feel about the size of Flagstaff’s government? Do we need more employees/departments? Less employees/departments? Just right? What do you feel we need to add/subtract?
The City Charter clearly defines the authority of the Mayor and Council. The Mayor and Council are the policy makers are directed to hire a city attorney and a city manager to take care of everything else. It is clear in the City Charter the community wants the Mayor and Council to hold both the City Attorney and the City Manager accountable. The ONLY way that can be done effectively is that the Mayor and Council adhere to the City Charter which is a legally binding document. It is up to the City Manager and the City Attorney to organize there areas to provide superior customer services that are cost effective and efficient.
It is up to the City Manager and the City Attorney to express their budget needs and for the Mayor and Council to approve expenditures which includes the addition of staff or the reductions of staff. Whether we need more or less people is not my initial call. It is my call to approve the expenditure of the budget to provide a certain level of service the community might desire.
22. Would you support/oppose adopting the attached “Small Business Bill of Rights” three page document attached with this survey? Why or why not?
I have reviewed the “Small Business Bill of Rights” and glean from it that the Chamber would like for the Mayor and Council to run City operations through them first before any Council action. I have been asked to adopt a Small Business Bill of Rights through a resolution. I see this as a beginning point of discussion. From here we might be able to reach a resolution that does not usurp the governing authority of the Mayor and Council. As I recall it is illegal for the Mayor and Council to give up any of its authority as provided in the Arizona State Statutes. I have submitted the document to our City Attorney and the City Manager for their review. It will take its place behind other Council directed ordinances and resolutions that enable workforce development, affordable housing development, education initiatives and partnerships, Flagstaff Mall development, securing water acquisition and negotiations with partners, airport renovation and securing funding, Fourth Street property development, Arizona Cardinals negotiations, property acquisitions and exchanges, budget establishment, new Council training, Impact Fee discussions and possible adoption, and more including litigating law suits. |
