Government Affairs
2008 Election Candidates and Candidate Survey Responses back to main Candidate page
CITY COUNCIL Candidate
John “Johnny Mac” McCulloch
John has been permanently located in Flagstaff since 1983, and spent some time here in the 70’s. He and his wife own the two International hostels in Flagstaff and he has been elected to City Council in 1990 and again in 1994. He attended New York University.
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.
Affordable Housing, Economic Development & Transportation.
2. Describe your commitment to solutions related to the growing homeless problem in Flagstaff.
As Hostel owners, my wife and I interface with homeless issues on a daily basis. I am committed to working with Flagstaff Shelter Services in finding them a permanent location.
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?
I can support adjustments to the Land development code that would specifically identify affordable Housing incentives. Smaller lot sizes with smaller houses would be one approach.
4. What is your position regarding Development or “Impact” Fees in Flagstaff?
I do not support them. Impact fees, which proponents argue will supplement existing long range capital improvements, and force developers to “pay their fair share,” are a catch-22 for those of us who oppose urban sprawl. If we impost impact fees to offset budgeted or proposed long range capital funding, then we are in many ways compelled to approve new developments in order to fund the capital improvements we might have otherwise budgeted or bonded for. There appears to be plenty of debt capacity to accomplish the community’s priorities. And adjustments of the “imaginary wants of the state” and the reallocating of existing revenue funds should be sufficient to afford the basic needs of 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?
I think the city is going to lose this case. I would not have supported the zoning change.
back to top
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 can facilitate discussions with prospective employers and should have defined incentive parameters to offer. I don’t think ED should be “In house”. I support the investments for the incubator program and will work to make Flagstaff more business friendly.
7. Do you support/oppose the adopted Downtown Management Plan? Why or Why not?
I do not support the Plan. I don’t support parking metes, and would utilize the existing Copeland Lumber property for downtown employee parking.
8. Describe your level of commitment to our City’s airport and its needed improvements beyond the airport runway extension.
I hope all the citizens of Flagstaff and the greater region utilize the new air service to LAX this coming year. We have invested an awful lot of tax dollars so far to make this a viable venture. I was on the council when we built the new terminal.
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 all of Flagstaff being a quiet zone and would reflect that by phasing in the funding over the next few years.
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?
Yes, Infrastructure planning & investments are part of what governments do. With proper planning we should be pro-active and make those investments before a company considers Flagstaff. We could have buildable, pre approved locations for businesses.
back to top
11. What are your priorities to improve transportation in, around, to, and from Flagstaff?
We should have a comprehensive Transportation Bond Program as quickly as possible to present to the voters which would address current and future traffic needs. A western alternative to realign RT180, an Interchange at Lone Tree and I-40, extending Enterprise to Cedar Avenue, building another way over or under the railroad downtown and from west Route 66, widening Fourth Street from Huntington to Butler Ave. and connecting John Wesley Powell Blvd. To Fourth Street are important parts of the puzzle we need to be planning and building for now to prepare this community for the future. These projects will be weighed against our debt capacity and existing “pay as you go” improvements as well as improving our relationship with ADOT to move this agenda forward.
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?
I sat through much of the council discussions over the last year. Some were reasonable and some seemed unduly restrictive and irrelevant. I am open to review any and all codes for their potential to be abused and maliciously imposed by city staff.
13. What is your opinion of local government competing with local, state or national businesses for services in our community?
I can’t think of any examples where a government can compete more efficiently than the private sector.
14. Do you have an opinion on storage boxes and their use in our community?
not really
15. What are your specific thoughts about residential and commercial development in Flagstaff?
I am not afraid of Flagstaff’s future. Development and growth will continue, with proper infrastructure investments we should be able to plan for where it is appropriate for that growth to occur. We are currently behind that planning curve and we must move forward with transportation improvements ASAP.
back to top
16. How would you address commercial redevelopment opportunities in areas like Fourth Street/Sunnyside and Southside/Downtown?
I don’t think the city should be creating their own visions for how to redevelop those areas. As a southside merchant I don’t support the parking meters, or the traffic improvements. The Sunnyside improvements for water & sewer were long overdue and I was on the council when those began. 4th St. south of the RR tracks should be widened to Butler and let the private sector move forward with their proposals.
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?
Yes, I consider the partnership a positive one and would do nothing to diminish it. I must confess that I have been a lifetime Giants fan.
18. Do you support the City’s contract with the Arizona Snowbowl to sell Snowbowl reclaimed water for snowmaking? Why or why not?
Yes and I supported it in 1992 as a mayoral candidate. I don’t like the somewhat antagonistic slogan of “Reclaim the Peaks,” and instead think we should focus on “Sharing the Peaks.” I have been to a number of skiing facilities in the west and no one like the idea of skiing on reclaimed water so I’m not sure how you market that.
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 do support relocating the yard out of a residential neighborhood. We could use the existing yard for an affordable housing partnership. I haven’t researched the issue enough to provide an alternative location, but something closer to the landfill seems reasonable.
20. What major capital projects does our City need? How would you propose funding these projects?
We should have a comprehensive Transportation Bond Program as quickly as possible to present to the voters which would address current and future traffic needs. A western alternative to realign RT180, an Interchange at Lone Tree and I-40, extending Enterprise to Cedar Avenue, building another way over or under the railroad downtown and from west Route 66, widening Fourth Street from Huntington to Butler Ave. and connecting John Wesley Powell Blvd. To Fourth Street are important parts of the puzzle we need to be planning and building for now to prepare this community for the future. These projects will be weighed against our debt capacity and existing “pay as you go” improvements as well as improving our relationship with ADOT to move this agenda forward.
With the ongoing cost of the war in Iraq and the state budget shortfalls, we should not believe someone else is going to step up and help us pay for these projects. We will have to face the reality that it will only cost more as time goes on. After the successful 1988 street bond election, we had a $1.42 secondary property tax along with a .66 primary tax for a combined rate of $2.08. For fiscal year 2007-2008 the city has a combined rate of $1.55 which I believe is moderately low and that voters would support an increase to 1988 tax levels. What that can purchase against our bonding capacity will be left to city management and then prioritized by the council after public input.
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?
My understanding is that most municipal governments have 11 employees /per thousand citizens. Flagstaff operates at about 14 employees /per thousand so we seem higher than average.
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 can support it. Why wouldn’t someone support it? |
