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District 25 Candidates Debate
By Thelma Grimes/Wick Communications
BENSON - A low turnout Wednesday night didn't stop the state legislative District 25 candidates from debating a variety of issues.
About 10 people attended the debate, which was hosted by the Citizens for Clean Elections Commission and sponsored by Child Protective Services.
House of Representatives Democratic candidates Pat Fleming and Ric Boyer attended the debate. Republican candidates David Stevens and Timathy Davies were not present.
There are two seats open for the House of Representatives District 25, which covers all of Cochise County.
Arizona Senate candidates Manny Alvarez, a Democrat who is currently a representative for District 25, and Republican opponent Mary Ann Black also participated in the forum.
On Nov. 4, voters will be electing one candidate to the Senate.
Among the main topics of discussion were issues facing the state's education system and illegal immigration.
Candidates for the House and Senate agreed the federal government needs to start doing more to enforce immigration laws, and that a guest-worker program may be in the state's best interest.
"The system we have now is broken," Fleming said. "People are coming across because our federal government is not doing what they are suppose to. We must have some kind of a worker program here."
Boyer agreed with Fleming, adding he agrees with the guest-worker programs being proposed by Gov. Janet Napolitano, who also is a Democrat.
Black, a rancher, said illegal immigration is a sore subject.
"They come through and trash our range lands, turn on our water, open our gates, and unfortunately Border Patrol does the same thing chasing them," she said. "We need to enforce the laws we have now. We also need a guest-worker program."
Alvarez called it a sore subject for everyone, not just ranchers. "In Cochise County we need the federal government to step up," he said.
"It is not the county or the state's responsibility. If the federal government doesn't step up and do their jobs, unfortunately, there is little we can do."
Alvarez, who is seeking his fourth term in the state Legislature, said there was a bill in the last legislative session that proposed a guest worker program, but it stalled in the Senate.
In other topics concerning the border, the candidates agreed checkpoints should be located closer to the actual U.S.-Mexican border, instead of 20 or 30 miles away.
When it came to education, candidates said they remain concerned about the amount of funding going into public schools and the fact that Arizona reportedly ranks 49th in the nation.
"First, we have to agree on what is acceptable funding," Boyer said. "Do we want to remain 49th or move to the head of the class? We need more equitable funding in our rural school districts, we need smaller class sizes, and we need to increase pay for teachers."
Fleming said the newly elected representatives will unfortunately be inheriting programs and fee structures that have already been approved, noting it's going to be tough, but for her, children will always be a top priority.
Black said most of the kindergarten through 12th grade funding is mandated through propositions with the state, but she would like to see some restructuring that would focus on smaller class sizes and getting students who are part of the English language learner programs back into the mainstream classrooms. It does not help the students to be separated from their classes, she said.
Alvarez said education has always been a top priority in his six years in the state House.
"The more funding we put toward education, the better off we will be," he said.
Alvarez and Black also were asked about the funding being provided to charter schools and whether they thought it took away from the public school system.
Black said she is a proponent of a parent's right to choose which school their children will attend, while Alvarez said he is against it.
"I am not fond of charter schools," he said. "We do have some that served their purpose at first, but now so many are just taking money away from public schools. It's taking money away to the point that some schools can't even build new buildings when they need them. We need to provide more to public education, instead of giving money away."
All four candidates were questioned about issues surrounding the state's Child Protective Services, including how to fix problems with the organization.
Over the last year, several children died in Tucson with the state agency being involved in the cases.
Fleming said the first priority is assuring the agency is safe from further budget cuts and, second, the state needs to do a better job of recognizing the CPS workers because the work they do every day is just as important as teachers, doctors and nurses.
Boyer agreed funding is a big part of the problem.
"We have to find out what kind of money is needed to perform these services," he said. "And second, training is needed. What do they need to perform these duties properly?"
Alvarez said the first priority is hiring more people and giving the CPS workers more authority.
"They can't do their job with what they are authorized to do now," he said. "CPS workers need all the help they can get."
Black advocated for more funding and especially more training for CPS workers.
"There were some unfortunate losses in Tucson," she said. "We need more accountability. They need to know what they are doing so they can recognize a dangerous situation when they see one."
In issues concerning the state and especially Cochise County, Boyer and Fleming were asked what they would do about protecting water. The two candidates agreed that more government regulation is needed.
"We are behind the rest of the nation," Boyer said. "As a state Legislature, we need to promote water conservation, and the only way to do that is government regulation. The state has to take a more aggressive, proactive role in water conservation."
Fleming said that at the current rate, the San Pedro Valley near Benson would not be able to sustain high-density housing.
"This is an area where we really do have to have government regulation," she said.
In some topics where the candidates had 20 seconds to provide answers to quick questions, they were all asked about abortion and Proposition 102, the constitution amendment to state marriage is between a man and woman.
All four candidates agreed abortion is a woman's right and the government should not be involved, with Black noting she is in favor of education that may teach young women more about the situation.
With Proposition 102, Fleming, Boyer and Alvarez said they were against it, and Black said she is in favor of voters passing it.
Boyer said the government shouldn't get involved with the issues involving marriage, while Fleming and Alvarez said there is already an Arizona law stating gay marriage is illegal and there is no reason to take the issue any further by amending the Arizona Constitution.
REPORTER Thelma Grimes writes for Wick News Service.
About 10 people attended the debate, which was hosted by the Citizens for Clean Elections Commission and sponsored by Child Protective Services.
House of Representatives Democratic candidates Pat Fleming and Ric Boyer attended the debate. Republican candidates David Stevens and Timathy Davies were not present.
There are two seats open for the House of Representatives District 25, which covers all of Cochise County.
Arizona Senate candidates Manny Alvarez, a Democrat who is currently a representative for District 25, and Republican opponent Mary Ann Black also participated in the forum.
On Nov. 4, voters will be electing one candidate to the Senate.
Among the main topics of discussion were issues facing the state's education system and illegal immigration.
Candidates for the House and Senate agreed the federal government needs to start doing more to enforce immigration laws, and that a guest-worker program may be in the state's best interest.
"The system we have now is broken," Fleming said. "People are coming across because our federal government is not doing what they are suppose to. We must have some kind of a worker program here."
Boyer agreed with Fleming, adding he agrees with the guest-worker programs being proposed by Gov. Janet Napolitano, who also is a Democrat.
Black, a rancher, said illegal immigration is a sore subject.
"They come through and trash our range lands, turn on our water, open our gates, and unfortunately Border Patrol does the same thing chasing them," she said. "We need to enforce the laws we have now. We also need a guest-worker program."
Alvarez called it a sore subject for everyone, not just ranchers. "In Cochise County we need the federal government to step up," he said.
"It is not the county or the state's responsibility. If the federal government doesn't step up and do their jobs, unfortunately, there is little we can do."
Alvarez, who is seeking his fourth term in the state Legislature, said there was a bill in the last legislative session that proposed a guest worker program, but it stalled in the Senate.
In other topics concerning the border, the candidates agreed checkpoints should be located closer to the actual U.S.-Mexican border, instead of 20 or 30 miles away.
When it came to education, candidates said they remain concerned about the amount of funding going into public schools and the fact that Arizona reportedly ranks 49th in the nation.
"First, we have to agree on what is acceptable funding," Boyer said. "Do we want to remain 49th or move to the head of the class? We need more equitable funding in our rural school districts, we need smaller class sizes, and we need to increase pay for teachers."
Fleming said the newly elected representatives will unfortunately be inheriting programs and fee structures that have already been approved, noting it's going to be tough, but for her, children will always be a top priority.
Black said most of the kindergarten through 12th grade funding is mandated through propositions with the state, but she would like to see some restructuring that would focus on smaller class sizes and getting students who are part of the English language learner programs back into the mainstream classrooms. It does not help the students to be separated from their classes, she said.
Alvarez said education has always been a top priority in his six years in the state House.
"The more funding we put toward education, the better off we will be," he said.
Alvarez and Black also were asked about the funding being provided to charter schools and whether they thought it took away from the public school system.
Black said she is a proponent of a parent's right to choose which school their children will attend, while Alvarez said he is against it.
"I am not fond of charter schools," he said. "We do have some that served their purpose at first, but now so many are just taking money away from public schools. It's taking money away to the point that some schools can't even build new buildings when they need them. We need to provide more to public education, instead of giving money away."
All four candidates were questioned about issues surrounding the state's Child Protective Services, including how to fix problems with the organization.
Over the last year, several children died in Tucson with the state agency being involved in the cases.
Fleming said the first priority is assuring the agency is safe from further budget cuts and, second, the state needs to do a better job of recognizing the CPS workers because the work they do every day is just as important as teachers, doctors and nurses.
Boyer agreed funding is a big part of the problem.
"We have to find out what kind of money is needed to perform these services," he said. "And second, training is needed. What do they need to perform these duties properly?"
Alvarez said the first priority is hiring more people and giving the CPS workers more authority.
"They can't do their job with what they are authorized to do now," he said. "CPS workers need all the help they can get."
Black advocated for more funding and especially more training for CPS workers.
"There were some unfortunate losses in Tucson," she said. "We need more accountability. They need to know what they are doing so they can recognize a dangerous situation when they see one."
In issues concerning the state and especially Cochise County, Boyer and Fleming were asked what they would do about protecting water. The two candidates agreed that more government regulation is needed.
"We are behind the rest of the nation," Boyer said. "As a state Legislature, we need to promote water conservation, and the only way to do that is government regulation. The state has to take a more aggressive, proactive role in water conservation."
Fleming said that at the current rate, the San Pedro Valley near Benson would not be able to sustain high-density housing.
"This is an area where we really do have to have government regulation," she said.
In some topics where the candidates had 20 seconds to provide answers to quick questions, they were all asked about abortion and Proposition 102, the constitution amendment to state marriage is between a man and woman.
All four candidates agreed abortion is a woman's right and the government should not be involved, with Black noting she is in favor of education that may teach young women more about the situation.
With Proposition 102, Fleming, Boyer and Alvarez said they were against it, and Black said she is in favor of voters passing it.
Boyer said the government shouldn't get involved with the issues involving marriage, while Fleming and Alvarez said there is already an Arizona law stating gay marriage is illegal and there is no reason to take the issue any further by amending the Arizona Constitution.
REPORTER Thelma Grimes writes for Wick News Service.
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