Promoting Problem-Solving, Looking to the Arizona Voters’ Agenda

Before the latest survey from the Center for the Future of Arizona was released, I believed that we’re in agreement on important issues more often than not. I base this primarily on conversations I’ve had with people who hold myriad political opinions about candidates and so-called partisan issues, but with whom I’ve found agreement on many of the problems we humans face. The Center recently released their Arizona Voters’ Agenda (AVA) based on a statistically relevant survey of Arizona voters—results of a second, post-Primary survey will be released this fall.

A great thing about serving as mayor is that I get discuss issues with all kinds of people and to focus on problem-solving. We agree on some big issues and when we prioritize these issues, we can make significant progress. That was my message when the Center recently invited me to participate on a panel with three other Arizona mayors at the League of Arizona Cities and Towns annual conference.

The Center’s AVA focuses on the issues where voters were in 50% or “strong” agreement or higher “strong” and “somewhat” agreement among every political affiliation and age group. I encourage you to read the AVA yourself, but here are some highlights quoted directly from the report.

Education—There was 96% total support for the statement “Every school should have the resources necessary to deliver quality education that prepares every child for the future, no matter their skin color, background, or zip code.”

Immigration—There was 89% total support for the statement “Immigration reform is important to our country and our economy. Mexico is Arizona’s largest trade and tourism partner – we must prioritize creating a functioning border for commerce and immigration.”

Housing—There was 82% total support for the statement “State and local government must do more to ensure that housing options are affordable and available to middle and low-income earners throughout the state.”

State Spending—There was 90% total support for the statement “A robust transportation infrastructure system, including investments in our freeways, streets, and transit throughout the State of Arizona, is critical to moving people, goods, and services throughout the state and essential to our long-term economic success.”

The ACA indicates that there were four issues where voter support didn’t reach the report’s threshold for inclusion. The survey methodology is also included in the report.

As mayor, I’ve made workforce housing a top priority. Our lack of housing available and affordable to our workforce is negatively impacting Flagstaff’s economic health as well as our community’s overall strength and health. Of course, this is one of several significant issues needing our attention. Let me put a plug in for a way that you can have a huge impact on issues you care about. Flagstaff’s Boards and Commissions are always looking for Flagstaff residents to serve. Whether your interest is sustainability, diversity, disability awareness, or housing, your ideas are encouraged. For more information, visit the Boards and Commissions page on the city’s website.

We’re not always going to agree and neither do we need to. What I encourage us to do is to disagree in such a way that the door remains open to agree on something else and to get to work on problem solving. 

Article originally appeared in the Flagstaff Business News.