When I was first elected to the Tempe City Council in 1992, communication with our constituents usually meant calling them on their home phones and leaving a message on an answering machine. The latest technology was the Motorola “brick” mobile phone, however walking around with an antenna sticking out of your back pocket made one look a little funny. I was only 25 at the time and I felt that these tools, a real “key”, to City Hall and a dialup Internet connection was all I would really need as a politician. The world has changed in many ways, but the need for a candidate to communicate with their constituents has not. It is true that today’s politicians have many more medians available to them than I had back in the day, yet if it were as simple as creating a website, sending out an email blast or filling up the mail box with pretty pictures of themselves then “everybody would do it” as they say.

For Tempe Mayor I support Michael Monti. This is not an easy decision, in that, I have known Mark Mitchell and Linda Spears for over 20 years and they have both contributed immensely to our community in a variety of ways. However, the bottom line is that although the Mayor only has one vote, his or her leadership style counts for so much more. My option of Michael is that he is best suited of the three to lead a diverse council and find consensuses when possible.

For City Council I support the following candidates:

Dick Foreman: Primarily, because he is a hell of a hardworker that has proven himself as a community leader again and again.

Corey Woods: How can you not like Corey? I think he shows up at more events than the Mayor and has proven himself on the Council.

Kolby Granville: Take it from me, every Council needs someone that can “shake things up” and challenge the accepted norm.

The other two candidates are good people that have also done a great deal for our community. These are my votes and I encourage all Tempe Thoughts readers to stay involved, write letters of support and express your views with energy and thoughtfulness.

-Joseph Lewis

Editor Note:  Joseph Lewis is editor of Tempe Thoughts, however, the opinions above are his alone and should not be considered endorsements by Tempe Thoughts or any other organization.