|
|
February 20, 2004/Shevat 28 5764, Vol. 56, No. 22
Candidates weigh in
CYNTHIA LUKAS Traffic congestion: Traffic continues to be a major issue for our residents and part-time visitors and is the result of previous councils who approved explosive growth without the funding for needed roads. Because of our city's long and narrow layout, we are especially challenged traffic-wise. During my six years on city council, I attended to more traffic problems than any other kind to include helping numerous neighborhoods and schools with traffic safety and calming. As mayor, I will call a "Transportation Summit" or "Roundtable" discussion on traffic congestion with the citizen Transportation Commission. Preserving desert open space: I ran for city council in 1998 in large part to slow growth, which had been uncontrolled by previous city councils. In the northern area, I will continue to slow growth by leading efforts to complete our McDowell Sonoran Preserve. Although we are faced with daunting funding challenges, we must hold onto the vision of preserving a full one-third of our community. Our Preserve is an asset to our quality of life and tourism industry. We cannot afford not to preserve, so I support the sales tax increase for our Preserve on the ballot this May. Cynthia Lukas is a two-term Scottsdale city councilwoman. MARY MANROSS Traffic congestion: Although Scottsdale's growth has slowed considerably, regional growth will continue far into the future. Thus, there is a need for improvements covering a full range of transportation modes from streets and arterial networks to expanded transit and improved freeways. We are building an Intelligent Transportation System (ITS), using computers to help improve traffic flow. We continue to add turn lanes and intersection improvements to increase capacity. We need to commit more strongly to bus, shuttle, bus rapid transit, vanpools and paratransit to connect job centers and high-density areas. Preserving desert open space: I have always been a strong advocate of managed growth. I do not believe that bigger is necessarily better. One of the very best ways to manage growth is to preserve our beautiful McDowell Mountains and Sonoran Desert. The McDowell Sonoran Preserve is to Scottsdale what the Grand Canyon is to Arizona. It is a wonderful amenity for all residents of our community, visitors to our city, and all future generations. In May, we will move forward with an initiative for a 1/4 percent sales tax increase for the needed Preserve purchases. As mayor, I led the fight, with the strong support of our residents, to gain the largest ever reclassification of State Trust Lands eligible for preservation. We are working to complete the vision of preserving one third of our city as natural open space. Mary Manross has served as mayor of Scottsdale for four years. DAVID ORTEGA Traffic congestion: Since the early '90s, Scottsdale surface streets have been snarled by Loop 101 construction progress. We must look inward to lure residents and visitors into our downtown business core to sustain it. And we must work to eliminate cut through traffic from ruining our neighborhoods. To maintain and preserve our quality of life, we must protect neighborhoods and provide for safe, efficient and affordable movement of people and goods. We must provide multi-modal transportation programs that are economical and effective. Specialty programs that I support, such as taxicab vouchers, cost one-third of Dial-a-Ride. Preserving desert open space: The defining line between growth and desert preservation is creating a nature preserve. Scottsdale citizens and the nonprofit McDowell Sonoran Land Trust have worked to designate and acquire approximately 36,460 acres. I wholeheartedly support this effort. In 1998, voters approved using the sales tax to purchase land; however, those funds are exhausted. In August 2001, the State Land Commissioner reclassified 13,021 acres of the 16,600 acres as suitable for preservation. It is essential that we have public access for passive recreation. Unique geological, historical and archaeological features, wildlife habitat, scenic views and wildlife corridors must be protected. When completed, the McDowell Sonoran Preserve will be one of the largest urban preserves in America. Scottsdale has acquired half of the McDowell Sonoran Preserve utilizing sales tax revenue. Final cost of the preserve is not yet determined, because State Land Reform is pending at the Arizona Legislature. We need an honest discussion to explore a comprehensive funding approach, including possible assessment districts. David Ortega was elected to Scottsdale City Council in 2000. ROBERT USDANE Traffic congestion: There is no simple solution that will eliminate the traffic congestion today on Scottsdale's main thoroughfares. The familiar answers to this question that are served up by those seeking political office are the redundant "fixes" - like more left turn lanes, synchronizing traffic signals, leading or lagging left arrows, bike lanes, bus lanes, etc. The essence of dealing with the high levels of traffic congestion is not allowing it to exacerbate. This involves answering some tough questions, like, do we as a community want Scottsdale to be the "employment center" of the Valley of the Sun? Employment brings more people and more vehicles into Scottsdale every work day, leading to more traffic congestion. Preserving desert open space: Open space has nearly vanished from McKellips to Shea. The open space disappeared because size of the city was given precedence over the quality of the city. In the mid-1990s the solution offered was the McDowell Sonoran Preserve. As a supporter of the Preserve, I also realize that meaningful open space close to and around residential areas enhances the quality of life in Scottsdale. The newer areas of the city around Frank Lloyd Wright Boulevard, the east Shea corridor and the Sonoran uplands north of the CAP canal need to be protected from the same fate of disappearing neighborhood open space that befell the original part of Scottsdale. Bob Usdane served on the Scottsdale School Board for eight years and in the Arizona State Senate for 14 years.
|
