The Daily Agenda: Rookies take on veteran in Marana council races
Two council seats up for grabs … Mayor running unopposed … UA making magic bandages.
As election season heats up, two newcomers want to take the seat that a Marana Town Council member has held for over two decades.
Council member Roxanne Ziegler is vying for her sixth term as she faces challenger Patrick Cavanaugh, who ran for a seat on the council in 2022, and newcomer Melissa Zupi.
Two of the six council seats are up for grabs in the July 30 election and Mayor Ed Honea is running unopposed, which means he will pass the four-decade mark in public service during the upcoming four-year term.
The winners of the election will oversee an annual budget of more than $400 million and a town government that is planning to spend more than $500 million on capital projects over the next five years, a big chunk of which will go toward transportation.
They’ll also deal with a town that is growing quickly and the tensions that come with that growth. They’ll have to balance residents’ objections with the need for more electricity and more affordable housing. (If you’re curious about the kinds of things the Marana Town Council deals with, check out the news coverage we curated in our Tucson Agenda Election Wiki.)
Now let’s get to the candidates.
Roxanne Ziegler: She has lived in Marana since 1989. This year, she’s highlighting her contributions to local infrastructure and services, saying the current state of roads, parks, and police services are a testament to the council's achievements.
Ziegler emphasizes sustainable growth and fiscal responsibility, aiming to ensure the community has the resources to thrive. She underscores the importance of continuity in leadership and her experience in managing the town’s resources effectively.
"We can always learn from younger people, but it's good to keep some of us around for a while," she said on The Local Marana Podcast.
She was endorsed by the Marana Police Officers Association, Marana Veterans Club President Keith Jones, along with Honea, and Councilman Herb Kai. Her campaign is financially backed by local real estate broker Greg Wexler, Herb Kai and his family, and others.
You can learn more about Ziegler at her campaign website.
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Melissa Zupi: She was born and raised on a Marana farm. She worked in finance and now is the general manager of The Marana Pumpkin Patch and Farm Festivals.
She emphasizes her passion and dedication. Zupi’s platform focuses on economic growth, infrastructure improvement, and environmental conservation.
She promises to improve roads, bridges, and highway interchanges along with investing in public transit, sidewalks, bike lanes, and congestion-reducing technology. Zupi is committed to preserving Marana's desert spaces and ensuring sustainable development.
She praises the current leadership for their efforts and aims to continue in the same direction.
"They have done an amazing job in our community, and I want to ensure it continues," she said on The Local Marana Podcast.
Zupi was endorsed by Northwest Firefighters Local 3572, the Marana Police Officers Association, and the Tucson Association of Realtors. She was also endorsed by Marana Councilwoman Comerford, Councilmen Herb Kai and John Officer and also Honea and Vice Mayor Jon Post. She is self-funding her campaign.
You can learn more about Zupi at her campaign website.
Patrick Cavanaugh: He has lived in Marana for five years and says he brings a diverse background in business and finance, along with a strong commitment to environmental issues.
He has worked in various leadership roles and is an avid nature enthusiast, involved in rescuing cacti and succulents for the Tucson Cactus and Succulent Society. His campaign emphasizes the importance of environmental sustainability and the preservation of natural resources.
Cavanaugh advocates for maintaining accessible open spaces and recreational areas, ensuring a safe and reliable water supply, and developing pedestrian-friendly infrastructure.
He was not deterred after losing the election in 2022 and is keen to continue his goal of representing the community.
"I pledge to work harder and meet even more community members this time around,” he said on his campaign website.
He was endorsed by Council member Jackie Craig. He provided most of the funding for his campaign, along with contributions from Pamela Youngberg and others.
You can learn more about Cavanaugh at his campaign website.
Ed Honea: He has served on the council on three different occasions, for a total of 37 years. The League of Arizona Cities and Towns honored Honea last year as the longest-serving public official in the state.
Honea says he enjoys collaborating with people of diverse viewpoints and consistently strives to find common ground. He emphasizes his commitment to not only improving Marana but also enhancing the broader region.
“Marana is now the fastest growing community in Southern Arizona” and he wants to continue the progress he has made in the city, he said on The Local Marana Podcast
He is running unopposed this year and endorsed Zupi and Ziegler for the two open council seats.
Honea’s campaign is funded by real estate agent Alan Murdock, Morgan North, the CEO of Borderland Construction, and members of the Mehl family, including Carson, Wesley, and David, who run Cottonwood Properties. (Oddly, his campaign finance report has information redacted from it)
You can learn more about Honea at his campaign website.
That’s the quick overview of the candidates. We’ll be back with more coverage after they speak at a June 27 candidate forum hosted by the League of Women Voters of Greater Tucson.
A new option: California-based Anchored Tiny Homes, which offers a one-stop solution to adding an extra dwelling on a person’s property, is setting up shop in Tucson this month, the Arizona Daily Star’s Gabriela Rico writes. The company has 15 models of assisted dwelling units that range in size from 240-square-foot studios to 1,003-square-foot, two-bedroom homes. Prices range from about $100,000 to $250,000.
Monsoon madness: This summer’s transition between El Niño and La Niña has brought uncertainty to Tucson’s monsoon season, Arizona Public Media’s Hannah Cree writes. Meteorologists have only tracked 10 similar weather pattern transitions since the 1950s, most producing wetter than average monsoons. However, Southern Arizona is coming off a relatively wet winter, which typically produces drier summers. Meteorologists say most models are indicating below average rainfall, but the competing patterns are making it tough to predict.
In the spotlight: Pima County Medical Examiner Dr. Greg Hess and his work to track heat-related deaths were highlighted by NPR’s Alejandra Borunda for an episode of All Things Considered. Hess’ hope is to provide insights based on data so that lawmakers and advocates have the information they need to save lives. Here in Pima County, the Public Health Department is exploring ways to use Hess’ data to help figure out where to put cooling centers and help identify people at excessive risk from heat, like mobile home residents.
Magic bandage: University of Arizona researchers are working on a quarter-sized sensor that would attach to a wound like a bandage and report to a person’s doctor if an infection is growing, KGUN’s Craig Smith reports. Some versions of the bandage would also have healing properties and help speed up healing time. The Department of Defense is sponsoring the research in anticipation of future wars in which wounded soldiers might not be able to be rushed to a well-equipped hospital.
Quite the honor: Patagonian author and ethnobotanist Gary Nabhan won a James Beard Award last weekend for a 2023 book he co-authored, the Patagonia Regional Times’ Jay Babcock and Carrie White write. “Agave Spirits: The Past, Present and Future of Mezcals, won in the “Beverage Writing without Recipes” category. “Agave Spirits” traces the 8,000-year history of the agave plant’s use in North America, as well as its water-efficient life cycle, mutually beneficial interaction with animals and other plants and how it can help deal with heat, drought and health problems.
Delayed response: Police are investigating recent vandalism at local nonprofit Children and Family Resources that resulted in more than $80,000 in damages, KVOA’s Chorus Nylander reports. KVOA reported on the vandalism last week, which included damage to the AC unit and the theft of copper wiring, with employees saying at the time that the police did not come in response to their 911 call. TPD said that the public safety communications department triaged the call and didn’t transfer it to officers.
38,299: The number of voters in the Town of Marana, according to the Pima County Recorder’s Office.
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Great report.