NPR 89.1

2019 Tucson Ward 4 Election Candidate Guide

Tucson City Council candidates weigh in on issues facing the community, and how to solve them.
The Candidates Hover or tap on a candidate for more information

Cara Bissell (G)

WEBSITE Cara Bissell is a retired New York City high school teacher and president of Veterans for Peace Tucson, Chapter 13. She has been an Arizona resident for 10 years, having lived in Tucson for the last 4 years. Taken from the campaign website and edited for length.
Cara Bissell
NPR News

Cara Bissell

Green Party

Michael Hicks (R)

WEBSITE Michael Hicks moved to Tucson from from Columbus, Ohio, when he was young. He was the manager of intelligent transportation systems for Tucson’s Department of Transportation, and has taught at PCC for over 30 years. He served eight years as the president of the TUSD board. He holds a B.S. in leadership and management. Taken from the campaign website and edited for length.
Michael Hicks
NPR News

Michael Hicks

Republican

Nikki Lee (D)

WEBSITE Nikki Lee is a U.S. Air Force veteran from a small town in Illinois. She is an IT project manager in the aerospace and defense industry. She met her husband at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base and they decided to make Tucson their home. She has a B.A. in business administration. Taken from the campaign website and edited for length.
Nicki Lee
NPR News

Nikki Lee

Democrat
Do you support the city taking any of the following actions to deal with climate change?
Action Bissell HicksEwart Williams Lee
Create a climate action plan with targets for carbon emissions reductions.
Increase the city's use of renewable energy sources.
Incentivize businesses to increase renewable energy use.
Encourage the community to support actions that reduce carbon emissions, but no formal city role.
Expand use of electric buses and other city vehicles.
Require rainwater harvesting on all new development.
Expand or require more tree planting in public spaces citywide.
Expand greenspace (parks, non-paved public space, development regulations).
Prioritize economic development among businesses with climate change plans.
Create/expand programs to help residents learn about and pay for home/behavioral modifications.
Encourage energy efficient technology and building upgrades in city properties.
This is not a city responsibility.
Explain your answer (optional)
Cara Bissell “Road maintenance and development that supports internal combustion engines relates to the existential human made climate crisis. We need to take the opportunities available to us to minimize CO2 pollution.”
Michael Hicks “I will encourage others and do what they can to reduce carbon footprint.”
Nicki Lee “City policies need to reflect the importance of this issue. It’s important that we incentivize and strongly recommend the use of systems like rainwater harvesting, but we need to ensure that new policies don't impact housing affordability, as additional costs are often passed on to individuals.”
TOPIC: Roads/Infrastructure
If given only one choice, what is the best way for the city to pay for road repair today?
Action Bissell HicksEwart Williams Lee
Increase taxes.
Reallocate existing funds.
Explain your answer (optional)
Cara Bissell “The Priority must be to minimize the need for using cars & family vehicles. Increasing fuel tax that will go directly to making public transportation available to everyone and lessening the need to use private vehicles for work and shopping while maintaining roads at the same time. Reduce CO2!”
Michael Hicks “I will audit the City's budget and prioritize by what our Charter mandates then reallocate to roads and Public Safety first.”
Nicki Lee “My goal is to create a strong, robust, and diversified economy that will generate more revenue for the city. We can use these additional funds to invest in our roads.”
Select all of the transportation strategies the city should spend money on.
Action Bissell HicksEwart Williams Lee
Buses/expanding bus routes.
Streetcar/expanding streetcar route.
Multi-use: maintaining/expanding bike routes, sidewalks, bus pullouts.
Widening roads to increase vehicle capacity.
Bike share, scooter share programs.
Adding electric buses to the Sun Tran fleet.
Road repair (filling potholes, reconstructing bad roads).
Accessibility (ADA compliance such as sidewalk ramps).
Bus stop shelters.
Street lighting.
Programs to convert gas vehicles to electric vehicles.
None of the above.
Explain your answer (optional)
Michael Hicks “I’m for thoughtful expansion for all of our existing transportation modes.”
TOPIC: Sanctuary City
Do you support the sanctuary city initiative going before voters this fall?
Action Bissell HicksEwart Williams Lee
Yes
No
Why or why not?
Cara Bissell “Prop 205 will allow people safety to use hospitals, religious institutions and schools by keeping ICE out of these places. It is the morally & ethically called for. 49 organizations including the ACLU and AFSC (Quakers) endorse Prop 205. Fear of loosing a standard of living is unfounded.”
Michael Hicks “The City of Tucson is already a Welcoming City and the way this proposal is written will have a negative effect on State and Federal funding to the City of Tucson. I’m not willing to take any risks of losing $125 million in State funding and 11.2 million in federal grants.”
Nicki Lee “I support this initiative going before the voters because they did the work necessary to qualify for the ballot. The issue should be presented to the voters and I will support the will of the voters.”
Do city policies already do enough to protect immigrant interactions with law enforcement?
Action Bissell HicksEwart Williams Lee
Yes
No
Explain (optional)
Cara Bissell “The fact that our countries basis constitutionally if for freedom for all yet has practiced indigenous genocide and slavery to make the U.S. better commercially. This dichotomy in large measure exists in spirit to this very day. Prop 205 puts into words the procedure reinforcing police policy.”
Michael Hicks “General orders: there are policies and practices that have been put in place over the past decade to direct and clarify how our Tucson Police officers will interact with undocumented persons and handle immigration enforcement issues.”
Nicki Lee “It’s important to listen to both sides of any issue. I value the work that our first responders and law enforcement officers do. But I also recognize that there are gaps that can be addressed. I want to work to find additional policies to make sure everyone feels safe in our city.”
TOPIC: Housing
Is the city doing enough to prevent and/or end homelessness?
Action Bissell HicksEwart Williams Lee
Yes
No
Explain (optional)
Cara Bissell “People met on the streets in this past month state affordable homes is a priority for them and the city.”
Michael Hicks “Unfortunately the City of Tucson has always had a homeless problem. The City needs to partner better with our non-profit organizations in removing obstacles that keep our homeless for finding shelter.”
Nicki Lee “Homelessness is a problem in all major cities. We have made great strides in Tucson, but we can do more to be proactive about preventing homelessness. Understanding the root causes of homelessness will help us get ahead of the issue and do more to prevent it.”
How important is it for the city of Tucson to make policies that support housing affordability?
12345
Not important at allMichael HicksCara BissellNikki LeeExtremely important
Gentrification is a problem in Tucson.
12345
Strongly disagreeMichael HicksCara BissellNikki LeeStrongly agree
TOPIC: Economic development
Do you support the continued use of tax incentives for businesses to encourage growth in certain parts of the city?
Action Bissell HicksEwart Williams Lee
Yes
No
Maybe
Why or why not? Which parts of the city?
Cara Bissell “It depends upon the business. We need to stimulate businesses that will be hiring existing high school graduates as well as further educated specialists. To give "tax incentives" to companies who bring in outside employees is not doing Tucson a favor. Companies supporting Green Technologies - YES.”
Michael Hicks “Opportunity zones are already identified within the City of Tucson and we should encourage and support growth in these zones.”
Nicki Lee “Tax incentives are an important component for encouraging growth, but not the only one. Incentives help ensure that Tucson is competitive and can attract employers that offer high-quality, good-paying jobs for Tucsonans. I don't think they should be limited to certain parts of the city.”
TOPIC: Open-ended
What is the No. 1 issue in your ward?
Cara Bissell “Providing affordable housing in the newly acquired city land and employment to support the house owners.”
Michael Hicks “Lack of Public Transportation and Public Safety”
Nicki Lee “The two things that I hear about most often in Ward 4 are roads and response times for our first responders. We need to continue expanding the roads to support the growth of Ward 4, and maintaining their quality. Response times are also a major issue for Ward 4 residents that need to be addressed.”
What is your favorite restaurant in your ward?
Cara Bissell “Joe's Pancake House”
Michael Hicks “There are many great restaurants in Ward 4 and I enjoy eating at all of them.”
Nicki Lee “McGraw’s Cantina”
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