Riddled with pot holes, filled with vagrants, and facing an economic meltdown, the City of Tucson has one more issue to worry about according to the two candidates in the running for city manager. Tucson’s Mayor and City Council hosted a public forum on Tuesday to allow the public to meet the two finalists: Mary Jacobs and Michael Ortega.
Ortega, originally from Douglas, AZ, has acted as Cochise County County Administrator since July 2007. Jacobs is also from southern Arizona and currently serves as the Chief Operations Officer and sole Assistant City Manager for the City of sierra Vista.
Members of the public were allowed to submit questions to the duo. Former failed Green Party mayoral candidate Mary DeCamp submitted a question concerning the depth of the candidate’s concern about climate change on a scale of 1 thru 10.
Both candidates said they were extremely concerned.
Ortega said that he is “very concerned, having been born an raised in southern Arizona. I have see change in weather patterns and the way things used to be. I would definitely put it at a 6 or 7.”
Jacobs said, “I am certainly concerned with climate change, and having gone thru the Monument Fire, I would certainly put it at a 7. I do think it is the responsibility to participate in those actions to reduce our carbon footprint. Is it the local government’s responsibility? No, but we have to do our part.”
Today, at 8 a.m., candidates will interview with citizens of the 14-member City Manager Appointment Advisory Committee, which then will make its recommendations to Mayor and Council.