City council candidates speak out at forum Comments 0 | Recommend 0 October 11, 2007 - 11:08PM BY WILLIAM ROLLER, SUN STAFF WRITER Four candidates for two open seats on the Yuma City Council discussed important issues less than a month before the Nov. 6 election. People for the USA hosted the two-hour debate Thursday evening at the Yuma County Development Services Building. The candidates who attended were Cody Beeson, Jack Kretzer and Richard Ortega, all of whom advanced during the Sept. 11 primary election elimination round. Raul Mendoza, who also advanced during the primary, could not attend because he had a medical appointment in San Diego. A write-in candidate, Kathleen Neeb (Deck), was included in the debate. She qualified last week for the general election when she submitted the required forms to the city clerk's office, according to Greg Hyland, city of Yuma spokesman. The five hopefuls are vying for two seats on the Yuma City Council. Each candidate answered all of the same questions posed by moderator Dale Marler, vice president of People of the USA. The candidates agreed mostly with one another - with Mendoza and Beeson both supporting the hospitality tax. Mendoza had a written statement read before the other candidates debated one another. After expressing regrets that he was unable to alter his schedule conflict, Mendoza said he supported Proposition 100, which proposes to extend the hospitality tax until 2034 and raise the rate from 2 percent to 2-1/2 percent because he said it is necessary to keep up with growth and needed infrastructure to accommodate it. Beeson said he did not like the idea of raising the hospitality tax rate but noted he wants the community to keep growing and the city needs the revenue to expand. While Beeson said he supports extending the tax at its current rate of 2 percent, he said he is opposed to increasing the tax rate to 2-1/2 percent. Ortega said the tax hurts small business and those on a fixed income and that 30 years is too long for the tax. Neeb (Deck) also opposed the tax and said when added to city and federal taxes, it is too much for residents. Kretzer said the tax ought to meet the same fate of the recently defeated Gila Mountain annexation, which was defeated in the primary election, and that there will be no shortfall within the city's budget if the initiative is defeated. Another issue raised was what the new council's role should be in influencing growth. Growth should pay for itself, but in Yuma, the residents pay to subsidize it, Kretzer said. Ortega said he was in favor of growth but not the way the current council has been conducting expansion because it encroaches on farms and the Marine Corps Air Station and that it should be more controlled. Neeb (Deck) said the city is growing too quickly and the city needs to restrict some commercial development. How the city should provide youths with recreation and entertainment opportunities was another question addressed to the candidates. Kretzer said he would like to see community centers throughout town similar to one in Carver Park but the city should not focus on providing organized activities. Beeson cited the Yuma Youth Boxing Association as a good example of how to set good morals and ground rules for youths and that the city should help out with the parks and recreation system. Neeb (Deck) also agreed with the others of continuing support for parks and recreation facilities, but she favored more organized activities. Ortega suggested when ever developers apply for a new project that a parcel of land be set aside for a soccer field or recreation facility. All of the candidates present said the new council next year needs to be more open and accessible with residents and that the council needs to restore a sense of greater trust. --- EDITOR'S NOTE: Story updated 10-13-07. A story on Page B1 of Friday's edition of The Sun reported Yuma City Council candidate Cody Beeson supports an extension of the city's hospitality tax, which is collected on hotel stays and restaurant and bar sales within the city limits. While Beeson said he supports extending the tax at its current rate of 2 percent, he said he is opposed to increasing the tax rate to 2-1/2 percent. In the Nov. 6 general election, voters will be asked to extend the tax to 2034 and to increase it to 2-1/2 percent. Beeson said he wants the tax to stay at 2 percent. Also a story on Page 1 of Thursday's edition reported that council candidate Richard Ortega previously served a full term on the council. Ortega assumed a four-term in January 1978 but resigned in June 1980 to run for the Yuma County Board of Supervisors, according to city officials.