By Jessica Boehm | The Republic
Currently, only one incumbent running for re-election to the Phoenix
Half of the Phoenix City Council is up for reelection Tuesday, but all eyes will be on voters in east Phoenix where Councilman Sal DiCiccio is the only incumbent to face a challenger.
Kevin Patterson, executive development director with Banner Health, is trying to unseat the District 6 councilman who has served on council for more than 13 years.
District 6 encompasses some of the wealthiest and whitest communities in Phoenix, including the Biltmore, Arcadia and Ahwatukee Foothills.
It is considered a conservative-leaning district, though history illustrates it can be a wild-card. Before DiCiccio’s most recent stint on the council, left-leaning Mayor Greg Stanton held the seat for about a decade.
DiCiccio is a well-known fiscal conservative. He has been highly critical of Phoenix’s mushrooming deficit and public-safety pension costs. He is a controversial character at City Hall, often clashing with his fellow elected officials and community leaders.