By Mark Cowling | Pinal Central
There are four seats on the ballot. Les Buchner, Greg Curl, Rita Ann Ezzai and Jose “Mo” Maldonado are competing for three four-year seats. Nicole Buccellato is running unopposed for a two-year term.
What should be the town’s role, if any, in a popular and prosperous downtown area?
Buchner: Creating a prosperous historic downtown area requires a well-coordinated effort, and must involve both local government and downtown businesses.
The town will need to establish the necessary policies and commit investments in historic downtown, if we are to be successful. The town will also need to work with potential new business owners and help them through the process of doing what they need to do to establish their business. This potentially includes financial support through such things as grants, loans or town investments.
The building owners and businesses will need to play a key role in the development of new policies and must actively support making historic downtown prosperous and attractive to visitors. Everyone needs to “have skin in the game.”
