By Sonu Munshi
The Arizona Republic
Manuel Cruz and Jerry Weiers are in a hotly contested race to be Glendale’s next mayor, but the candidates share some common views, including increasing transparency at City Hall.
Still, when it comes to the problems linked to the city’s brewing budget crisis, the candidates’ views diverge.
The two debated in front of about 100 residents Tuesday at a forum hosted by The Arizona Republic and Thunderbird School of Global Management.
Voters on Nov. 6 will decide which candidate should replace Mayor Elaine Scruggs, who has held the post for nearly two decades.
Weiers, a former Republican state lawmaker, led the three-way August primary for the non-partisan seat, with about 46 percent of the votes. Cruz, who ran for state mine inspector as a Democratic candidate in 2010, garnered nearly 33 percent of votes.
The candidates had stark differences on many of the fiscal problems haunting Glendale, including a ballot initiative to repeal a sales-tax hike, a proposed tribal casino and how to deal with the budget.
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