Left to right: Club President Vicki Barber; Jonathan Hill and Ylenia Aguilar, both candidates for the AZ Corporation Commission; and Heather Macre, candidate for the Central AZ Water Conservation District (photo by Gillian Driscoll)
Gillian Driscoll
The PebbleCreek (PC) Democratic Club resumed meetings in September after a short break for the summer. An enthusiastic crowd heard good news about Democratic politics both local and national, and were surprised with the news that the club will soon have a new website thanks to member Renee Borsari and input from a committee of club members. The club is indebted to Renee for using her technical and creative skills to completely revamp our website to be both user–friendly and attractive.
In continuing the club tradition of giving a forum to as many candidates on the November ballot as possible, we welcomed two down ballot candidates. The ballots this year are long with 79 items to be voted on, so it is important to be informed about the candidates who come toward the end of the list.
The first speaker was Heather Macre. Heather has been on the Central Arizona Water Conservation District for 12 years and is running to keep her seat. The board consists of 15 nonpartisan members and covers 360 miles of canal system in three counties. She spoke of the importance of water conservation in our desert environment and of the challenges concerning the Colorado River and the underground aquifers that supply us.
The second speaker, Jonathan Hill, is a first–time candidate running for the Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC). Jonathan is a geologist, scientist, and engineer who works at Arizona State University on the Mars missions and on the upcoming Jupiter mission. As the main function of the ACC is to monitor and regulate our utilities and also to control monopolies for these services (something it has not done well in recent years), Jonathan feels that a board member with a scientific and geological background will be an asset to the Commission.
Also at the meeting were Laura Kaino, recently voted Vice Mayor of Goodyear, Eric Stafford, candidate for the Arizona Senate, and Tom Tzitura, candidate for the Arizona House. Members were also delighted and surprised by an impromptu speech from Congressional District 9 Candidate, Quacy Smith, who gave us important information about the lack of funding for Democratic races in the West Valley and encouraged us to support these candidates generously.
The October meeting of the PC Democratic Club will again welcome Dr. Smith, this time as the main speaker. He is currently running for a Congressional seat in CD9 opposite Republican Paul Gosar. CD9 is one of the biggest Districts in the country and Dr. Smith and his team are hoping to reach the majority of voters. Dr. Smith is an ex-Marine, ex-police officer, former federal investigator, a lawyer, and a minister. He will be a strong representative for our sprawling district in Congress. His priorities center on reproductive rights, border security and immigration, voting rights, and the economy.
Come to this meeting on Oct. 9 and bring your friends so they too can meet Dr. Quacy Smith. The meeting is in the Eagle’s Nest Ballroom. Social hour begins at 6 p.m. and the meeting starts at 7 p.m.