Q&A for LD13 candidates

​Here are responses from the Arizona Legislative District 13 candidates who replied to Independent Newsmedia’s questionnaire.

Candidates in the House races are vying for a maximum of two seats per party in July 30 primaries, while parties will nominate only one Senate candidate that day. In the Nov. 5 general election, the top two vote-getters in Arizona’s 30 House districts win seats, regardless of party, while only one senator is chosen per district.

With Democratic Rep. Jennifer Pawlik not running for re-election, there will be at least one new representative LD13. There are three Democratic Party candidates running in the July 30 primary.

Julie Willoughby, the Republican who was appointed to replace the expelled and newly elected Liz Harris last spring, is seeking to retain her seat. Jeff Weninger, who held a legislative seat for several years before, will be the other Republican alongside Willoughby in that primary, so both will automatically advance to the November general election.

LD13 encompasses much of Chandler, along with parts of the Town of Gilbert and unincorporated patches of Maricopa County.

Some candidates hadn’t responded to the questionnaire as of this writing. The responses below are listed alphabetically by the last name of each candidate.

HOUSE

Nick Gonzales

Most relevant professional experience: Owner, Estas Manos Coffee; community planner, Chicanos Por La Causa, Inc.
A brief list of who’s in your household family and which municipality you reside in: My girlfriend, my son, our dog Max and I live in Chandler.

Why are you running for this Arizona Legislature seat in 2024? I am deeply connected to the Chandler community.

As a business owner, I am passionate about economic development, housing affordability, and reproductive freedoms and know the importance of education so that Arizona’s economy can continue to thrive.

I am determined to mitigate barriers for future generations so that our children can grow up in safe communities and schools. That’s why I am eager to represent this district: to ensure that everyone’s voice is heard and their needs are met.

What skills have you demonstrated that are most useful in being a state lawmaker? Through my community planning background, I have experience coordinating with city economic development departments, and experience promoting growth through economic development.

I plan to bring this experience to the legislature so Arizona can continue to thrive.

Briefly, what should be the legislature’s most important guiding principle in determining how much to fund K-12 public schools? Education funding should not be used as a bargaining chip by our state legislature.

My goal is to bring collaboration and work on both sides of the aisle to negotiate practical resources for Arizona public schools.

Water supplies will likely be a much-discussed 2025 topic. Do you have a new idea in this arena that hasn’t been implemented, and how much should the state stick to all the provisions and metrics called for in the 1980 Groundwater Management Act? That act was important for protecting Arizona’s natural resources, and we should stick to the provisions that it provides. I have experience with groundwater management, and if we don’t address the issue now it doesn’t allow us to control growth in the valley which in turn hurts our community.

What steps should the state take to ensure more affordable housing is available to longtime Arizona residents, that it hasn’t sent to the governor as part of bill within the past two years? To ensure more affordable housing is available to longtime Arizona residents we must first better identify and define what affordable housing means and what is realistic for our community, and then create more effective state funding opportunities for affordable housing.

I directly work with state housing funds and low income housing projects, so I have seen how they can make a difference in people’s lives. More opportunities will give developers the ability to build more affordable housing units.

Brandy Reese

Most relevant professional experience: Forensic Scientist for the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation; organizer with Save Our Schools; organizer with Civic Engagement Beyond Voting.

Elected / appointed experience on governing boards or commissions: LD14 Democrats Executive Board, First Vice Chair, 2021; president of the Southwestern Association of Forensic Scientists, 2009-10; Southwestern Association of Forensic Scientists Board Chairperson, 2010–11; Southwestern Association of Forensic Scientists Board of Directors, 2005–07.

A brief list of who’s in your household family and which municipality you reside in: My husband, my two daughters who are currently college students out of state, I live in Chandler.

Why are you running for this Arizona Legislature seat in 2024? I am passionate about investing in our neighborhood schools, restoring our freedom to make our own healthcare decisions, making our community affordable for everyone, and securing our water and climate future.

What skills have you demonstrated that are most useful in being a state lawmaker? I am trained to make data-driven, evidence-based decisions.

I have negotiated challenging conversations between national partners and regional associations and found resolutions that satisfied all parties. This is especially important now when partisan politics have reached a fever-pitch, to have level-headed, critical thinkers shaping policy.

What should be the legislature’s most important guiding principle in determining how much to fund K-12 public schools? Education is the foundation for a thriving economy.

We must invest in our neighborhood schools. We must attract and retain permanent, qualified teachers with smaller classes for Arizona students so that they can learn in an environment that works for them.

Water supplies will likely be a much-discussed 2025 topic. Do you have a new idea in this arena that hasn’t been implemented, and how much should the state stick to all the provisions and metrics called for in the 1980 Groundwater Management Act? Water stewardship is a core tenant of my campaign.

Water conservation through public-private partnerships has been modeled in LD13 by Intel, who has been recognized by the Alliance for Water Stewardship through its work to both invest in water offsite as well as reusing water within its campus.

This partnership has conserved millions of gallons of water as well as provides a blueprint for how public-private partnerships can work together towards clean energy.
The 1980 Groundwater Management Act was an innovative piece of legislation and it is imperative that we continue to do all we can to conserve water.

What steps should the state take to ensure more affordable housing is available to longtime Arizona residents, that it hasn’t sent to the governor as part of bill within the past two years? We have members of our community who are worried about being able to afford a home or pay for rent.

As someone who has at times lived with relatives and in low-income housing, I understand this worry better than most. Our community’s quality of life is at risk if homes and rent are simply out of reach.

I will fight to increase access to first-time homeownership which will help create generational wealth while keeping our communities safe — because every Arizonan deserves to have a safe, secure and affordable home.

We’d like to invite our readers to submit their civil comments on this topic.  Email AZOpinions@iniusa.org . Email Jason W. Brooks at jbrooks@iniusa.org.