2025-12-19 Tempe Chamber of Commerce City Council Candidate Forum

On December 19, 2025, the Tempe Chamber of Commerce hosted a candidate forum for the upcoming March 10th primary election, which is a vote-by-mail only election. Seven candidates—incumbents Jennifer Adams, Arlene Chin, and Burdetta Hodge, along with challengers Bobby Nichols, Joe Forte, Brooke St. George, and Elvis Tesca—took part in a structured discussion moderated by Matt Heil. The forum focused on economic development, public safety, housing, and fiscal responsibility, providing voters with direct access to each candidate's vision and positions.

Consent Calendar

• No items. (This is a candidate forum; no official council actions or approvals were taken.)

Public Comments & Testimony

• No public comment period was held; the forum format restricted audience questions to ensure equal speaking time for candidates. All questions were drafted in advance by the Tempe Chamber of Commerce's Good Governance Committee.

Discussion Items

Minimum Wage Policy

• Elvis Tesca: Expressed full support for raising wages above the state minimum to ensure residents and workers are honored for their labor as the city's cost of living increases.
• Berdetta Hodge: Expressed a balanced position, stating the need for livable wages while emphasizing the necessity of protecting small businesses through grants and funding if wages are raised.
• Brooke St. George: Expressed conditional support, arguing that while workers need livable wages (citing a $600/week calculation), businesses also need support; she advocated for a circular economy approach using grants to ensure small businesses can pay livable wages without failing.
• Joe Forte: Expressed opposition to raising the minimum wage, arguing that it discourages the hiring of entry-level workers (e.g., 16-year-olds) and encourages automation, citing California's fast-food industry as an example of job loss.
• Arlene Chin: Expressed a preference for moving away from a narrow focus on minimum wage toward upskilling opportunities, advocating for high-wage, high-skill jobs through partnerships.
• Bobby Nichols: Expressed full support for a higher minimum wage, arguing that if it had kept pace with productivity since the 1970s, it should be closer to $25/hour to match Tempe's elevated costs for housing, transportation, and groceries; he believes this increases purchasing power that benefits local businesses.
• Jennifer Adams: Expressed support for maintaining the current voter-approved minimum wage level without raising it further, arguing that improving housing affordability would be a more effective way to increase residents' expendable income.

Budget Priorities and Taxation

• Berdetta Hodge: Expressed opposition to routinely raising city taxes, suggesting the city should prioritize securing federal and state grants and lobbying state partners rather than increasing the tax burden on residents, noting that the state already raises taxes annually.
• Brooke St. George: Expressed a position against raising taxes on citizens, advocating for smarter resource allocation (sending mental health professionals to non-violent calls) and adopting a "Housing First" model to reduce long-term costs and avoid tax increases.
• Joe Forte: Expressed opposition to raising taxes, questioning the return on investment for the increased budget and suggesting revenue should be generated through large-scale events like bringing back a bowl game to Tempe.
• Arlene Chin: Expressed concern over a projected $140 million loss in sales tax and a $21 million hit in rental tax, stating clearly that new or increased taxes are not the answer to preserve services.
• Bobby Nichols: Expressed support for implementing a 2% transaction privilege tax increase specifically targeting short-term rentals (Airbnbs), commercial shipping, leases, and construction projects to raise approximately $40 million to offset deficits and fund universal pre-k.
• Jennifer Adams: Expressed strong opposition to raising taxes, citing her past fiscal responsibility running departmental budgets in the black and her experience navigating three economic downturns; she advocates for budget management over tax hikes.
• Elvis Tesca: Expressed a conditional position supporting taxes only if they clearly improve safety, infrastructure, or public education, suggesting that taxes should be levied on large businesses that do not live in Tempe rather than on neighbors, single mothers, or those on fixed incomes.

Drink Spiking Mandates

• Brooke St. George: Expressed support for the goal of protecting patrons but expressed caution regarding mandates without financial support; she supports subsidies or grants if businesses are required to provide kits.
• Joe Forte: Expressed opposition to a blanket mandate, arguing the solution is flawed for different drink containers; he suggested a trial period in a few bars to test efficacy before proceeding.
• Arlene Chin: Expressed a position favoring education and partnership with businesses first, stating mandates should be the very last resort.
• Bobby Nichols: Expressed full support for the ordinance as currently proposed (where the city pays for tests/covers), viewing it as a necessary protection for ASU students and vulnerable individuals.
• Jennifer Adams: Expressed opposition to mandates on businesses, suggesting low-cost DIY solutions (drink tops) and education, viewing mandates as the last resort due to thin business margins.
• Elvis Tesca: Expressed a position that high-margin alcohol businesses should bear the responsibility for safety and consent, rather than a blanket mandate on all businesses, while acknowledging the changing culture of drinking.
• Berdetta Hodge: Expressed a position of listening and collaboration, serving on the sub-committee where the goal is to ensure safety without financially burdening businesses; she noted current efforts to survey business impacts and utilize grants.

Streetcar Expansion to Mesa

• Joe Forte: Expressed conditional support, stating he would support the project only if it increases economic activity, specifically citing the Cubs Stadium as a destination.
• Arlene Chin: Expressed support for the expansion if it aligns with existing transportation and includes fair funding contributions from Mesa and federal/state partners.
• Bobby Nichols: Expressed full support, citing studies that show a $4 return on every dollar invested in public transportation, and advocating for expanded transit to reduce the cost of car culture.
• Jennifer Adams: Expressed full support, citing her chairmanship of Valley Metro, federal funding secured by Congressman Stanton, and the economic success of the Apache corridor after light rail installation.
• Elvis Tesca: Expressed full support for public transportation infrastructure, highlighting its importance for disabled individuals and college students, and advocating for expanded access to South Tempe.
• Berdetta Hodge: Expressed support for expansion but emphasized the need for strong communication and subsidies to protect small businesses along the corridor from closing during construction.
• Brooke St. George: Expressed full support, noting the requirement for housing density to secure federal funding and the economic benefits of increased mobility and tourism between Tempe and Mesa.

Business License Incentives

• Arlene Chin: Expressed full support for incentives similar to Mesa's model, which includes workforce training and development for registered businesses.
• Bobby Nichols: Expressed support for incentives focused on assisting with business rentals and wage assistance to support new and local businesses.
• Jennifer Adams: Expressed support for the $25 annual fee increase as a means to track businesses and mentor them, stating that successful businesses are the heart of the community.
• Elvis Tesca: Echoed support but expressed that incentives should be determined via a survey of small business owners rather than set by the council.
• Brooke St. George: Expressed support for dedicating portions of the license fee revenue to workforce development programs like "Career Ready Tempe."
• Joe Forte: Expressed opposition to the business license itself, calling it misguided government overreach, though noted he wouldn't fight to undo it; he argued it would not significantly benefit small business owners.
• Berdetta Hodge: Expressed support for incentives but emphasized the need for a survey of small business owners to determine what incentives would be most effective.

Workforce Development

• Bobby Nichols: Expressed support for expanding programs that connect ASU students and the unhoused to local jobs, emphasizing collaboration between the city, university, and chamber.
• Jennifer Adams: Expressed support for leveraging local educational institutions like EVIT and the Career Ready program to prepare the next generation.
• Elvis Tesca: Expressed concern about the future of jobs due to AI and robotics, advocating for expanded trade skills and collaborative learning between schools and nonprofits.
• Berdetta Hodge: Expressed full commitment to integrating AI into schools and connecting the education community with the workforce through her dual role on the Council and the High School District Board.
• Brooke St. George: Expressed support for educating youth on non-college pathways, including union training and company training centers.
• Joe Forte: Expressed support for existing workforce development partnerships.
• Arlene Chin: Expressed a position that workforce development must include upskilling and reskilling for adults, not just students, and highlighted the need to promote apprenticeship programs.

Candidate Differentiators

• Jennifer Adams: Highlighted her 37 years of service, leadership in annexation and Valley Metro, creating the park ranger program, and securing the Clark Park bond.
• Elvis Tesca: Highlighted his local family roots, community legacy, and focus on protecting vulnerable populations like the unhoused and seniors.
• Berdetta Hodge: Highlighted her unique dual role as a City Council member and Tempe Union High School District governing board member, plus her state and national lobbying connections.
• Brooke St. George: Highlighted her local roots, volunteerism (YMCA, PTO, STEM trips), and experience inside city government.
• Joe Forte: Highlighted his work founding "Keep Tempe Beautiful," volunteer coordination for Oktoberfest, and service on the Development Review Commission.
• Arlene Chin: Highlighted her 50+ years as a resident, direct communication style, and dedication to studying issues and being fair.
• Bobby Nichols: Highlighted his state-level policy experience protecting domestic violence survivors and his position as a public policy advocate changing the political discourse.

Key Outcomes

• No Voting or Formal Decisions: As this was a candidate forum, no votes, resolutions, or formal directives were adopted.
• Election Context Established: The forum clarified that the primary election is on March 10, 2025, with a potential general election on May 19, 2025, if no candidate secures a majority vote.
• Platform Divergence Noted: The transcript reveals significant divergence on fiscal policy (specifically the 2% tax increase proposed by Nichols vs. the opposition from Adams, Chin, and Forte) and social mandates (drink spiking kits and minimum wage).
• Public Safety Consensus: All candidates acknowledged the seriousness of public safety issues, though they diverged on specific implementation strategies (e.g., streetcar funding, drink spiking mandates, and crime reduction statistics attributed to current council actions by Adams).
• Next Steps: Candidates are expected to campaign leading up to the February 9 voter registration deadline. The Tempe Chamber of Commerce Good Governance Committee will later decide which candidates to endorse.