Tempe City Council Candidate Forum – January 15, 2026

The Arizona Republic and AZ Central hosted a candidate forum for the Tempe City Council election (March 10, 2026) at the Tempe History Museum. Seven candidates—Elvis Tasca, Brooke St. George, Bobby Nichols, Joe Forte, Arlene Chin, Jennifer Adams, and Berdetta Hodge—answered questions on the city budget, homelessness, public safety (ICE), housing, and more. The forum was moderated by reporter Taylor Seely.

Opening Statements

• Elvis Tasca (candidate): Expressed concern about fairness being “chipped away” and said city problems are where he has power to act.
• Brooke St. George (candidate): Highlighted her roots in Tempe and experience working inside City Hall, saying she can “hit the ground running.”
• Bobby Nichols (candidate): Emphasized housing, transportation, and grocery costs, arguing that council decisions have benefited developers and large businesses.
• Joe Forte (candidate): Stressed his business ownership, wanting to make Tempe the easiest place to do business, revitalize Mill Avenue, and attract future jobs.
• Arlene Chin (candidate): Cited 55+ years in Tempe and board leadership, describing her style as “pragmatic.”
• Jennifer Adams (candidate): Noted 37 years of city service, including as a social worker and public works director, and pointed to her role in passing a road repair bond.
• Berdetta Hodge (candidate, arrived late from another meeting): Emphasized her experience on diverse community boards and her straightforward leadership.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No public comments were taken during the forum; the event was a structured candidate debate with questions from the moderator and audience.

Discussion Items

• City Budget & Revenue: Tempe faces a $21 million hit from state revenue reductions. Candidates debated where to cut and whether to raise taxes.

  • St. George proposed priority-based budgeting, a hiring freeze, and 90-day zero-based budgeting sprints. She would keep youth transit free but resist universal fare-free transit.
  • Nichols called for reducing spending on criminalization of homelessness and raising taxes on short-term rentals, corporate leases, and private shipping, projecting $40 million annually.
  • Forte focused on expanding events and tourism, such as farmers markets and a bowl game, to generate tax revenue.
  • Chin suggested shifting project timelines and using reserve funds, not raising taxes.
  • Adams noted a hiring freeze already in place (10% budget cut) and cited a 46% decrease in homelessness.
  • Tasca said he would not cut nonprofit funding for homeless services and believes some businesses should pay more.

• Homelessness Response: Candidates generally agreed on the need for partnerships (public-private-nonprofit) and housing-first approaches.

  • Adams highlighted the “Hometown for All” program, hotel acquisitions, and a 46% reduction in homelessness.
  • Nichols advocated for building 300-400 units of permanent supportive housing on public land.
  • St. George supported housing first, funding shelter, and embedding street outreach in parks.
  • Tasca emphasized engaging more volunteers and mentoring.
  • Hodge stressed a regional approach and addressing root causes with emotional support.
  • Forte called for more public-private outreach similar to the Aeris Foundation.

• Five-Year Homelessness Goals (written and read aloud):

  • Arlene Chin: “Zero percent homelessness because we have continued our award-winning programs.”
  • Elvis Tasca: “We’ve implemented a housing first model that solved a number of problems at once. It made our parks safe, our city costs are reduced, and our people are loved.”
  • Bobby Nichols: “The complete elimination of unsheltered homelessness by building public permanent supportive housing on public land to implement the historically successful housing first policy.”
  • Berdetta Hodge: “More housing, more emotional support, more financial stability in the next five years.”
  • Brooke St. George: “Building bridges between the city and mutual aid groups and communities where we were working together and not in silos.”
  • Joe Forte and Jennifer Adams did not submit written goals during this segment.

• ICE & Public Safety: Candidates expressed strong opposition to ICE actions and supported non-cooperation.

  • Hodge stated ICE is federal, and the city’s role is to keep citizens safe, not interfere.
  • Adams praised the Tempe Police for not cooperating with ICE.
  • Nichols called for canceling the Flock camera contract, which he said can be monitored by ICE, and for creating “ICE-free zones” on city property.
  • St. George supported know-your-rights campaigns and police outreach.
  • Forte said he would not change current policy.
  • Tasca and others condemned ICE’s actions as “vile” and urged protections for residents.

• Development & Density: Candidates generally supported the 2050 General Plan, with most saying they would rarely approve amendments.

  • St. George supported density near transit and the International Green Construction Code.
  • Nichols emphasized enforceable affordable housing requirements (e.g., Dorsey Station project).
  • Hodge stressed preserving neighborhood character and historic sites.
  • Forte pushed for more condo development (200k–300k units) instead of luxury apartments.
  • Chin, Adams, and Tasca also backed the general plan and balanced growth.
  • When asked about rejecting general plan amendments, most answered “no” or “usually no,” with only Hodge (and later others) saying “no.”

• Districting vs. At-Large System: Candidates split on whether Tempe should adopt a district system.

  • Nichols supported districts, arguing the current at-large system over-represents the wealthiest zip code (85284).
  • Hodge, Chin, Adams, and Forte opposed districts, citing Tempe’s small size (44 sq. miles) and the value of citywide representation.
  • St. George and Tasca supported redistricting or districts to increase diversity and local representation.

• Housing Affordability: Candidates offered a mix of strategies.

  • Forte promoted condos for homeownership.
  • Chin and Adams emphasized workforce housing and following the general plan.
  • St. George supported tenant protections, mixed-income housing, and piloting free or low-fare transit routes.
  • Nichols pushed for expanded pre-K, fare-free transit, and enforceable affordable housing requirements.
  • Tasca called for conversations with ASU to create jobs that let graduates stay in Tempe.

• Public Transportation: Candidates wrote one-word or short answers: “Expansion” (Chin, Nichols, St. George, Tasca), “More transportation throughout the city” (Hodge), “No changes” (Forte), and “Free transportation for seniors and disabled” (Adams).

• Public Input: Candidates pledged to listen and communicate decisions.

  • Chin said she evaluates facts, opinions, and feelings.
  • Hodge insisted on neighborhood meetings.
  • St. George promised to explain decisions back to residents.
  • Tasca pledged no secret meetings and to protect public comment.
  • Adams said she would be open and accessible.

• Change vs. Same: When asked whether residents would see more change or more of the same, most said “change” (Adams qualified “continue what we’re doing and change in a positive direction”; Chin said “change because of process improvement”; Forte, Hodge, Tasca, St. George all answered “change”; Nichols answered “change” through increased public engagement).

Key Outcomes

• No votes were taken; the forum was informational.
• The election is March 10, 2026; voter registration deadline is February 9, 2026; ballots must be mailed by March 3, 2026.
• For three city council seats, seven candidates are running: Elvis Tasca, Brooke St. George, Bobby Nichols, Joe Forte, Arlene Chin, Jennifer Adams, and Berdetta Hodge.
• Candidates’ positions were shared on budget cuts, tax increases, homeless policy, ICE cooperation, development, and governance structure. No formal decisions or directives were issued.