Former Pima County Sheriff Mark Napier formally kicked off his mayoral campaign Saturday at Noble Hops, telling supporters that he has already gathered enough signatures to qualify for the ballot and plans to submit them soon. The gathering marked the formal start of his campaign ahead of Oro Valley’s July 21 mayoral primary election, a campaign on which we first reported last month.
Supporters and community figures attend
The gathering had the feel of a campaign kickoff, with Napier thanking those who attended and encouraging supporters to help build momentum as the election season begins. Among those present were Michael and Bonnie Quinn, founders of Rockin’ 4 Heroes. Napier thanked them for their support and for helping bring the gathering together,. Council hopefuls Rhonda Piña and Jake Herrington also attended the event.
Napier told the group that his decision to run for mayor grows out of a lifetime spent in public service. He began his law enforcement career in 1981 and later served four years as Pima County Sheriff. Over the course of his career he led large organizations and managed substantial public budgets, experience he said prepared him for the challenges facing Oro Valley’s town government.
Napier offered an example from his law enforcement career, noting that while serving as a Tucson Police Department captain he was given a $24 million budget to convert a former Kmart building into a police station. The project was completed $1 million under budget. He cited that experience as an illustration of fiscal discipline in public administration, telling supporters, “What I bring to the table: A fiscal conservative base and decades of experience.”
Believes fiscal pressures are in the town's future
“Our expenditures and our revenues are not tracking in parallel lines. Inevitably those lines cross… our revenues are no longer supporting our expenditures.” He said the town’s services, including public safety, parks and roads, depend on maintaining financial balance. “What real leaders do is they look out and imagine the future ten years from now… and then they say to themselves… what do I have to do today to ensure that we get to that place ten years from now?” In a separate conversation with LOVE, Napier cautioned that annexations of retail-rich areas, such as those discussed in a recent council meeting, will take time and are not certain to occur.
Campaign begins ahead of July election
Napier concluded by thanking those in attendance and asking for their support as the campaign moves forward. He noted that running a campaign requires both volunteers and financial support, encouraging those present to help spread the word or contribute to the campaign. With the July primary election approaching, the kickoff event signaled the beginning of what is expected to be an active mayoral race in Oro Valley.
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