Elvis Has Entered the Tempe City Council Building

Elvis has entered the Tempe City Council building and would like to become part of the local governing body, serving its residents. 

If elected, John Elvis Taska would focus on affordability, especially in housing, sustainability and living. 

Mr. Taska graciously took the time to interview with Blog for Arizona to discuss his candidacy for the Tempe City Council. 

The questions and his responses are below. 

Please tell the readers two reasons you would like to run for the Tempe City Council. 

“Tempe is my home, and it’s the place that I’m pledging to protect. I was born and raised here, and I’ve just seen how outside influence and unchecked development and lack of transparency can weaken the heart of a community.”

“I’m running because Tempe needs leaders who will stand up for affordability, fairness, and the everyday residents who make this city vibrant. So, I’d say my mission is really to safeguard what makes Tempe special so that future generations can inherit a city full of opportunity, connection, and kindness.”

Please tell the readers two issues you are running on for the Tempe City Council. 

“One of them absolutely is defending affordable housing and ensuring that Tempe remains a place where students, working families, and long-time residents aren’t pushed out by rising costs. That means championing responsible development and mixed-income housing while also protecting renters.”

“Second, I think that I’m really going to be fighting for sustainability and livability — and I think that those kind of go together. I really believe in the parks. I want to expand green spaces, bike routes and pedestrian safety, protecting our water and natural resources. A strong city, in my opinion, is one that can endure and thrive for decades to come. Sustainability is really going to be a cornerstone of how I look at all problems

What are at least two reasons voters should choose you for the Tempe City Council? 

“I know Tempe Streets, schools, and neighborhoods like the back of my hand because I’ve lived here and worked here my entire life. My roots give me a unique understanding of our city’s challenges and also our strengths. I’d like to think that I’m action-tested over the last two decades now. I’ve built community art projects, managed non-profit businesses and programs, and led teams that have advocated for vulnerable populations.”

“I can unite people with a problem-solving skill that really delivers results. I’m already fighting for this community, so the two reasons would really be because I’m from here — I live here, I’m not going anywhere — and I have a unique skill set that I believe lends itself to the problems that Tempe is currently facing.”

There are three slots. There are three current incumbents running for those slots again. Why should voters pick you over one of the incumbents? 

“I think that our incumbents and our City Council generally want to do right by Tempe, but I do think some people may or may not know that Tempe (City Council) is at-large, and we’re not districted up.

In the territory that I live in — the Central Business District within a mile of Mill Avenue, we don’t really have the representation that I believe we should have. That’s why I believe that me over some of those incumbents would be important for certain residents within our city.”

Please share how you will reach out to voters and convince them that you are one of the right candidates for the Tempe City Council. 

The best way to earn trust is to show up, and I’m going to be walking neighborhoods. I’ve already been doing that. I’m going to host open conversations. I’m really going to listen deeply before speaking — and I’m going to use every tool possible, face-to-face meetings, community gatherings, online forums. Hopefully, that’ll make sure that voters know that I’m accessible, that I’m ready to work alongside them, and they can keep me accountable. I’m not here to convince people with slogans.  I’m going to do it by demonstrating that I’m ready to fight for the future of Tempe.”

Is there anything not covered in the first four questions that you would like readers to know about you and your candidacy for the Tempe City Council? 

One is that I’m not a career politician. I’m a neighbor. I’m a builder and a protector of this community. My candidacy really isn’t about climbing a ladder — it’s about answering a call. My goal is simple. I really want to guard the values that make Tempe extraordinary and to make sure that those values guide every decision that’s made in the City Council. 

But on top of that, I feel very strongly about national pressures that are really challenging our state. I feel very strongly about women’s autonomy, their right to vote, and their right to be respected as equals in our state. I also feel very strongly about the preservation and conservation of our state lands and making sure that there’s not overreach that could cause potential environmental disasters for our city that we are not necessarily preparing for. And then, Constitutional rights: I think that our right to assemble and our right to free speech are really just being encroached on. We have an abundance in Tempe, and we should be leading all across the state in these types of arenas.”

Please click here to find out more information about John Elvis Taska and his candidacy for the Tempe City Council.