Unsure who to vote for in Pinal County District 5 supervisor race? Hear from the candidates

The upcoming state primary will likely determine who represents Apache Junction and Superior on the Pinal County Board of Supervisors.

All of the county's top seats are up for grabs in 2024. Once rural, it is now one of the state's fastest-growing counties and is increasingly facing questions about its future. Its leaders must navigate rapid population growth and economic development needs, among other issues.

District 5 spans the top half of the county from Apache Junction to Top-of-the-World. It includes Dudleyville, Kearny, Superior and Gold Canyon.

Which district do you live in? Check with county maps.

Three Republicans are running to represent the district: incumbent Jeff Serdy, former politician Todd House and small business owner Rhonda Mattachione.

Serdy aims to hang onto his position for a second term after defeating House in 2020. House, a former state lawmaker, hopes to take his supervisor seat back. Meanwhile, Mattachione is a political newcomer. She owns and operates several Airbnbs near her home in Apache Junction and has worked as a yoga instructor and personal trainer.

No candidates of another recognized political party are in the race, so whoever wins will essentially take the seat outright.

The Arizona Republic asked each candidate questions about their bid for office and how they would handle key issues if elected. Mattachione did not respond to requests for comment. Here's what the rest of the candidates had to say. Answers may have been slightly edited for clarity and brevity.

Budgeting: Where would you increase or decrease county spending?

One of the primary responsibilities of the Board of Supervisors is to control the county’s checkbook. What areas of county government would you prioritize in your ideal county budget? Would you decrease spending in any areas? Please be as specific as possible within the word limit.

Jeff Serdy: It seems about 80% of citizens' concerns are regarding roads. We need more roads, we need new roads or we need to fix the ones we have. As much funding as possible should be allocated for transportation as well as law enforcement. Due to the federal government's policies, our residents feel less safe every day, so we can't scrimp on the Sheriff's Office. As for decreases — they seem to work themselves out as staff goes over the budget.

Todd House: I would make sure that public safety, such as the Sheriff's Office, and the court system, including the jails, would get supported first. We must keep our citizens safe and secure. Next, I would make sure that the Public Health Department was funded to keep citizens healthy and cared for. Third, I would make sure that the Public Works Department has the support they need to keep the roads in good shape. I never want to exclude our employees. They have to feel confident and secure.

With the election coming up, we need to make sure county staff have all the tools they need to make sure we have a fair and secure election. We need to make sure Information Technology Services has the ability to keep criminals out of our systems and keep valuable information safe. All the other departments would be assigned a strict budget that they would have to stay within. I would decrease spending for our Risk Management Department. I think a lot of their procedures are duplicative and can be managed by each department.

Arizona election: Read our full coverage of county supervisor races.

Growth: How would you address continued population increases?

In recent years, Pinal County has experienced rapid growth. That has tested the region’s roads and left many areas of county government understaffed, among other issues. How would you position and prepare the county to navigate the ongoing influx of new residents?

Serdy: We're such a large county. I hope to continue to staff the satellite offices with personnel nearer to where employees and residents live. This will not only be convenient for citizens that live in the area, but also offer a more pleasant commute for employees.

House: As a smaller government candidate, I would look for more efficiency in every department. When I was on the board, we discussed a system called "pay for performance." This system would reward employees who worked harder and smarter and brought the level of the department to a competitive level. Also, the morale of the employees is low and we need to work to give our employees confidence that they have a good future in Pinal County. When I was a supervisor, I had a good relationship with the developers, so we would work together for a better county and could compete for economic development.

Economic development: How do you plan to bring jobs to Pinal County?

Most of Pinal County’s working residents are employed in neighboring Maricopa or Pima counties. If elected, what steps would you take to promote economic development in your district and countywide?

Serdy: In District 5, tourism continues to be an untapped resource. We have so much beauty and things to do here, but we don't yet fully capitalize on it as well as other regions do. The area where the new LG Energy Solution plant is going is a natural fit for light industry. We have enough homes in the vicinity, so let's get them some unobtrusive jobs nearby.

House: While I was on the board, we had economic development the likes of which had never been seen in Pinal County. We worked very hard to expand our base of industry through diversification. Pinal County has drawn in a great deal of new industry with high-paying jobs. We decided to advertise what a great place Pinal County was to work, stay and play. We worked hard to bring Nikola Corp. and Lucid Motors so that the county would be put on the map. We have affordable housing, which will attract future industries to come to Pinal County.

Government relations: How will you work with state lawmakers and others to address issues facing the county?

Counties are arms of the state and have only specific powers prescribed in Arizona law. If elected, how would you lobby state lawmakers and other officials to address issues facing the county? Would you advocate for increased powers at the county level ― and if so, what ones?

Serdy: My district is dominated by state trust land. It is frustrating that the landowner, the state, doesn't patrol their holdings with their own law enforcement. Instead, it falls on the Sheriff's Office, which gets no reimbursement for doing the state's job. I hope to change that. We must also keep our state representatives on the hunt to bring us transportation money.

House: I was on the board before we joined various groups to be able to impact what the legislators could do to the county. By joining the County Supervisors Association, we gained a huge ally in determining how the Arizona Legislature would impact the county. One of the most important things is to have a good relationship with locally-elected state officials. When you have a good relationship, you can influence how much can be done to help the county through the issues. I think the county has all the tools in place that we need. As a smaller government candidate, I don’t think we need to give more power to the county.

Elections: How confident are you in election results?

Pinal County supervisors are responsible for certifying election results. The county also recently saw a rough 2022 election cycle. How confident are you in the certified results of the 2020 and 2022 elections? Regardless of your answer, how would you work to improve election administration in the county?

Serdy: I feel very good about pushing to bring the elections back under our very capable county recorder. It was a big mistake by a previous administration to put it under an elections director. I'm hoping for a seamless process this election season.

House: Elections have always been a topic of discussion for the 20 years that I have been involved with politics. I think the county made a mistake bringing in someone from a different state to run the Elections Department. I think the county had a great employee, who is currently our county recorder, in Dana Lewis. Dana has more experience in election procedures than anyone and will make sure the elections coming up will be safe and secure. Dana is currently putting procedures in place that will make sure we can restore confidence in the Elections Department going forward.

On a personal note: Who do you admire?

What person in public life, past or present, do you most admire, and why?

Serdy: In my private business life, I've always admired the way Sam Walton built an empire and delivered a great product with only a 10th-grade education. Since the business has now been turned over to college boys, it's taken a step backwards and lost its charm. On the political side, Teddy Roosevelt and Donald Trump stunned their peers and changed the culture of how effectively the presidency could operate.

House: Ronald Reagan is the man I look up to. He was governor of California when I lived there, and he made huge improvements to the government and how it was run. I remember one time when California had a large budget surplus, he decided to give it back to the taxpayers in the form of a refund check. I base all my smaller government ideas on what he got accomplished.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Pinal County District 5 supervisor election: The candidates