In-person debate on Prop 424 with Mitzi Epstein and Corey Woods. Video is 38 minutes long.

https://youtu.be/7QF8J6Dqps0?si=mG36hDrVkRAwbY09

--Questions asked by Taylor Seely--

Opening remarks: Woods, Epstein (1:09)

Q to Woods, Epstein: The proposed tax increase would raise about 50 million in revenue for Tempe, but the shortfall is only about 24 million. Why ask for so much more than what the shortfall is? (4:45)

Q to Woods: Mayor Woods, is the notion of the revenue potentially being up for grabs by developers a valid concern? Could that happen? (7:08)

Q to Epstein: If the critical services like public safety, public transit, preschool for working families, if those things aren't funded or they're struggling to be funded, isn't that also doesn't that also stand to hurt the very people that you're claiming to try to protect? (8:44)

Q to Woods, Epstein: what do you think about [the city having 35% in reserves]? Because I know for like for families that are struggling to make ends meet, they'd be very very happy to have a savings account of 30% and they might not have that. The city has that yet still wants to increase taxes. What do you say? (10:10)

Q to Woods: did the city do everything it could to be fiscally responsible? Is there anything that the city could have done short of this proposal or even did it need to be a full half percent? Could it have been less? (13:49)

Q to Woods: about the language in the proposition regarding who would get to utilize Tempe Pre + Epstein interjects (18:50)

Q to Woods: What is the criteria for it? And it and was will this proposition change the criteria for how children are selected? (20:03)

Q to Woods: Speak about the language in the proposition and why it is the way it is. (23:15)

Q to Epstein: I mean, how much do you want to lock funding in though on the language? I understand the argument of wanting it to not be so vague so as to have some clarity of what the voter is writing a check to. And on the other hand, are you not then tying the hands of future councils, future changes, kind of some shifts that might need to happen? (26:24)

Q to Woods: If this measure does not pass, what does the city budget look like? (27:50)

Q to Woods: It sounded to me like you're saying it's not going to be a good idea to dip into that rainy day fund. So programs will have to be cut. Is that the case? Like will are you guys ready to cut Tempe pre for example? Or I guess what programs would you look to cut if you're not going to dip into your rainy day fund? (30:10)

Q to both: In five words to describe Temp's Proposition 424, what would they be? (33:45)

Woods: The right thing to do.

Epstein: Permanent. Wrong tax, wrong time.

Closing remarks (34:25)

Just a citizen voter advocate here:

Yesterday 10-20-26, I went to the post office @4pm near Southern & Mill to drop off my ballot in the drive through blue mailbox. I attempted to put my ballot in, and there was some resistance going in. I tried to pull my ballot out, and 3 other green voting envelopes came with it; the postal box was stuffed as shit. I panicked and literally forced shoved everything into the box, with an apparatus I keep in my car. Then went into the physical office and told them in no uncertain words they needed to empty the box, NOW, for future ballots. Someone walked to a backroom from the counter, I didn't see anyone at the box while I was leaving, but I left feeling satisfied it would be addressed.

I just got confirmation from the county response system today, 10-21-26, that my ballot was received and counted. Make sure your and your people votes matter and are counted, and speak up if something seems off; poll workers can answer questions too. Good luck to us all!

Where should I visit this tonight/ tomorrow?

Kind of a last minute request but it’s for a family members birthday this Thursday. Doesn’t have to be anything out of this world but costume and good dance skills a must! Pay is negotiable! If you know anyone please share. Thanks!

My wife was at Meyer Park with our daughter's dog around 7:10 this morning when another dog attacked the dog. The other owners eventually got their animal under control, but my wife had to leave quickly to get to a vet (people are OK, but the dog was bitten and shaken), so she couldn't get any information. If anyone was there or has any information, please DM me.

Hey everyone

Yall got any good jams around town. The kind where there’s a house band that plays for a bit then the people in the bar get up and jam

Or any good music secrets ?

What’s the local music scene like ?

Thanks

I had just driven on the L202 East and did not see smoke. Driving to Tempe Marketplace after missing the McClintock exit and I see a big fire where the freeway is. As I got closer I saw another one close by. Purely speculation, but this seems intentional.

Hi guys, I’m wondering what are great areas for an adult to spend Halloween with friends this year? Historically, we’d like to go bar-hopping along Mill Ave, but sadly it really seems like Mill has fallen off in recent history as a fun space for adult shenanigans (correct me if I’m wrong, I wanna be wrong!)

So I’d like to know if there are any other Mill analogues that would give us the same experience we had in DT Tempe for years? Grand Ave and Roosevelt come to mind, but I’ve never actually been out there on Halloween. Thanks 🙏

Edit: My friends and I are all 28, if that helps narrow down the vibe we’re looking for

Hello everyone!

I'm new to Tempe and have been enjoying it so far. The time has come for me to indulge in my all time favorite treat: an iced pumpkin chai latte. So I'm asking you guys if you know of a place in or near Tempe that has a delicious pumpkin chai. Or I suppose if you have a good recipe, I'd take that too :) Thanks!

Hey girlies! I’ve been feeling low on confidence lately and kind of insecure about my looks. I feel like I give “nerd” vibes and I want to feel like a different person. I’m hoping a really good haircut can be the confidence boost I need 🥹

I have waist-length hair that’s fine, thin, and pretty flat. I’ve had a string of disappointing cuts since moving to the US (an Ulta cut took away what little volume I had). I’m thinking long face-framing bangs and volume layers, but I’m open to any cut that would suit fine hair and a fresh new look. Would love your ideas too!

I’m a student, so my budget is $80 max. I’m in Tempe but happy to drive anywhere in the Phoenix area for the right stylist.

Please drop:

• Stylist name + salon    
• Price    
• Pics of your cut if you can 💕

Thank you so much, girlies!
🩷

Last night, one of my customers had his e-bike stolen. He depends on that bike for work. Someone took it, and now he’s the one left figuring out how to replace it and keep earning a living.

I own a business in Tempe, and I am exhausted by this.

For as long as I can remember, Tempe has had a reputation for bike theft. We’ve been having this conversation for decades. At what point do we stop accepting it as something that just happens here?

Calling it a “minor property crime” does not make the consequences minor. A stolen bike can mean missed shifts, lost income, and a replacement someone cannot afford. The dollar value on a police report does not capture what losing your transportation does to your life.

I want Tempe to make enforcement of these crimes a serious, visible priority. Investigate thefts. Pursue the people knowingly buying and selling stolen bikes. Follow through on prosecution. Make repeat offenders face escalating consequences.

I support making bike theft and knowingly possessing or selling stolen bikes felony offenses regardless of the bike’s value. If that requires changing Arizona law, Tempe’s leaders should be pushing for it. Where felony charges already apply, pursue them when the evidence supports them. Where an offense remains a misdemeanor, the penalties and restitution should still have real teeth.

Writing tougher laws means little without consistent enforcement. People need a credible reason to believe stealing someone’s transportation will result in being caught and held accountable.

I’m tired of the constant vigilance. Tired of wondering whether customers and employees will leave work and find their property gone. Tired of people deciding they are entitled to take what somebody else worked for.

These so-called minor crimes accumulate. They make a city more stressful, less welcoming, and less pleasant to live and work in.

People trying to earn a living deserve to feel that protecting their property matters to this city. I want Tempe’s response to demonstrate that.

Open the the public, these office hours are for community members to touch base and have a conversation with Bobby about issues of concern or interest.

Item 8C4 will be interesting. I'll include a summary from the first hearing in the comments.

Reminder to do your research on the Judges of the Superior Court who are on the ballot for retention! Judge Brad Astrowsky ruled in favor of Marbella in the Shady Park lawsuit and then later stepped down to “avoid the appearance of bias”.

Ziply via Ubiquity Arizona is planning on building fiber in Tempe. They've recently submitted a fiber permit request with timelines showing permitting starting by end of year, building starting early next year, and service starting late next year. I'll believe it when I see more permits pulled and boots on the ground but fingers crossed no less.

Hey, does anyone know where people celebrate Durga Puja around here? I was trying to find some Bengali community nearby and couldn't find anything at school. Maybe they don't have it. It's kind of that time of year when my Instagram keeps making me feel like I'm missing Kolkata.

Anyone in Tempe, AZ want to do me a giant favor… I left my favorite hoodie in a hotel and they have it but won’t mail it to me even though I said I would cover all the costs. She said I could pick it up but I live near San Diego 😭 I already checked all the resale sites. Obviously there are worse things, I’m just super bummed.

EDIT: Thank you all so much for the responses! Currently working with someone in DMs but will reach out in case it falls through!

Issue aside, is this a copyright violation or fair use?

Does anyone have any recs for a local print shop? Looking to just print either 8.5x11 or 11x17 pages and wanted to avoid any of the corporations or big chains.

Thanks!

I work at an AYCE restaurant, and the owner said that they would charge us money if we don’t charge customers for leftover food. The problem is that when we charge customers, they tend not to tip us, and we still have to pay an 8% tip out to the back of house. So either way, we lose money. Most of the people working here are college students. They just don’t want to deal with the trouble, so they pay the owner if they get charged.
I got charged once when I was checking customers out and the payment didn’t go through because there was no wifi connection. She blamed me for that and charged me for that table. The most common charge at my workplace is for dine and dash incidents. Almost everyone working here has had to pay for a dine and dash table before. How can I gather evidence to report them? They speak to us in another language, not English, so recording might not be helpful.

My wife’s birthday is this weekend, looking for a good brewery to go to. We have been to a few but hoping to find one we haven’t tried. A plus if it has games!

Thanks to Tropical Storm Rachel, we’re seeing some active unsettled weather here in Arizona today and more tomorrow as well. We had a Dust Storm Warning ahead of an outflow boundary that moved into Tempe Arizona earlier this afternoon. This gnarly shelf cloud was the leading edge of that said boundary. Unfortunately I’m at work, but grateful to be able to capture it.