Key Facts
Background
Nathaniel Ross was born in Mesa and has lived in District 4 his entire life [4]. Ross began at Arizona State University in 2019 as a quadruple major in biological sciences, applied quantitative science, history and political science. He will complete his bachelor’s in December 2022, and a master’s in biology and society in May 2023.
In May 2020, Ross founded an organization called EOS Fighter Connection which mentors children with disabilities across the country and acts as a support group for those children. In 2021, Ross was awarded the Udall Scholarship. Moreover, Ross worked in multiple research labs at ASU. In addition, he was an intern for the Creosote Partners, a social justice-oriented lobbying firm, regarding the state Legislature [2]. Currently, Ross is the Vice President for Network Engagement with ASU’s Greenlight Solutions Chapter. [1]
Key Issues
Housing
Ross wants to invest in more affordable housing to reduce the number of unsheltered residents in Mesa. He also wants to develop a homelessness response program to reduce the reliance on the Mesa Police Department [4]. Ross hopes to reduce housing costs to improve affordability by changing current zoning ordinances to incentivize development of affordable housing, including rezoning property to family housing. He also wants to offer funding to property owners to reduce rent costs [5].
Environment
Ross wants to improve the affordability of renewable energy and improve access to public transportation and cycling to encourage carbon neutrality on a faster timeline [3].
Education
Ross hopes to increase funding for education in Mesa to prepare students for the workforce, technical college, or university. Through this funding, Ross hopes to reduce class sizes and increase access to technology for all students [3].
Government
Ross does not support voting for pay increases for councilmen within the council, but instead wants to leave council salary changes to the voters. Moreover, Ross wants to increase citizen involvement in issues regarding women and the disabled community [3].
Economy
Ross hopes to use federal COVID relief money on small businesses to increase economic productivity in Downtown Mesa. He also wants to encourage development on Main Street in Downtown Mesa [3]. Ross is concerned about the prevalence of big-name employers because it increases resource consumption without increasing high-paying jobs. Therefore, he hopes to examine the benefits to Mesa residents before corporations enter the city. Ross wants to encourage industries to come to Mesa while maintaining support for small businesses. [5]
Public Safety
Ross plans to institute a civilian review board to ensure police accountability. Additionally, Ross wants to increase and maintain stable funding for the Police and Fire Departments in Mesa [3].
Infrastructure
Ross hopes to revitalize downtown Mesa by supporting small businesses in the region to benefit the city and district and encourage business downtown. Ross hopes to increase the amount of public transit and bike lanes in the region [5].
Water
Ross wants to prioritize water conservation in the present day to prevent water problems from worsening in the future. He wants to implement sustainability plans, including voluntary recommendations from the city for Mesa residents to reduce water consumption. Specifically, Ross believes the city should provide funding to residents to facilitate conversion to water-friendly landscapes, and inform residents about the best practices regarding the watering of lawns. [5]
Endorsements
Sources
5 Mesa election: Where City Council candidates stand on water, housing, job growth