MESA (By Justin Juozapavicius, Arizona
Republic) October 28, 2005
David Garcia, one of three finalists for Mesa city manager, abruptly
withdrew his candidacy Thursday, saying the job wouldn't be the "right
fit" for him.
"I know all the candidates for city manager," said Garcia, the manager
of Yuma County, with 270,000 people spread over 5,522 square miles.
"They are a bunch of qualified, top-notch people."
Garcia said any of the finalists could do a good job running America's
40th-largest city, but the deciding factors come down to chemistry and
who would make the best fit.
"For me personally at this point, the best decision is to withdraw,"
said Garcia, 53.
Garcia, who as city manager of Corpus Christi, Texas, helped turn around
its economy, said last week in an interview that Mesa had the potential
to become a "world-class city" and called its financial crisis
"solvable."
Vice Mayor Claudia Walters in interviewing Garcia said, "The spark
didn't happen."
Garcia's withdrawal leaves two finalists to run the city of 450,000:
Christopher Brady, the assistant city manager of San Antonio, with more
than 1.2 million people, and Ronald Miller, city manager of Aurora,
Colo., with 300,000 residents and more than 10,000 businesses. The list
was trimmed this week from five.
In June, Mesa announced a national search to replace City Manager Mike
Hutchinson, who will retire Dec. 31 after nearly 30 years.
Widely considered the most powerful job at City Hall, the manager is
responsible for developing annual budgets and for thousands of
employees. Under Mesa's City Charter, it will take five council votes to
approve the next city manager.
Faced with tens of millions of dollars in program and service cuts next
year, in addition to possibly asking voters to approve their first
property tax in 60 years, Mesa's next city manager will have his work
cut out for him.
The remaining finalists will return to Mesa on Nov. 7 for a "meet and
greet" with residents and to face a second round of interviews from
Mayor Keno Hawker and the City Council the next day.
Garcia said he intends to stay in his current job in Yuma County.
