3 uncontested candidates running for Paradise Valley Town Council. What to know

The three unchallenged candidates running for three Paradise Valley Town Council seats are guaranteed to secure a spot on the dais where they’ll have a say on key issues from short-term rentals to development over the next two years.

Two incumbents are on the ballot: Town Council members Scott Moore, 63, and Julie Pace, 62, who are slated to secure their third terms on the dais. Both first took office in 2017 and have been on the Town Council ever since.

The other candidate on the July ticket is 63-year-old Karen Liepmann. She currently serves as chair of the town’s Planning Commission.

Arizona local elections: Read our full coverage of the Paradise Valley council election

The newcomer is set to replace Town Councilmember Mark Stanton, who decided to run for mayor this year rather than seek reelection to his current role.

All three candidates laid out their positions in response to The Arizona Republic's questionnaire.

Early voting began July 3. Voters can check on the status of their mailed-in ballot on Maricopa County’s website at https://elections.maricopa.gov/voting/voter-dashboard-login. Those who choose to vote by mail are advised to mail their ballot by July 23 or drop it off at a ballot drop-off location or voting location by July 30.

Who are Paradise Valley’s uncontested council candidates?

Each of the contenders running for Town Council spent decades working high-profile jobs in the private sector before throwing their hats into the political ring.

Pace has worked for over three decades as a lawyer representing companies in employment, construction and workplace safety cases. Her town biography states that she’s frequently cited as an expert in that field by national news outlets like CNN and the New York Times.

She moved to Paradise Valley two decades ago and has served in a range of community roles, from sitting on the town’s Advisory Committee on Public Safety to chairing the Mesa Redevelopment Commission. Pace also launched an unsuccessful bid for mayor in 2022.

The other incumbent, Moore, has spent nearly four decades working as a real estate investment professional. He’s an executive for BET Investments, a national real estate investment and development company,

Before Moore was elected in 2016, he served in a variety of community roles, from the Board of Adjustments, to the Planning Commission, to the Hillside Building Committee.

Liepmann is a 35-year Paradise Valley resident who has served on the town Planning Commission since 2021.

She’s spent 32 years working as a corporate and technology attorney, six of which were at Arizona State University. Her campaign website says she was dubbed one of the “Top Lawyers in Arizona” by Arizona Business Magazine in 2009, 2010, and 2011.

What should residents expect from the Paradise Valley council candidates?

The candidates are virtually identical in their fundamental views on Paradise Valley’s biggest issues.

All want to preserve the town’s suburban character and “open space.” They’ve each signaled that they will be skeptical of any future developments and would not hesitate to reject any proposals that aren’t in line with town needs.

“We’ve seen many redevelopment projects that have come forward in the last several years. Earning community support is never a ‘given’ and I believe a key part of our unique community is not being afraid to say ‘no’ to bad development,” Moore said.

None of them anticipate that tax cuts at the state level, including the recent rental tax cuts that have taken tens of millions out of some community budgets, will have a marked impact on Paradise Valley.

But even if a state-level change did impact town funds, they would not support creating a town property tax to fill the gap.

“Our unique small community has no property tax, is fiscally conservative and has 100% volunteers who serve on council and as judges. I do not support a property tax. I do not support borrowing money to pay bills,” Pace told The Arizona Republic.

All of them support “fully funding” the town’s police department and expanding its resources, as well as cracking down on short-term rentals as much as possible.

“Recent actions that I do support include the adoption of Paradise Valley’s strong Short Term Rental Ordinance, and fully funding our police department and pension obligations,” Liepman said.

The incumbents have also discussed both monitoring and challenging efforts within the Arizona Legislature that restrict the town’s control over short-term rentals, or the council’s ability to control its own zoning.

“What happens at the state level is really what affects us most, so it’s critical to keep a vigilant eye on all the bills working through our state legislators,” Moore said.

Reporter Sam Kmack covers Tempe, Scottsdale and Chandler. Follow him on X @KmackSam or reach him at [email protected].

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Paradise Valley Town Council 2024 election: The candidates