Young candidate runs for Gilbert council

Type "Gilbert Town Council salary" into Google and most of the top hits center on a candidate who says he won't accept any pay if elected for the job.

Candidate touts longer-range budget ideas

Scroggins looks to inject youthful vigor

James Hazel, a 20-year-old student with floppy black hair, looks his age but has no shortage of opinions and convictions about how a public servant should operate. And he is a little disappointed his pledge didn't spark more debate among his competitors.

"During these tough times, they're talking about not giving Gilbert employees cost-of-living raises, and I think the community would like to see the members step up and show they're willing to sacrifice as well," he said. "I think that could be a step in the right direction."

Hazel said there's plenty he can contribute to the process besides giving back the $22,000 annual council salary and any vehicle allowance he would be given.

"I don't think you have to be a career politician or career businessperson to be on the council," he said. "I have an ability to learn about issues in Gilbert, I bring fresh ideas and a new perspective to the table."

He is the youngest candidate on Gilbert's March 10 primary ballot, but not by much. Mayoral candidate Eric Hurley is 21. Several more college-age Gilbert residents took out the initial paperwork necessary to run, but Hazel said he's found people in his age group were mostly engaged in the national campaign, but not local races.

"Especially with the recent election, younger people had a lot of interest in and felt like they could make a difference, but often when it comes to local elections they don't find a reason to get involved," he said. "That's one reason why I wanted to run, to let them know if they come out in force and participate in elections, their voices will be heard."

Hazel said he's always planned to run for elected office, having grown up watching his parents successfully do it. His father, James Hazel Jr., is a former Gila County attorney and is now presiding judge for Apache Junction. His mother, Barbara, has been a school board member.

The younger Hazel has made public safety, fiscal responsibility and government transparency the pillars of his campaign. He believes police and fire protection needs to receive top priority within the town's shrinking budget.

He's excited about the increased activity he's seeing around Arizona State University Polytechnic and Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport, and said "we need to coordinate aggressively with the airport so we can take advantage of all the opportunities they have to offer."

Hazel is a senior applied biology/premedical major at ASU and is in the Barrett Honors College. He graduated at 16 from Gilbert's Technology and Leadership Academy. He's now a full-time student, but has worked as a phlebotomist at two Banner medical centers, Mesa and Gateway.

Given his age, energy and experience, Hazel said he's well-positioned to represent the 18- to 35-year-old demographic he calls "pretty much the lifeblood of Gilbert."

Name: James Hazel III

Age: 20

Occupation: premedical student at Arizona State University Polytechnic

Years in Gilbert: six

Web site: http://jamesforgilbert.com/