Political newcomer to run for council

Jeffrey Libby

Monday, Jan. 27, 2003 | 11:01 a.m.

A political neophyte who says he was spurned by a four-term incumbent Henderson city councilman has decided to challenge him in the spring municipal election.

Rocco Tucker, 35, a small-business owner and former Marine, announced his candidacy last week for Henderson Council, Ward II, at a luncheon of the Henderson Republican Women's Club. Candidates' filing begins Tuesday.

Tucker will run against Councilman Andy Hafen, a retired Metro Police officer who has served as city councilman since 1987. Candidates run at large but represent a particular area of town.

Candidates in previous Henderson City Council elections have struggled to find financial backing to challenge incumbents in past elections, but Tucker's campaign manager said money will not be an issue in this "spirited campaign."

"My wife and I live where much of the development is going on, and we need someone up here in the heart of that community who is going to listen," Tucker said.

"I want to make sure our quality of life is preserved."

Tucker and several of his supporters say last fall Hafen declined to listen when they met with him at City Hall. They told him of their opposition to a proposed mini-storage facility at the entryway to their southwest Henderson neighborhoods.

"I was told by the councilman when we met with him that I didn't have a voice in this matter," Tucker said.

Henry and Heddy Lisignol also attended the meeting and both took notes, said Henry, a retired school administrator and Henderson resident of 15 years.

"He said he was protecting us from a five-story building," Henry said. "His mind was made up. But it was our first meeting with him. We thought he was required to hear us out."

Accountant Paul Ripple, another resident who attended the meeting, said, "I remember it distinctly because everyone was kind of taken aback at his indiscretion."

Hafen says he said nothing of the sort. He appealed to Councilwoman Amanda Cyphers to back him up, saying she was present at the meeting. But she declined comment on the issue. She is running for her third four-year term.

"I have never told anyone that their voice doesn't count," Hafen said. "It's just the opposite. I encourage residents to make their views known.

"Of all the commissions in the valley, we probably have the most responsive and open-door councils in the area."

Not every resident agrees with that. Ann Adam, past president of the Sun City MacDonald Ranch homeowners association, has criticized the council for waiting until late in the year to redraw ward districts in an effort to shorten the time potential candidates have for gearing up campaigns against incumbents.

In past elections challengers have had a rough time.

In the 2001 municipal elections, Mayor Jim Gibson won a second four-year term with no challenger. And a challenger to Councilman Jack Clark, running for his third term, dropped out of the race early after managing to raise little more than $3,000, most of it his own money.

Races in 1999 fielded many candidates who struggled to raise even a 10th of the $150,000 to $225,000 incumbents raised.

This race, however, will be different, said Tucker's campaign manager Dan Geary, who is a public policy and environmental consultant.

"His campaign will be more than adequately funded, far more than previous candidates have been able to achieve," Geary said.

"He's a terrific candidate. He's an ex-Marine. At the time his opponent was embarking on a career as a politician, Mr. Tucker was slinging an M-16 in the Marine Corps."

Hafen, 48, has yet to hire a campaign manager and said he is defining four or five priorities of areas that need attention.

But Hafen said the city's successes are proof of his continuing stewardship. He pointed to the planned opening of another park, Acacia Park, this weekend, and noted the economic development awards handed out by the city's economic development department on Wednesday.

In 2002 the city added 1,000 new jobs, $25 million in payroll and $82 million in new construction, Bob Cooper, city director of economic development, said.

"What he (Tucker) wants to accomplish is already being done," Hafen said.