Steve Spain, the Republican candidate running for District 1’s Pima County Supervisor seat, says this year’s run is vastly different from his 2020 attempt.

Perhaps most notable is the increased level of support he’s received from both the Republican Party and the community, he said.

“This time around, there are so many more volunteers in the precinct committee who are engaged, willing to help and interested in taking up the fight themselves, who are tired of the way the county’s been run,” Spain said. 

That leads into another big difference, which is that this time around, Spain’s opponent, District 1 Supervisor Rex Scott, has a record to attack.

Before running for supervisor, Spain worked in IT in the hospitality industry, identifying as a self-proclaimed “nerd.” Spain told Tucson Spotlight he always had a passion for technology, which led him to work at major resorts in Tucson through Starwood Hotels and Resorts.

He was part of the Americas IT team during the company’s merger with Marriott, a role that gave him the opportunity to travel extensively — from Toronto to Uruguay. It also allowed him to develop his technical skills while engaging with other cultures. 

A central issue in Spain’s platform is the county’s fiscal management, with officials recently proposing a controversial $95 million new credit plan, which includes $55 million secured against future sewer revenues. Spain warned that this could lead to new taxes for residents already feeling the economic pinch. 

He noted that many residents in District 1 are on fixed incomes and have been struggling with rising costs over the past couple of years.

“We’re just telling them we’re going to charge you a premium to live here and it’s not right,” he said. 

Additionally, he raised concerns about crime encroaching on the foothills, understaffing of sheriff’s deputies and the lack of meaningful road maintenance in the area. 

Criticizing the current administration’s budgeting practices, Spain said that expenditures are exceeding revenues. He highlighted the reliance on credit and federal funds, calling them  potential hidden costs for future residents.

Referring to this approach as “deficit budgeting,” he warned that such practices could create financial burdens for residents down the line. He emphasized that his approach prioritizes getting the fundamentals right without resorting to excessive spending or debt. 

A few months ago, signs started popping up in District 1 directing passersbys to visit the website “DeficitRex.com”

The signs feature phrases like “Rex Scott doubled spending and left you with the tax bill” and a large QR code directing readers to the site, which says that Scott “burned more than $1.4 billion … in deficit spending alone in only four years, doubled the budget, and jacked up your taxes.”

The website encourages readers to scroll for more and an alternative, pointing to Spain at the end as “reasonable representation.”

“My campaign website is VoteSteveSpain.com, the DeficitRex.com site is secondary. We designed those signs to give people a clear view of Rex Scott’s disastrous record using Pima County’s own publications,” Spain said, adding that his campaign organized a volunteer event over Labor Day to install the signs. “I was out there hammering rebar with our volunteers every day that weekend."

Spain says he has a deep commitment to service that was instilled in him by his family. He recalls how his grandmother “would stop what she was doing at the drop of a hat and go well out of her way to help a stranger.” 

Spain has served on the board for the Diaper Bank of Southern Arizona and as an interim executive director, where he developed the staff’s job descriptions, goals and performance measures. He said that the staff appreciated the added structure, which helped create a more professional environment.

“That was entirely a volunteer role, but it was the right thing to do,” Spain said. 

Born and raised in Green Valley, Spain has family roots in the Tucson area.

“Family is more important to me than anything else, so this is where I want to be and I’m grateful that I’ve had the opportunity to build a career from here,” Spain said. 

As a father, he says he’s committed to ensuring his son has access to the same opportunities he had — -or even better. But he warns that Tucson is currently not attracting those opportunities.

“We can’t attract them because we’re running ourselves, running our county and our county seat, into a financial hole,” Spain said. 

He emphasized that cultivating a strong sense of community and accountability is vital for Pima County's future, saying he envisions a collaborative effort where residents and leaders work together to address pressing issues.

“I think that service is important and I do look at this very much as an opportunity to serve the community in a bigger role than I’ve ever had before and quite possibly ever again,” he said. “I’m willing to do it, I’m capable of doing it.” 

Isabela Gamez is a University of Arizona alum and reporter with Tucson Spotlight. Contact her at gamezi@arizona.edu.