By admin 
TUCSON, Ariz. (13 News) – With primary elections 12 days away, candidates in Benson are reflecting on a recall election that removed three city council members just two months ago.
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There are several city council seats and the mayoral seat up for grabs.
The recall stemmed from the city’s handling of a proposed aluminum smelting plant by Aluminum Dynamics, which has since been canceled. Candidates gathered for a town hall on Thursday, July 9, and discussed the recall’s lasting impact on the community.
Former Benson Mayor Tony King, now running for mayor again, said the situation has been unlike anything he has seen in his political career.
“I’ve never seen it like this before. After 25 years, nine terms, I have never seen that in my life,” King said.
King said the fallout from the aluminum plant controversy has had a lasting effect on the town.
“It totally destroyed our community, I believe, and the trust is not there,” King said.
Levi Johnson, one of the three council members ousted in the recall, is now running for mayor. He said he has spent time reflecting on what went wrong during his time on the council.
“Did I give 100% of it? Looking back, I really didn’t. I really wanted to respond to people, but at the time, it’s like how do you respond when you yourself really don’t understand a lot of the information that’s being pushed out?” Johnson said.
Johnson said changes to how the city handles planning and zoning are needed going forward.
“When it all came to be, they didn’t get everything that they needed,” Johnson said. “We need to really revitalize and change how planning and zoning is conducted.”
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Both candidates pointed to transparency as a central issue heading into the election.
“They really wanted transparency, and I 100% agree that it needs to be given,” Johnson said.
King echoed that sentiment.
“We gotta be very transparent. We have to take a stand there. When we go to say something, it’s gotta be real,” King said.
Mark Boyle, who won a council seat in the recall election by ousting Johnson, is also now having to defend that seat in the upcoming primary.
Meanwhile, King said he hopes the attention on Benson sends a broader message to other communities across southern Arizona.
“The first message is remember who elected us. The power of the people can make a change any time they want,” King said.
Primary Election Day is July 21, and the general election is Nov. 3.
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