Name: Corey Donald Woods
Age: 27
Occupation: Graduate student, teaching assistant
How long have you lived in Tempe? 2 1/2 years
Why are you running for City Council? I have always had a commitment to public service. My family has always been civically engaged. My parents were actively involved in the Civil Rights movement. To this day, they still watch the news religiously and send letters to their elected representatives. Most of our conversations are about things relating to politics and social issues.
My younger brother is currently a first lieutenant in the United States Army. He is currently stationed in Iraq. His goal was to give something back to the country. He chose to do that by serving in the military. I chose to give something back to my country, as well as my community, by getting involved in both education and public service.
I became a candidate for Tempe City Council for a variety of reasons. One concern I had was the Council's position concerning eminent domain. I am extremely concerned when, in my estimation, eminent domain is being used as a means to generate sales-tax revenue.
I was also concerned with the diversity of the city not being well represented on the Council, whether it be race, age, economic background, etc.
Additionally, we now have the largest public university in the country in ASU. Many of the students live here, but never really connect with the town. This is a highly-educated population that we need to convince to settle in Tempe.
What experience qualifies you to serve on the Council? I possess a good combination of mental acumen, drive and interpersonal skills that will enable me to be an excellent councilperson. I grasp complex ideas and concepts quickly. I am also the textbook definition of a workaholic.
Most importantly, I relate to all different kinds of people exceptionally well. Teaching at ASU has helped me to hone this particular skill. Every semester, I have a class of 35 students. Each of these students is different. In order for me to perform my job duties effectively, I have to be flexible enough to recognize what each student needs to be successful in my classroom. Then, it is my job to assist them in achieving their goal.
There are a lot of parallels when looking at a classroom and the job of a councilmember. Just like with my students, each resident is different, and they possess different visions about what would best benefit themselves, their families and the community as a whole. I have the personal skills and necessary flexibility to foster a sense of community among the citizens of Tempe.
Throughout the course of my life, I have engaged in numerous acts of civic service. My initial entry into politics was working on a city-council campaign where I grew up, back in New Rochelle, N.Y.
More recently, I joined the Kiwanis Club of Tempe to lend a hand to my community. I have worked on citywide events, such as the July 4th Tempe Town Lake Festival at Tempe Beach Park and the Fantasy of Lights Parade.
This past October, I served as the chair of the 28th Annual Halloween Family Carnival at Kiwanis Park. This event was designed to provide children with a safe alternative to traditional trick-or-treating. I am also a member of Tempe Sister Cities.
These types of involvement have given me a real understanding of just how important these kinds of events are to a community. They make Tempe a place where a sense of community is encouraged. Families are eager to move here because of the services that the city provides.
Also, if people love the city in which they live, there is a greater likelihood that those citizens will take an active role in that town's inner workings. That sense of togetherness can only be beneficial to a city and its residents.
What is the most important issue of this campaign? Tempe's use of eminent domain was one of the major reasons I entered the City Council race. I am against the taking of private property to hand over to another private entity. Eminent domain should not be used for economic development. In my view, examples of acceptable uses of eminent domain include the construction of schools, hospitals and highways.
What kind of relationship would you hope to have with ASU? I would like to use my unique position as a student and active member of the community to build a positive relationship between Tempe and ASU.
If elected, I pledge to maintain an open dialogue with ASU. Since the city of Tempe's and ASU's futures are closely linked, it is imperative that they continue to work together to ensure positive growth.
What do you think is the most important issue regarding student housing? ASU needs to provide students with quality residence halls that make them want to stay on campus. Residence halls need to be modern facilities that have dining halls, ample security and adequate parking. ASU also needs to offer an affordable meal plan to its students.
When I was an undergraduate at the University of Michigan, I stayed in the residence halls for the first two years of my college career. Since my residence halls had these aforementioned things, staying on campus was a far better deal than moving off campus. Improving residence halls and services is far better than forcing students to live on campus and imposing a mandatory meal plan.
How do you think ASU and Tempe should each do their part to address that issue? ASU and Tempe need to work together on these issues. Both have an interest in seeing these improvements come to fruition. ASU wants to continue to raise retention rates. They also want students to feel more of a connection to the University. Tempe would like to encourage students to choose residence halls over rental housing. They also need students to remain here to keep our tax base strong. Therefore, both sides should continue collaborating because they both have much to gain from these changes taking place.
Why would ASU students want to elect you? I believe that I currently have the most direct connection to ASU students. First and foremost, I am an ASU student. I am on campus virtually every day. I have taught classes at ASU for 2 1/2 years. It's very likely that you'll see me at the Memorial Union buying new music at Hoodlums or grabbing a smoothie at Jamba Juice before class. I understand both the issues and the culture at ASU very well. These connections will make me an excellent councilmember that has a keen understanding of the needs of students.
What is the No. 1 thing you think needs to change in Tempe? Even though many different groups are represented in Tempe, I feel that we sometimes lack a sense of community. Too often, one can see tension between certain groups. A couple of these examples could be when you look at the battles between homeowners and renters or longtime Tempe residents and ASU students. One of Tempe's greatest strengths is its diversity. That's why I chose "Bridging the Gap" to be the theme of my campaign. My goal is to bring all of these groups together to create a better Tempe.
What do you think is the most positive contribution students make to Tempe? ASU students are an eclectic and diverse group. They bring a lot of culture and youthful energy to Tempe. Students spend much of their time and money in our restaurants and shops on Mill Avenue and elsewhere. They are responsible for generating a substantial portion of the sales-tax dollars that Tempe uses to make the city such a great place to live in. Without ASU students, Tempe would lose much of its world-renowned character.
What do you think is the most negative contribution students make to Tempe? The only negative I can think of is not being active enough in the electoral process. Local government is an excellent tool that students can use to make sure that their voices are heard. I talk to many students who have issues with certain things in Tempe. However, too often, those concerns are not stated on the record so that they can be effectively dealt with. Student populations are many times looked upon as sleeping giants. If their power is ever harnessed, they could really change the look and power structure of the city.
Profiles compiled by Grayson Steinberg. Reach the reporter at grayson.steinberg@asu.edu.
