J. Wayne Spence, an unsuccessful mayoral candidate four years ago, again announced his candidacy for Provo's top elected office Monday.
Spence, 68, is the first person in the city to file for the office this year. The deadline is next Tuesday."I think we can bring things together in Provo. As I talk to people, they say, `Hey, we have no say in Provo," he said.
Spence regularly attends City Council meetings and often speaks out against raising taxes. He said the city needs to broaden its economic base without increasing taxes.
"If you don't have economic growth and increase the tax base, you're going to have to raise real estate taxes, and people don't like that either," he said.
"People will say that means I'm for the mall," he said. Los Angeles-based real estate developer Rohit Joshi has proposed a $100 million indoor shopping mall in south Provo. Spence said the city ought to carefully examine Joshi's financial resources to ensure he can put the deal together.
"So did (former Seven Peaks Resort owner Victor) Borcherds have that kind of money and he's in bankruptcy," Spence said.
Spence said the city ought to move slowly on the proposal to build a golf resort in South Fork of Provo Canyon.
Even though he favors economic growth, Spence said the city must balance it with needs for housing and social services.
One of his goals is to restore Provo to the most livable city in the United States, a title bestowed on Provo by Money magazine two years ago. "This would be accomplished by getting the citizens of Provo in business and community organizations together," he said.
Spence worked for Southern California Edison Co. for 39 years before retiring to Provo in 1981. A native of Ogden, Spence has been married for 46 years and has four children and 14 grandchildren. He served in the Navy during World War II. He has been active in the American Legion for 43 years.
In addition to his run for mayor, which ended in the primary election four years ago, Spence ran an unsuccessful write-in campaign for City Council in 1991.