Five candidates running for Marana Town Council discussed data centers, economic growth and a potential ICE detention facility at a forum hosted Thursday night by the League of Women Voters of Greater Tucson at the Wheeler Taft Abbett Sr. Library in Marana.
Challengers Jackie McGuire, Julie Prince and Sue Ritz are running together as the “Marana for the People” slate.
Incumbent Teri Murphy is seeking re-election. She was appointed to the town council last February to fill the remaining term vacated by Jon Post after he was appointed mayor.
Jackie Craig is a write-in candidate who served on the Marana Town Council from 2020 to 2024.
The candidates answered six questions.
1. What do you think about the proposed data center?
In January, the Marana Town Council unanimously approved the rezoning of 600-acres for a data center, following the Planning Commission’s recommendation in December.
The Marana community is split on the project. Those who oppose it have cited concerns for the facility’s water and power usage and potential rising utility costs. Supporters of the project argue the facility will create employment opportunities.
Sitting council member Herb Kai – who is seeking reelection – owns one of the parcels that will be rezoned for the data center.
Prince, a former reporter, said she would like to see the council get more information about the facilities. She argued the jobs generated by the construction of the data center would only be temporary.
McGuire, a research analyst, argued that the town’s data center ordinance is insufficient and raised concerns about Blue Owl, the private equity company that is backing the data center developer Beale Infrastructure. She added she would like to see stronger financial guarantees from developers.
Craig said the problems people have heard about data centers have already been solved in Marana.
“Issues that people always raise is that ‘my water rates are going to go up.’ … But this data center is not using a lot of water. It’s a one-time use and then it recirculates forever,” Craig said.
Ritz, an engineer, said hyperscale data center development is “the most bipartisan issue since beer.” She raised concerns about the lack of regulatory infrastructure for data centers and the cost of electricity to power the pending structure in Marana.
2.What do you think about growth?
McGuire said she is against disproportionate growth and housing without investing in infrastructure like roads, employment and post-secondary education and training opportunities.
Craig reiterated a need for more investments in employment opportunities as well as mixed-use development such as hotels, office buildings, entertainment areas, restaurants and retail.
Ritz echoed sentiments for balanced development and Prince noted the need for more road infrastructure.
Murphy emphasized that she would like to see more employment opportunities come to the community.
“The good news about Marana is we have 123 miles and only 35% of our land is developed,” Murphy said. “I think that gives us an opportunity for us to have growth.”
3. How do you feel about ICE detention centers in Marana?
In February, the Department of Homeland Security revealed plans for a potential ICE detention facility in Marana. In July 2025, the state sold a former Marana prison to the Management & Training Corporation, or MTC, a company that operates job corps centers and correctional facilities nationwide. It is estimated that the facility could incarcerate more than 1,300 people.
McGuire said the question should instead be, ‘Do we want a private prison in Marana?’ She pointed out the negative track record of the MTC.
Craig said that because the facility is zoned as a prison, there is nothing that the council can do to prevent its implementation.
Ritz said because MTC has not yet signed a contract with the Department of Homeland Security, there is still an opportunity to explore other options.
“You’ve got Job Corps, you’ve got alcohol rehabilitation units. These things are much more beneficial to the community than perhaps a temporary ICE detention center,” Ritz said.
Prince said that she would like to see the DHS and MTC host information sessions for the public.
Murphy said that if the company wanted to expand the size of the facility, it would have to seek approval from the town council.
4. How would you uphold the ethical standards of the council and deal with conflicts of interest?
Ritz said that the current issue is that the code of ethics is only enforceable by the town council, therefore she would review how to make an ethical standard that would ensure compliance.
Prince agreed with Ritz and said that the current ethics code lacks “teeth.”
“It’s one of the things that bothered me the most as a reporter, the transparency, the lack of it…What I feel is a lot of nepotism, a lot of favoritism, a lot of ethical problems that I’ve never seen on other governmental agencies, and a lot of it is blatant,” Prince said.
Murphy noted a lack of respect on both sides of the dais and cited a need to stand by what would make Marana a better town.
5. What specific assets do you possess that qualify you to be the best choice to address the issues affecting the town of Marana?
Ritz cited her engineering background and ability to understand technical details.
McGuire said, “One of the things that I think is a gift that I’ve realized that I have, is the ability to explain really complex things in an easy to understand way and I think that’s why people gravitated towards it when the data center issue came up.”
6. In your first 100 days of office, what are three things that you want to accomplish?
Prince said reviewing the ethics code, the Planning and Zoning Commission’s qualifications and town budget.
McGuire said identifying the community’s preferred method of information gathering and reviewing the budget.
Craig said that she would like to see more discussion on water conservation in light of ongoing Colorado River negotiations amongst the seven Colorado River basin states. She would also like to see progress on a planned mixed-use entertainment and dining district project.
Ritz said she would spend time learning as well as holding office hours to solicit feedback from the community.
Media not allowed to record, take photos
The League of Women Voters told reporters that neither audio recording nor photography of the forum was permitted.
“In the past, people came to the forums, photographed or recorded different portions of the forums then left and used those recordings or photographs to put on candidate pages, campaign pages and gave both an overt and I would say covert message that the League was endorsing a particular candidate and the League does not,” Linda Heffernan, the nonprofit’s 2026 forum chair with the nonprofit, told AZPM.
The organization is non-partisan and does not offer endorsements.
