By Katelyn Seabury
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/knau/local-knau-907537.mp3
Flagstaff, AZ – Last year the Center for the Future of Arizona surveyed Arizonans on issues affecting their state. One of the more startling findings was that only 10 percent of Arizonans believed elected officials represent their interests. Former Arizona State University president Lattie Coor chairs the Center. He told the crowd last night those findings made him want to hold town hall meetings across the state to address the disconnect between citizens and elected officials.
[We believe it's very important to take the key elements of those goals and issues into the November election and we have felt the best way to do that was to choose the issues most active on the minds of citizens and ask citizens to frame the questions they want candidates to answer.]
Those key issues include job creation, education, environment and water management, healthcare, immigration, leadership and state financial security.
Members of the community asked questions that will be compiled and presented to candidates running for office. Candidates' responses will then be released to the public to let Arizonans know where they stand on these issues.
In addition to Flagstaff, forums are being held in four other cities around the state.
Coor welcomes everyone in the state to submit questions to: The Arizona We Want dot org.
For Arizona Public Radio I'm Katelyn Seabury in Flagstaff.