Flagstaff City Council Candidate Austin Aslin
Austin Aslin’s Responses to the Flagstaff City Council Candidate Questionnaire 2026
Regulatory Relief: Flagstaff’s building codes and zoning processes can add significant time and expense to commercial projects. What specific zoning reforms or streamlining measures will you champion to reduce these burdens for local businesses?
AS: I have and will continue to support making Flagstaff’s development process more predictable, timely and transparent. For commercial projects, this would include identifying unnecessary steps, eliminating duplication, standardizing requirements and giving applicants clearer expectations before they make major investments.
I’ve also been very supportive of looking at where our zoning code can be simplified or made more flexible, particularly where requirements have added cost without producing meaningful public benefits. I’m especially attentive to reforming requirements that make infill or redevelopment unnecessarily difficult.
But streamlining shouldn’t mean abandoning standards that protect neighborhoods, that go against our carbon neutrality aspirations, that threaten our long term water supply, or go against the character of Flagstaff. I support making the process more efficient. I do not support simply making it less accountable.
I want businesses to know what the rules are, how long approval should take and what their project will cost to get through the process. Predictability is good for business, and it’s something Flagstaff can improve.
Regional Plan Realities: With the city implementing the voter-approved Flagstaff Regional Land Use Plan, how will you balance strict environmental and smart-growth goals with the pressing need for affordable workforce housing and commercial expansion?
AS: I was a strong proponent of the Regional Plan and the public process that produced it, and I continue to support its implementation. I don't see environmental protection, smart growth and economic development as competing goals.
Flagstaff's quality of life is one of our greatest economic assets. Our open spaces, dark skies, clean environment and access to public lands help attract the businesses, workers and entrepreneurs we want here. Smart water planning and sustainable transportation help protect that advantage over the long term.
At the same time, I support building more workforce housing, allowing appropriate density and making room for responsible commercial development.
The Regional Plan gives us a roadmap for growing without sacrificing the qualities that make people want to live and do business here in the first place.
Employer-Assisted Housing: Would you support city incentives or public-private partnerships that make it easier for local employers to develop or subsidize housing for their own workforce?
AS: Yes. I support employers contributing to workforce-housing solutions, including through a fund that could support public-private housing projects. But I don’t support employers owning housing and leasing it to their employees. We’ve seen the problems that can arise when a worker’s housing is tied directly to their job. If someone is laid off or loses their job for another reason, suddenly losing both employment and housing can be devastating to a family.
I think there are better ways to build the supply we need: higher-density projects, ADUs, partnerships with churches and other organizations that control sizable parcels of land, and public-private development. Where public funds or City-owned land are involved, I think attaching reasonable affordability and development conditions is entirely appropriate, to the extent permitted under Arizona law.
I’m interested in employers helping solve the housing problem. I just don’t want their employees’ homes to become part of the employment relationship.
Minimum Wage Trajectory: Flagstaff's local minimum wage significantly exceeds the state standard, impacting low-margin industries like retail, hospitality, and dining. How do you plan to support small businesses navigating these high labor costs?
AS: I supported Flagstaff’s minimum wage law, and I continue to believe workers should be able to afford to live in the community where they work. I also understand that small businesses, particularly restaurants and other low-margin businesses, are navigating a difficult cost environment.
I don't think the answer is to push wages back down. I’d rather look for ways to reduce other costs of doing business: making permitting more predictable, eliminating unnecessary regulatory costs, improving transportation and infrastructure, and expanding workforce housing so employees aren't forced to spend so much of their income on housing.
I also want to keep listening to local businesses about what they’re experiencing. A healthy business community and a workforce that can afford to live here aren't competing goals. They're both essential to Flagstaff's long-term economic health.
Tourism & Economic Diversity: While tourism initiatives drive significant revenue, economic volatility remains a concern. What concrete strategies will you pursue to attract high-wage, non-tourism industries (e.g., biotech, clean energy) to the region?
AS: I’d like to see Flagstaff attract more high-wage industries that fit our community and build on assets we already have, particularly NAU’s research capacity and our strengths in environmental science, conservation, clean energy and outdoor industries. I don't think Flagstaff should try to become every kind of city.
I’d work with NAU, Coconino County and local business leaders to identify industries where we have a genuine competitive advantage, then market those advantages to companies looking to locate or expand in Northern Arizona. I’d also look at whether the City can make it easier for those businesses to establish themselves here through predictable permitting, appropriate commercial space and a strong workforce pipeline.
But I’d be careful about incentives. I want to recruit businesses that add lasting value to Flagstaff, not simply offer subsidies to whoever promises the most jobs.
Commercial Property Tax & Utilities: High commercial utility rates and property valuations strain local operations. What is your strategy for keeping city-controlled fees and taxes predictable for business owners?
AS: I understand why predictability matters to businesses making long-term investments in Flagstaff. After two terms on Council, I’ve learned that the City needs to be very clear about the costs it controls and be transparent about why those costs change.
I support establishing predictable fee schedules, avoiding unnecessary fee increases, and giving businesses as much advance notice as possible when changes are necessary. I also want the City to regularly review its fees and utility rates to make sure they reflect actual costs of service rather than becoming a source of excess revenue.
But I won't promise artificially low rates that eventually leave residents and businesses with a bigger bill. I’d rather be disciplined and transparent about the true cost of maintaining our infrastructure than defer those costs to the future.
Public Safety Ballot Measures: Local businesses rely heavily on a safe, accessible environment for both customers and staff. What is your position on upcoming public safety infrastructure bonds, and how will you ensure transparent use of tax funds?
AS: I voted to put both public safety measures on the ballot because I believe Flagstaff voters should decide whether these investments are worth the cost. I also believe voters deserve to understand exactly what they’re being asked to approve.
If approved, I’ll insist on transparent budgeting, regular public reporting and clear accountability for how the money is spent. I’m particularly attentive to the broad discretion built into these measures. The project lists presented to the public should not become a substitute for clear policy about what the City can ultimately fund.
As a first responder myself, from a family of firefighters, I also believe public safety is broader than police and fire. Housing affordability, mental health services, the spending power of each dollar circulated in town, climate resilience, and other investments contribute to a safe community.
Businesses need a safe and accessible Flagstaff, and residents deserve the same. I’ll continue supporting responsible public safety investments while insisting that taxpayers can see where their money goes.
Transportation & Logistics: : Traffic congestion and winter road maintenance directly affect commercial logistics and customer access. How will you prioritize infrastructure spending to optimize traffic flow along major business corridors like Route 66 and Milton Road?
AS:
I’m a board member of MetroPlan, where I joined in part to advocate for right-sizing our roads and reducing vehicle miles traveled. I’m a strong believer in multimodal transportation. The best way to reduce traffic is to get as many people out of cars as we reasonably can.
I know that’s challenging in a hilly, four-season community like Flagstaff. But if walking, biking and transit are safe, convenient and reliable, more people can leave their cars at home. For major commercial corridors like Route 66 and Milton, I’d prioritize investments that improve reliability for everyone—better intersection and signal management, dependable winter maintenance and safe bike and pedestrian infrastructure. Removing parking minimums is another example of a policy that can help; NAU students shouldn’t necessarily have to bring a car to Flagstaff.
I’m also a strong believer in induced demand: building more roads to solve congestion ultimately just brings more cars and more congestion. The best way to reduce congestion is to give people reliable alternatives to driving. Reducing vehicle miles traveled is also essential to achieving our Carbon Neutrality goals.