Gullett met with Ahwatukee residents for about an hour at Hillside Spot Café. Because of the small turnout, he was able to sit down at a table and answer questions one-on-one.

"I was favorably impressed," Ahwatukee resident Graham Tubbs said. "Particularly on how he just sat down at the end, when there was only a couple of us left, and just stuck around. That showed how he wanted to try and connect.

"If you're going to reduce taxes, you need to be sure that you can afford to do it. A lot of politicians are very flippant. He actually elaborated on why the food tax can be removed and how the budget gives the council the leeway to do that. To me, that meant he thought it through."

One resident asked what his experience was serving in communities.

Gullett said he volunteered on the Planning and Zoning Commission for four years, volunteered with the Arizona Citizens for the Arts, served on the Nature Conservancy board of directors and worked on the St. Mary's Scholarship Board, among other smaller volunteer projects.

Sen. John McComish was in attendance. He said he's endorsing Gullett as his choice for mayor.

"I think that he brings more of a varied background, more of a business background," McComish said. "He's got some different perspectives for that reason. I think that will be good for the city of Phoenix.

"I think it's good to see candidate Gullett here. I think Ahwatukee is going to be critically important in the election. Ahwatukee people vote. District 6 is, I believe, one of the heavier populated districts, and one of the heavier in terms of turnout. It's a district that Greg Stanton represented so it's important for Wes to be here for all those reasons."

• Contact writer: (480) 898-7914 or ahurtado@ahwatukee.com