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Ashland mayor race warms up By SARA MURPHY ASHLAND -- Any bets on a shoe salesman? So far it looks like a car dealer, a grocery clerk and an attorney may contend to be Ashland's next mayor. Businessman and Ashland School Board member Alan DeBoer, 49, plans to host a news conference Monday morning to discuss the November mayoral election. DeBoer declined to comment on whether he will announce his candidacy at the conference. "You're certainly free to speculate," he said. If DeBoer does decide to run for the mayor's seat, he will join political newcomer Gary Smith, 53, who is expected to formally announce his candidacy today. Mayor Cathy Shaw is not seeking re-election. Candidates may file for office with the city recorder beginning May 31; the deadline is Aug. 10. Smith, who said he has never been politically active, is an Albertson's checker and former general manager of a San Diego advertising agency. He moved to Ashland to semi-retire three years ago. If elected, Smith said, he would take a close look at the city's burgeoning budget and spend more time listening to citizens. He's also concerned about the cost of living in Ashland. "It costs a lot to live here and I don't think that's something to brag about," he said. Though he admits he has little political experience, Smith feels he has a good understanding of Ashland's residents. They pass through his check-out line one-by-one, 200 times a day. "I'm never going to be a politician," he promises. "I'm just going to be a working-class stiff who has the ability to do what they do." City Councilman David Fine said he's also considering a campaign for the mayor's seat. "I'm giving it extensive thought, but I have not made a decision," said Fine, an Ashland attorney. Fine, who has served 16 months on the City Council, said he's concerned that growth in the city's budget over the past decade is driving out the middle class. He's also interested in making city government more accessible to those outside of "the machine." "It's very obvious that, unless you're in accord with the powers that be, Ashland government has made it clear that we don't want to hear from you," Fine said. DeBoer, a seven-year member of the Ashland School Board, made a close but unsuccessful bid for the mayor's seat in 1996, running against incumbent Shaw. He was appointed to fill a vacancy on the City Council in February 1997 but did not seek election in 1998. An Ashland native and owner of Town and Country Chevrolet Oldsmobile Geo, DeBoer has been involved in various civic activities, including the Ashland YMCA Board, the Mount Ashland Board and the Ashland Airport Commission. Today's Edition : News | Sports | Business | Weather | Tempo | Classifieds Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 2000, Medford, Oregon USA