Charlene Pes-quiera, Democratic Senate hopeful

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From raising the minimum wage to smoking bans, candidates for District 26's House and Senate seats disagree over which propositions would most help Arizonans.

The 20 measures on the Nov. 7 ballot will guide Arizona's future when it comes to health, personal freedoms and economic viability, the candidates said. But whether the propositions will help or harm is up for debate, they said.

Republican Senate candidate Al Melvin believes that voting for Proposition 202, which would increase the minimum wage to $6.75 per hour, is the surest way to dry up entry-level jobs and hurt the economy.

Melvin, who ousted Republican incumbent Toni Hellon in the primary, is running against Democrat Charlene Pesquiera for the district's Senate seat.

The district encompasses the area east of Interstate 10 and north of River Road, stopping at Craycroft Road. It includes Oro Valley and the Coronado National Forest, running just above the Pinal County line to include SaddleBrooke.

The minimum wage was never intended to be a livable wage, Melvin said during a candidate forum last month. Increasing the burden on businesses will force them to cut jobs, he said.

But Pesquiera said that the increase is long overdue.

"Families live off of minimum wage," she said.

House Republican candidates Pete Hershberger and David Jorgenson don't support an increase in the minimum wage.

"Government shouldn't set prices," said Hershberger, the incumbent.

Democratic opponent Lena Saradnik said that regardless of whether the minimum wage was designed to support a family, many people try to make ends meet with the wage.

That's why the minimum wage needs to go up, she said.

Hershberger, Jorgenson and Saradnik are vying for two House seats.

During an Oct. 17 interview with the Arizona Daily Star's editorial board, the House candidates disagreed on which anti-smoking proposition is the better choice for residents and businesses.

Citing the health and safety of restaurant patrons and workers, Hershberger and Saradnik both support Proposition 201, which would extend smoking bans into restaurants and bars.

The measure also increases cigarette taxes by 2 cents to pay for enforcement.

Jorgenson supports the other cigarette-ban measure, Proposition 206, which would give restaurant and bar owners the choice to ban smoking.

Proposition 201 invades business owners' rights, he said. Besides, Jorgenson said, restaurant patrons can decide for themselves whether to eat in a restaurant that allows smoking.

In the Senate race, Melvin and Pesquiera differ on whether Proposition 300, which would force illegal entrants raised in Arizona to pay out-of-state tuition, is a good idea.

Melvin said the measure would help curb some of the state's costs related to illegal immigration.

However, Pesquiera said the measure turns state employees into immigration officials.

On StarNet: For more election coverage, visit azstarnet.com/politics