The following is a "sad but true" commentary on the failure of Oro Valley leaders to protect and serve the people who elected them. It is a letter from Bill Berlat that appeared in the May 23 issue of The Explorer.
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"Although I am presently in Pinetop, I do have a home in Oro Valley, a once delightful community. My heart goes out to those unfortunate enough to have no avenue of escape from the decadence spawned by a Mayor and Council who have succumbed to greed and growth. Splendido is a perfect example of what should not be allowed in desert setting — a horrible Chicago-like tenement. And if that was not enough, the council approved four stories for it! The devil with the folks who live across the street, their home values and their views. Then there’s the crematorium — a blight in any neighborhood. And now, a Wal-Mart.
What’s needed, and I fear it is too late, are ethics, aesthetic and morality classes for prospective mayors and council members. This would teach them that their first obligation is not taxation, growth or getting on their knees when a developer waves his evil wand. It is the protection of the community, ensuring that a community as beautiful and tranquil as Oro Valley was, stays that way and does not become another noisy, traffic-ridden, desert-despoiling nightmare. That is exactly what a Mayor and Council in a community like ours is supposed to protect us from — degradation. Their charge should not be more money for a bigger government and another herd of motorcycle police. Their first responsibility should have been to preserve and protect the aesthetics and beauty of a small community like ours. And they have utterly failed in that. Mayor Paul Loomis and the Council Members we have had should hang their heads in shame for what they have allowed and encouraged."
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