Below is the letter Council Member Barry Gillaspie wrote to The Explorer concerning Vestar's incentive.
Gillaspie still thinks Vestar deal was wrong
In his column in the July 25 edition of the EXPLORER, Emil Franzi asks, “Why did three town council members — Helen Dankwerth, Barry Gillaspie and Terry Parish — bail out on their original position opposing the Vestar development subsidy?”
It is important to respond to this question as it misrepresents my position with respect to economic incentives paid for retail development. For the record, my position remains that I oppose the Vestar agreement, I opposed it in the past, and I have argued to lead the council toward removing revenue sharing as an incentive for retail development in the future. Evidence of my position can be found in the council meeting records at which economic development agreements (EDAs) have been discussed since I took office. When I took office in June 2004, the EDA with Vestar (and all of its associated uses) had already become a signed contract enacted by the previous mayor and council. I cannot speak for the balance of the council, but I know that I could not have voted to rescind a signed contract of this magnitude because of the very certain prospect that Oro Valley would be subject to a breach of contract claim and its associated liability of $23 million, a situation that would have bankrupted the town.
I appreciate Mr. Franzi’s interest in ensuring the council continues to serve on behalf of the citizens. I will continue to work at moving the town’s thinking away from economic incentives for retail development. I hope that citizens with an interest in this and other matters will stay involved with council meetings and other opportunities by using the tools we have put in place to monitor the record of all governance matters on behalf of the town.
Barry L. Gillaspie,
Oro Valley Town Councilman
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