In an action that did not surprise many in the audience, the OV Council voted to increase the water-connection fees.
Sadly, though not surprising, that the Town Council "punked out", deciding to raise the rates requested by SAHBA, (So. Arizona Home Builders Association) Vistoso Partners, other developers and real estate people. The "average citizens," including Art, requested the Council, as was reported on Channel 4 at 10PM, to "not allow the developers to dictate policy." In the segment aired, Art stated, "it's like the tail wagging the dog." http://www.kvoa.com/global/story.asp?s=6689418
Well the "tail" (developers) won out, and the motion that passed was the "watered down" version, with the lowest amount of fee increase.
In addition to KVOA -Channel 4, the Arizona Daily, and The Explorer had reporters on site. We'll post their take when it is published.
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Kathy Pastryk responds to Franzi, Re:Wal-Mart
Following is Kathy Pastryk's letter as it appeared in the June 20,2007 Explorer.
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Vestar incentives also reason for political distrust
Re: Emil Franzi’s column of June 6, “Separating Wal-Mart facts from fiction.” First of all, K.C. Carter wasn’t the only council member who has refused to roll over for Vestar. Councilmember Paula Abbott has quietly refused to go along with the huge sales tax rebate and other bennies — such as no increases in impact fees ever for developer Vestar. Franzi correctly points out that town council members Helen Dankwerth, Barry Gillaspie and Terry Parish ran against the Vestar deal.” Then he asks, “Why did they flip?”I am surprised that no one at the Explorer has followed the paper trail that leads to the Town Clerk’s office where campaign funding reports reside. There you can find that soon after the election, one of the candidates had his debts paid off by developers and became very visible in Vestar’s campaign, proclaiming the Marketplace a “home run for Oro Valley.”Another council member explained that council members don’t really like Wal-Mart, but they have a fundamental faith in the free enterprise system. Really? Where did that faith suddenly come from after the election? Or is that an excuse for sitting there doing nothing while Vestar pulls the strings?And is the enterprise system really so “free” when Vestar is being subsidized by $23.2 million in tax rebates plus “perks” that locally owned businesses don’t receive? This is not at all what we call a level playing field. Franzi introduced politics into his discourse by erroneously implying that OV1st is connected with the progressive wing of the Democratic party. Actually, many of the group‚s members are independents and Republicans, and of late, all of us are becoming more and more distrustful of politics as usual.While we certainly don’t all hold to the same views, we are (unlike council) smart enough to know when we’ve been kicked in the teeth! It bothers me that those who support the Vestar boondoggle seem to endorse our being limited in the kind of store we should shop in. There are 13 Wal-Marts in Pima County. Shouldn’t we want something better for Oro Valley? Or should our town’s motto be: “Oro Valley: A town of mediocrity?” Do we all drive the same car? Do we go on the same vacations? Do we not strive for better in whatever we do? You see, Mr. Franzi, something about pro-Wal-Martism strikes me as socialistic. If variety is the spice of life, striving for improvement, craving something better for ourselves and our families is truly American, and wherever we are on the political spectrum, surely we don’t all fit into the same big box!
Kathy Pastryk,Oro Valley
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Vestar incentives also reason for political distrust
Re: Emil Franzi’s column of June 6, “Separating Wal-Mart facts from fiction.” First of all, K.C. Carter wasn’t the only council member who has refused to roll over for Vestar. Councilmember Paula Abbott has quietly refused to go along with the huge sales tax rebate and other bennies — such as no increases in impact fees ever for developer Vestar. Franzi correctly points out that town council members Helen Dankwerth, Barry Gillaspie and Terry Parish ran against the Vestar deal.” Then he asks, “Why did they flip?”I am surprised that no one at the Explorer has followed the paper trail that leads to the Town Clerk’s office where campaign funding reports reside. There you can find that soon after the election, one of the candidates had his debts paid off by developers and became very visible in Vestar’s campaign, proclaiming the Marketplace a “home run for Oro Valley.”Another council member explained that council members don’t really like Wal-Mart, but they have a fundamental faith in the free enterprise system. Really? Where did that faith suddenly come from after the election? Or is that an excuse for sitting there doing nothing while Vestar pulls the strings?And is the enterprise system really so “free” when Vestar is being subsidized by $23.2 million in tax rebates plus “perks” that locally owned businesses don’t receive? This is not at all what we call a level playing field. Franzi introduced politics into his discourse by erroneously implying that OV1st is connected with the progressive wing of the Democratic party. Actually, many of the group‚s members are independents and Republicans, and of late, all of us are becoming more and more distrustful of politics as usual.While we certainly don’t all hold to the same views, we are (unlike council) smart enough to know when we’ve been kicked in the teeth! It bothers me that those who support the Vestar boondoggle seem to endorse our being limited in the kind of store we should shop in. There are 13 Wal-Marts in Pima County. Shouldn’t we want something better for Oro Valley? Or should our town’s motto be: “Oro Valley: A town of mediocrity?” Do we all drive the same car? Do we go on the same vacations? Do we not strive for better in whatever we do? You see, Mr. Franzi, something about pro-Wal-Martism strikes me as socialistic. If variety is the spice of life, striving for improvement, craving something better for ourselves and our families is truly American, and wherever we are on the political spectrum, surely we don’t all fit into the same big box!
Kathy Pastryk,Oro Valley
A Really Valuable History Lesson From The Oro Valley Watchdog
For those of us who may have ten or so minutes (depending on how fast you read), we suggest you visit the Oro Valley Watchdog. Our good friend Phil Richardson has written a (really long) piece about the facts of how he, and his neighbors came to be Oro Valley citizens. If nothing else, you'll learn about some of the ways Oro Valley works to get what Oro Valley wants. Forget about ethics & morals. They didn't seem to matter here.
Its about "how my neighbors and I were dragged kicking and screaming into Oro Valley, published in the faint hope that others with property and tax dollars after which the people running Oro Valley Town Hall are lusting, may find a few valuable nuggets in the following diatribe and avoid what happened to us." Updated June 19, 2007. Other updates will follow every week until the saga has been told.
Its about "how my neighbors and I were dragged kicking and screaming into Oro Valley, published in the faint hope that others with property and tax dollars after which the people running Oro Valley Town Hall are lusting, may find a few valuable nuggets in the following diatribe and avoid what happened to us." Updated June 19, 2007. Other updates will follow every week until the saga has been told.
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