In the April 30 Explorer, editor/publisher Dave Perry writes that he believes the Naranja Park Bond is "A Transparent Proposal."
Perhaps Dave, who I met and consider an honorable well-intentioned man, has not been an Oro Valley resident long enough to be aware of the many "back-rooms deals" that taken place throughout the years.
As to his comment: "Nobody’s trying to pull wool over anyone’s eyes. Naranja Town Site is not a smoky back-room deal. No one’s trying to pull a fast one. To end cliché, it must be said that Oro Valley is being up-front and visible about what the park would be, how it would be paid for, and what it would cost to operate," we would only say----"Are you sure?"
As recently as last month, the official Oro Valley web site had more inaccurate information listed than you can imagine. Amenities, costs and almost everything was wrong. Was it corrected? Yeah! It was corrected AFTER we did a posting, noting the multitude of errors.
We do agree with Dave's statement, "The question, ultimately, is whether voters think the costs are worthwhile."
To that, we would add, as long as the voters know the MAXIMUM costs are ESTIMATES, and the interest rate on the bonds can be as high as 12% over a 25 year period, and the maintenance & operating costs may be higher than expected.
One last thought---- Let's not forget the voters approved a $23.2 million giveaway to Vestar, expecting an "upscale" & "unique" shopping mall. Need I say more?
Dave's editorial comment can be read here.
http://www.explorernews.com/article/show/21922
Patrick McNamara's story is here.
http://www.explorernews.com/article/show/21933
2 comments:
Though this issue is not seemingly transparent at present, it appears that the State of Arizona revised statutes seem to require strict measures relative to executing a referendum of this type including informational transparency. As I do not wish to 'play' lawyer, at this time I will not publish what I believe to be those governing principles. I will be pursuing their legal application however.
Here's another 'twist' on the viability of the proposed Naranja Town Park. One of the justifications for having the [City
Center] at Rancho Vistoso near Innovations Parkway was [deemed] by our Mayor to be because that was a [centrally located] site. One of the reasons for having a [power center], the Oro Valley Market Place at Tangerine Road and
Oracle Rd., was that it was [central] for drawing from the North, drawing from the South, drawing from the East, from the heavens (and perhaps hell, too).
Expectations from the 'brains' are that these facilities would be able to accomodate all of the thousands of newcomers that would be settling in Arroyo Grande (yes, the assumption is that it's going to be well populated). So, where do 'they' want to have a grandiose park? Why of course in the 'old' center of town. A special park for the 'inside the beltway' crowd. Does anybody really think that those 'outsiders', living miles and miles away, stoplight and stoplight away, are going to traipse their little darlings back and forth so they, too, can use these facilities, especially after school when the workers are trying to get out, the shoppers are trying to get in, the movies are cranking up and everyone from Casa Grande to Sierra Vista is going to be jamming the streets to get to our unique restaurants? I have the solution - another park for those Northern folk; after all, by then it'll only cost a couple of hundred mil for a mirror image of the one we have here. Oh, I forgot, by that time were going to have to upgrade our 'inside the beltway' park to match the new and improved North park. And on and on it goes.
Anyhow, this whole melange of imagination is going to have to be
sorted out. VOTERS, get ready!
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