In his letter to The Explorer April 23, Bob Lundquist, a Suffolk Hills resident tells why he's fed up with Oro Valley.
**************************************************************************************
People of Suffolk Hills have had it with Oro Valley
We here in Suffolk Hills are outraged at the suggestion of more taxes / rate increases by the kangaroo government of Oro Valley.
We challenged the annexation in the first place — OV and the OVPD sent uniformed officers, and plainclothes “detectivers” into our home during the annexation process and lied to us. I know. I experienced it and then I donated my time as a lawyer to challenge the annexation in the Pima County Superior Court.
Many who signed the annexation petition revoked their approval, saying they were intimidated by this Gestapo-like tactic and that they were lied to. A timid judge, whom I knew before he was a judge, failed to recognize the outrageous OV conduct with regard to our “annexation” and “by the numbers” the annexation was barely upheld.
We were told by OV politicians (and cops) that there would be no new taxes, etc., etc., etc. Now we have sales taxes, utility taxes, water taxes, and now this “rate increase” for our basic water by these clowns.
Hopefully the Arizona Legislature will hear our efforts to “unannex” and let us back into Pima County. We have had enough.
R.E. Lundquist
Tucson
3 comments:
Mr. Lundquist:
Yours is just another example of the rampant disregard for the
ordinary citizen, their homes, their pocketbooks, that has been running amok within Oro Valley for many years. It appears that this present administration (as well as past) under the dictatorial
mentality of our current Mayor and friends, has chosen to act elitest by stomping on the public interest
in favor of slurping at the money
they think they can get. Why was Suffolk Hills annexed? 'It's the money, stupid'. As for the general constituency in this 'province', unless something directly affects them, the people themselves do not come to the aid of their neighbors. When the Oro Valley Marketplace fiasco came into focus, who ventured to other Vestar developments in order to see their very ordinary discount chain store/big box mentality? They were snookered, they naively believed, they voted, and now they cry at what they got; they didn't do their homework. When the crematorium issue came into light, what outsiders or professionals offered their assistance in protecting the residents' rights to the enjoyment of their property without fear of visual or physical contamination? And, more recently, relative to the Anthem/Equity project at Innovations Park and Rancho Vistoso Blvd, adjacent to the Vistoso Vistas neighborhood' and the effect this will have, not only upon those in the direct 'line of fire', but the neighborhood as a whole, what legal person or group is stepping up to the plate and offering some kind of aid, especially in light of the appearance that the developers seemingly bullied their way into forcing the Town to cowtow and 'fold'?
Mr. Lundquist, there are many persons in this town who have tried by various means to 'set it right'. This blog site is an example of the tireless effort of one citizen, Art Segal, to provide for an awareness never seen here before. Through this site some of us have been pounding at the injustices that permeate our local processes, each poster by their own perceptions and their own offerings. Inroads have been made!
I believe that this site had an incredible impact on the most recent election resulting in Salette Latas and Bill Garner to
be granted a place on the 'new council'. For the first time yesterday, I actually received a mailed notification of meetings relative to a new general plan
issue (it seems 'they' used to try to hide these things). There is a runoff election now in progress. It is my hope that the 'winner' will be Mr. Barrie Gillaspie as I believe that he is more sensitive
towards the community as a whole than is his counterpart, Terry Parrish who appears to be more beholden to 'special interests' by virtue of their flood of campaign donations to him.
I believe that this town will be a much stronger one after the installation of the newly elected members; I have gotton to know them personally over this past year and they are not purchasable.
One bit of advise I have for you is that, you, being in the legal profession must pursue your cause through those avenues available to you; if you want the support of others outside of your own neighborhood, please, get involved with the 'rest of the town' and thus we can all come together and perhaps diminish those blemishes that have been bestowed upon us.
Just to clarify - I used the term "it's the money, stupid' in referencing a lot of the reasons the TOWN does what it does; it was not meant to be directed towards Mr. Lundquist or the other residents of Suffolk Hills.
561 words and nothing of substance.....including the incorrect spelling of Mr. Gillaspie's name. It would be BARRY, Zev.
Post a Comment