Clearing The Air On the Issue Of "LOVE" Blog and Oro Valley

On two recent postings, "Sam Adams Alliance" posted Jan 25 & "Kathy Pastryk Saga" posted Jan 24, the name of Council Member Terry Parish was prominently discussed in the comments section. In fact, we are pleased that Mr. Parish, for the first time has seen fit to be one of our bloggers, as he has commented on both postings.

One issue that has been introduced in the comments concerns who was the citizen that initiated the action that precipitated the Town Clerk to tell me I MUST form a Political Committee, as a result of my endorsement of Bill Garner & Salette Latas for Town Council.

A couple of bloggers thought that Mr. Parish was involved in initiating the Town's actions, and as I noted in my comment on both postings, I have no knowledge as to who initiated the action.
I also stated that I have sent an email to the Town Clerk requesting she advise who this person was.

Mr Parish, in one of his comments here wrote: "I think the Az Star has this info. I was told they requested it in writing. I haven't made a request but believe the info is public info."

The Star requested this info, as well as any costs incurred in getting an outside legal opinion on my situation for their story and were informed it is "Private and Confidential."

Hopefully, as a Council Member, Mr. Parish can assist me in getting a response to my email to the Town Clerk, in which I asked about the two issues: Who was the person, and were there any costs for the legal opinion. My email was sent the morning of Jan 22. To date I have not had a response.


Herein is my email to Ms. Cuvelier with a copy to Clint Bolick at the Goldwater Institute.

Kathy Cuvelier

Oro Valley Town Clerk

Ref: Your letter to me dated Dec 10, 2007

Dear Ms. Cuvelier,

As a follow-up to your letter to me stating I must form a political committee, I am disappointed that neither you nor any Oro Valley personnel saw fit to inform me that you will not be pursuing this. Having said that, I would like to bring the following points to your attention.

It is my understanding that verbal complaints to the town would not be pursued and the complaint must be in writing and must be signed.

Therefore, I am requesting you advise who "the citizen" was that initiated the action that resulted in your letter to me.

If this email does not merit a positive response, please be kind enough to let me know what other options I have in getting this information.

Also, please be good enough to advise if the outside legal opinion the town solicited was at "no charge," or if there was a fee, how much was it?

Once again, if this email request will not suffice, please advise if I need to fill out a "Freedom of Information" form, or by what means will this information be made available to me?

I appreciate if you would give this matter your immediate attention and favor me with an email response.

Thank you.

Art Segal

art@letorovalleyexcel.com

More About "Free Speech" From The Sam Adams Alliance & Foundation

The Sam Adams Alliance & Foundation


Thursday, January 24, 2008

Wither free speech on blogs?

Categories: First Amendment

When Oro Valley, AZ resident Art Segal endorsed two candidates for City Council on his blog, he began to hear from city officials that he needed to register as PAC. Is this America?

If we define it as the "home of the red-tape," then I guess the answer is "yes."

According to the Arizona Daily Star, an unnamed citizen registered a complaint with the town clerk, which prompted the town attorney to give Segal, the operator of the Let Oro Valley Excel blog a ring:

Sidles [the interim town attorney] also asked the blogger if he would be willing to add links to the Web sites of the three incumbent candidates, as he had done for challengers Salette Latas and Bill Garner, Segal recalled.

Sidles, now the town prosecutor, said he only asked Segal if he planned on adding the Web links: "It was more of a curiosity question."

Yeah, curiosity.

http://www.samadamsalliance.org/about/

Thanks Anne Britt For Supporting "LOVE" Blog

Oro Valley Neighbor Anne Britt's letter in the Jan 25 Az Star
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Oro Valley lessons

Re: the Jan. 16 article "Town tells blogger he needs to register."

It seems by now that Oro Valley would have learned its lesson regarding frivolous lawsuits and other threats to its citizens. This is certainly a frivolous accusation, which should have be thoroughly researched before proceeding with any action.

Were Council members aware of the action by the town clerk? If so, and they supported it, it is definitely time for some new blood on the Oro Valley Council. If not, they should have been consulted before any warning was given to Art Segal.

Let Oro Valley Excel is doing a great service to its residents even if one does not always agree with its views. It informs and educates on issues in the community.

Anne Britt

Retired, Oro Valley