At 9:05 PM on Feb 6, the Oro Valley Council voted to approve a $48.6 million expenditure to go on the Nov 8, 2008 Ballot as a Bond Issue.
As one who listened in and watched the proceedings at home, I can offer the following observations.
On the initial discussion concerning a possible Band Shelter, Helen Dankwerth said, "I'm confused." Al Kunisch did her one better a couple minutes later when he stated: "I'm totally confused."
It was easy to see why, when Mayor Loomis said: the "$48.6million includes the band shell, correct?" The answer was "No," it did not include the band shell.
After hearing from eleven speakers, including two youngsters who spoke about why we should spend $154 million, Bill Adler took the opportunity to address the council noting that the survey the town just spent $17,800 should be something the council should pay attention to. The majority of those surveyed, as Adler pointed out, said unequivocally that there are "needs," and a park is not high on the list of needs. More important are, among other things, roads, water, emergency services and shopping.
By the way, I found it interesting that a number of the proponents of a $154 million expenditure were indeed not even OV citizens who were quite anxious to allow Oro Valley residents to pay the secondary property tax
The Vote---Paula Abbott made a motion to put the $48.6 million on the Nov. ballot. After much discussion, including Terry Parish "lobbying" for the $154 million not once or twice, but five times, the vote was 5-2. Parish & KC Carter voted "No" for two different reasons. $48.6 was not enough for Parish and too much for KC.
That wasn't the end of it. Barry Gillaspie who we know "waffles" on just about every issue, saw fit to put forth another motion to go for the $154M, stating: "I know I originally supported the $48.6M but I know $48.6M will fail." When Dankwerth suggested in essence, the council just approved the $48.6M, and why now reintroduce another option, Gillaspie made it a point to say: "I don't appreciate the lecture from Mrs. Dankwerth."
They did vote on this $154M option and it was defeated, with only Gillaspie, Parish & Loomis voting "yes."
I guess if anyone who missed the proceedings and has a couple free hours, it will be available on the OV web site. I might suggest, you may want to visit your dentist for a root canal instead!
Art
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Coming Soon To Rancho Vistoso---"Up In Smoke!"
Thanks to Jeff Latas who took this photo and posted it as a comment on the "Please Register to Vote" Posting on Feb 4.
I thought it would get more attention as a new posting.
This is a Photo of The Adair Funeral Home on Magee road in Oro Valley taken by Jeff on Feb 5.
(Note--I originally said "Feb6." The correct date was Feb5)
As Jeff noted, this is what the neighbors around the new Crematorium on Rancho Vistoso Blvd will have to look forward to.
Even without any mercury concerns, who wants to be anywhere around this black smoke that emanates from a crematorium?
I thought it would get more attention as a new posting.
This is a Photo of The Adair Funeral Home on Magee road in Oro Valley taken by Jeff on Feb 5.
(Note--I originally said "Feb6." The correct date was Feb5)
As Jeff noted, this is what the neighbors around the new Crematorium on Rancho Vistoso Blvd will have to look forward to.
Even without any mercury concerns, who wants to be anywhere around this black smoke that emanates from a crematorium?
Taxpayer-Funded Lobbying Bill Needs Our Support
Tom Jenney who is fighting on behalf of Arizona citizens, asks that we take a couple of minutes to support the cause. Let's not allow the lobbyists to stop SCR 1009 Bill.
Art
Art
ARIZONA FEDERATION OF TAXPAYERS
A STATE CHAPTER OF
AMERICANS FOR PROSPERITY
TAXPAYER ADVISORY February 6, 2008
Tough road ahead for ban on taxpayer-funded lobbying
Tell Sen. Linda Gray to keep up the good fight!
In an effort to end the use of taxpayer funds for lobbying, Arizona Senator Linda Gray (R-Northwest Phoenix) introduced SCR 1009, a referendum bill also known as No Taxpayer Money for Lobbyists (NTML).
If passed during the current legislative session, NTML would allow Arizona voters in November to prohibit the use of public funds for lobbying, while safeguarding the ability of elected officials, public agencies, departments, boards, commissions, and political subdivisions to provide expert testimony and information to members of the Legislature.
Although it started off the session with more than a dozen sponsors, and earned the endorsement of the state GOP at its mandatory meeting on January 26th, NTML was held in the Senate’s Government Committee this week. The difficulties faced by the bill in that committee show just how tough it will be to get the reform through the Legislature.
One of the committee members, Sen. Meg Burton Cahill (D-Tempe), expressed the view that the democratic election of local government officials confers legitimacy on all of their decisions, including the decision to give public funds to lobbyists. That is a common view down at the Legislature, although it was not the view of the framers of the US and Arizona Constitutions, who believed that government should have limited powers.
Sen. Robert Blendu (R-Litchfield Park, Goodyear) expressed worries that a ban on taxpayer-funded lobbying would disrupt the information-providing function of the lobbying system. While he is correct that lobbying does facilitate the flow of information about policies, it does not follow that lobbyists should have access to public funds. Instead, elected officials and government employees should raise lobbying money the way other interest groups do—by means of private, voluntary contributions.
Sen. Jake Flake (R-Gila and Apache Counties) argued that there is no inherent big-government bias to taxpayer-funded lobbying. He is correct that we should not make blanket statements about the aims of all taxpayer-funded lobbying, but examples of big-government bias come readily to mind. In recent years, lobbyists in Arizona have used public funds to oppose popular efforts to end eminent domain abuse, reduce income and property taxes, and extend educational opportunities to children through school choice.
Sen. Flake also expressed some understandable concerns about geographical equity: the mayor of Snowflake will have more difficulty getting to legislative hearings than the mayor of Glendale. However, there is nothing in NTML that would prevent the Legislature from reimbursing city and county officials for travel expenses when they are invited to Phoenix to testify before legislative committees.
Facing opposition from the Committee’s majority—Senators Blendu, Burton Cahill, Flake, and the nearly silent Jorge Luis Garcia (D-Tucson)—Senator Gray held the bill.
From here, NTML faces a tough road. Perhaps an amended version of the bill can get out of committee and go to a vote before the full Senate. Or perhaps a House version of the bill can move forward. If the Legislature fails us, taxpayer activists will have to wait until next year to collect signatures and put a citizen initiative on the 2010 ballot.
Meanwhile, please send Senator Linda Gray an email (lgray@azleg.gov) or a phone message (602-926-3376) to thank her for her efforts to end taxpayer-funded lobbying. And please tell her to keep up the good fight!
(URL for text of the January 26th state GOP resolution in favor of NTML:
http://www.americansforprosperity.org/index.php?id=4794&state=az)
Contact: Tom Jenney, Arizona state director, Americans for Prosperity
tjenney@afphq.org (602) 478-0146
The Explorer Reports (A Little Late) On Oro Valley vs. "LOVE" Blog
The Explorer wrote in their Feb 6 issue that the town agreed to release the outside legal opinion I had requested concerning our "issue" of Oro Valley vs. our "LOVE" Blog.
(Please scroll down to read OV neighborTerry Dudas' letter to The Explorer on this issue.)
We would like to correct one statement in the article. The Explorer article states:
"Town legal officials investigated, and Segal received written inquiry in early December from the office of Town Clerk Kathi Cuvelier, asking him to register letorovalleyexcel.org as a political action committee." (note--article had ".org"--not ".com" which is correct.)
The letter I received from Ms. Cuvelier dated, Dec. 10 stated: "----this is to advise that your organization MUST FILE a statement of Organization as a Political Committee." (my caps)
I'm sure you will agree, there is quite of difference in being "ASKED" to do something, and being told you "MUST" do something.
Read the Explorer article here.
http://www.explorernews.com/article/show/21375
_____________________________________________________
Explorer Feb 6
Inattention to blog story is clearly censorship
Most readers of The Explorer expect to be informed about significant news stories in their community. That expectation is the hook for your readership and the tool you use selling advertising space which keeps you in business.
So where were you on one of the biggest stories to hit Oro Valley in a long time — the attempt to squelch letorovalleyexcel.com., a blog run by Oro Valley resident, Art Segal? This important story was picked up all over the state, but, oh no, for some reason, not in the Oro Valley circulation area. Gee, I have to wonder why. Could it have anything to do with the upcoming Oro Valley town council election?
What kind of news organization are you, anyway? Formerly, readers could expect timely stories on events that would hit their pocketbooks, property rights, life styles and freedoms; business public relations releases and hype just came with the package. Am I to suppose now that with new management, The Explorer has become nothing more than an expanded mouthpiece of the redundant quarterly, Oro Valley Vista? And, please, don’t try to fob off the responsibility of this story’s coverage on Emil Franzi and his excellent, but tardy observation piece, “OV Ham handed etc.,” Jan. 30.
There was a glaring editorial news hole in The Explorer for more than a week, and in my view, it is all too obvious as to the reason why. Censorship.
Terry Dudas
Oro Valley
(Please scroll down to read OV neighborTerry Dudas' letter to The Explorer on this issue.)
We would like to correct one statement in the article. The Explorer article states:
"Town legal officials investigated, and Segal received written inquiry in early December from the office of Town Clerk Kathi Cuvelier, asking him to register letorovalleyexcel.org as a political action committee." (note--article had ".org"--not ".com" which is correct.)
The letter I received from Ms. Cuvelier dated, Dec. 10 stated: "----this is to advise that your organization MUST FILE a statement of Organization as a Political Committee." (my caps)
I'm sure you will agree, there is quite of difference in being "ASKED" to do something, and being told you "MUST" do something.
Read the Explorer article here.
http://www.explorernews.com/article/show/21375
_____________________________________________________
Explorer Feb 6
Inattention to blog story is clearly censorship
Most readers of The Explorer expect to be informed about significant news stories in their community. That expectation is the hook for your readership and the tool you use selling advertising space which keeps you in business.
So where were you on one of the biggest stories to hit Oro Valley in a long time — the attempt to squelch letorovalleyexcel.com., a blog run by Oro Valley resident, Art Segal? This important story was picked up all over the state, but, oh no, for some reason, not in the Oro Valley circulation area. Gee, I have to wonder why. Could it have anything to do with the upcoming Oro Valley town council election?
What kind of news organization are you, anyway? Formerly, readers could expect timely stories on events that would hit their pocketbooks, property rights, life styles and freedoms; business public relations releases and hype just came with the package. Am I to suppose now that with new management, The Explorer has become nothing more than an expanded mouthpiece of the redundant quarterly, Oro Valley Vista? And, please, don’t try to fob off the responsibility of this story’s coverage on Emil Franzi and his excellent, but tardy observation piece, “OV Ham handed etc.,” Jan. 30.
There was a glaring editorial news hole in The Explorer for more than a week, and in my view, it is all too obvious as to the reason why. Censorship.
Terry Dudas
Oro Valley
Gerri Ottobobi Responds To Explorer Letter "Gibberish"
We don't know Rick Cunnington, but we are familiar with his letters to The Explorer. He continues to say things that have no merit, and it would probably be wise if the new publisher/editor of The Explorer, Dave Perry stopped giving him a forum to spew his nasty comments. Good for Gerri Ottoboni for setting the record straight.
Art
____________________________________________________________________
Candidate is rightfully concerned about vistas
In a letter to The Explorer on 1-23-08, Rick Cunnington found humor in Salette Latas’s reasons for choosing Oro Valley as a home for her family.
Salette spoke of endless views, clean air, and peace and quiet. And she is rightfully concerned about all the new developments and associated traffic that will destroy these very things.
Might I suggest that Cunnington take a ride up Rancho Vistoso Boulevard and drink in the stark, institutional facade of Splendido? The roofline hides the mountain vistas that the residents across the street once enjoyed, and paid for when they purchased their homes. Town council members said: “they didn’t know it would be on a hill.”
Cunnington should take a bike ride to Robi Place, where he will find another scene of lost vistas. Builders erected a huge wall directly behind a home where endless views were once enjoyed.
On a moonlit drive to Catalina Shadows, Rick can experience the exciting bam-bam-boom of Vestar’s construction machinery at 3 a.m., a full three hours before the legal start time.
If Mr. Cunnington’s view or peace and quiet is ever encroached upon, and the price of his home slips to rock bottom, will he double over with glee?
In response to concerns about pollution, he asserts that there are very few junk cars in OV. He asks, “So where will the air pollution come from?” It will come from the junk cars from other towns being driven to Oro Valley’s new Wal-Mart. I guess Cunnington expects to see a sea of 2008 BMWs parked there.
I attended both forums. Salette Latas is well informed and articulate. Her education and experience are impressive.
Oro Valley residents don’t expect stagnation, but we do expect well-managed development. The needs of residents must come before the wants of developers, and that’s why I’m voting for Salette Latas.
Geri Ottoboni
Oro Valley
Art
____________________________________________________________________
Candidate is rightfully concerned about vistas
In a letter to The Explorer on 1-23-08, Rick Cunnington found humor in Salette Latas’s reasons for choosing Oro Valley as a home for her family.
Salette spoke of endless views, clean air, and peace and quiet. And she is rightfully concerned about all the new developments and associated traffic that will destroy these very things.
Might I suggest that Cunnington take a ride up Rancho Vistoso Boulevard and drink in the stark, institutional facade of Splendido? The roofline hides the mountain vistas that the residents across the street once enjoyed, and paid for when they purchased their homes. Town council members said: “they didn’t know it would be on a hill.”
Cunnington should take a bike ride to Robi Place, where he will find another scene of lost vistas. Builders erected a huge wall directly behind a home where endless views were once enjoyed.
On a moonlit drive to Catalina Shadows, Rick can experience the exciting bam-bam-boom of Vestar’s construction machinery at 3 a.m., a full three hours before the legal start time.
If Mr. Cunnington’s view or peace and quiet is ever encroached upon, and the price of his home slips to rock bottom, will he double over with glee?
In response to concerns about pollution, he asserts that there are very few junk cars in OV. He asks, “So where will the air pollution come from?” It will come from the junk cars from other towns being driven to Oro Valley’s new Wal-Mart. I guess Cunnington expects to see a sea of 2008 BMWs parked there.
I attended both forums. Salette Latas is well informed and articulate. Her education and experience are impressive.
Oro Valley residents don’t expect stagnation, but we do expect well-managed development. The needs of residents must come before the wants of developers, and that’s why I’m voting for Salette Latas.
Geri Ottoboni
Oro Valley
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