"The Appointed One" Solomon Trashes Oro Valley

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Right after the May 2008 election, the "Special Interest" Council Majority of Hiremath, Snider, Hornat and Waters appointed one of their own; Steve Solomon, the developer.

Solomon is now running for an open seat on council, and in doing so, he thinks his campaign would be helped with FIVE FOOT HIGH CANARY YELLOW SIGNS strewn all over the community.

While, Brendan Burns, Bill Garner and Mike Zinkin are abiding by the Oro Valley Town Code and placing their small signs in only the designated locations, Solomon once again shows how little he respects Oro Valley and its people.

It is, after all, all about Steve. His whole time in office has been "all about Steve," from his chomping at the bit at council meetings to his overbearing, pacing and interruption at the open forum on Coyote Run, where the users were put through hell time and time again.

Who do you think is paying for these high priced signs that are a blight on our community? Would it surprise anyone if it's subsidized by the Special Interest Groups,including the developers.

PLEASE: Don't let money buy another election in Oro Valley.

When your ballots arrive in the mail in a few weeks, PLEASE VOTE FOR BILL GARNER, MIKE ZINKIN and BRENDAN BURNS.
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Guest View-John Musolf: Coyote Run, The Rest Of The Story

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The Town Council originally had the Coyote Run Transit Service on the Town Budget chopping block for elimination in the FY2011/2012.  The Town Council wanted to eliminate Coyote Run.  One Council Member, Bill Garner, recognized the severe burden that such quick elimination of Coyote Run would cause its users.  So, he recommended diverting a percentage of the Town Budget Bed Tax Revenue to fund Coyote Run for the short term (one year) and it was approved.

Mayor Hiremath subsequently appointed a sub-committee of two councilmen, Lou Waters and Steve Solomon, to identify long-term Coyote Run alternatives.  On October 24, this sub-committee recommended a Coyote Run alternative funding alternative for FY 2012/2013: The service would be run by the Pima County Regional Transit Authority (RTA).

It is claimed that this change will save Oro Valley $200,000 in 2012/2013.

This change requires that the RTA and the Town Council approve  an Inter-Governmental Agreement (“IGA”) Amendment 1 to Resolution 11-02.  This Resolution was signed in January 2011 for a Regional Circulator Transit Service in Oro Valley. This Resolution was the "toe-hold" that the RTA needed to get in to Oro Valley.   Now, RTA is going to takeover Coyote Run.

It took me quite a while to get a copy of IGA Amendment 1.  Finally, after much misdirection, I was able to locate it on the RTA Web Site. Click here to read it.

This Wednesday's Oro Valley Town Council Meeting includes regular agenda item 1 which is the approval of this Amendment 1.   I have not doubt that it will pass.   This will 'save' Coyote Run as is for the year 2012/2013.

But what of the years beyond?

I predict that Coyote Run will disappear.

It does not make economic sense for the Town to ask to continue to be the Regional Service Contractor of Coyote Run once Amendment 1 expires in June 2013.  Once they let this deal expire, RTA would replace Coyote Run with Handi-Car or a similar service.  Handi-Car currently serves the rest of Pima County.   Oro Valley would eliminate any responsibility for financing of or control over Coyote Run.

The Town of Oro Valley could then eliminate the position that Aimee Ramsey, Certified Community Transit Manager, holds and all the Coyote Run Drivers. The Town can dispose of all the Coyote Run assets.  Additional savings would accrue to the town.

Coyote run would disappear.

Maybe RTA will fall in love with Coyote Run and continue to totally fund Coyote Run for Oro Valley and Handi-Car for the rest of Pima County.

Nah… I don’t think so.

John Musolf
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