Monday, January 26, 2015

Guest View-Art Segal: Its Deja Vu All Over Again

A number of years ago, before many of our citizens made Oro Valley their home, a handful of residents initiated a group, Stop Oro Valley Outrageous Giveaways---(SOVOG). The group came about to fight the then majority council who determined it was in our best interests to offer three developers approximately $42 million dollars in our future sales tax revenue to develop three parcels in Oro Valley.

The most egregious of these “giveaways” went to Vestar, a Phoenix based developer who assured the residents they would bring us an “upscale, unique” shopping mall on the land that subsequently became The Oro Valley Marketplace. For those of you that were not living here at the time, you might wonder, “What am I missing? There’s no “unique, upscale” shopping mall there. All I see is a Walmart and other big box stores!”

Well---what happened was this. The people who bought into the Vestar sales pitch, got totally snookered. The end result is, we gave (still giving) Vestar something like $23 million dollars of our sales tax revenue.

SOVOG fought this giveaway as best we could, and if memory serves, after six court appearances, we finally achieved our goal of overriding 4 council members (two of whom were defeated in the next election, one retired, and one got defeated in a future election), and were able to get the issue to the voters.

Sadly, we couldn’t compete with Vestar’s advertising blitz, and the result was the aforementioned Marketplace.

So much for history. That brings us to where we are today. Once again, a majority of 4 council members have bought into a developers sales pitch and determined it is in our best interests to buy 45 holes of old golf courses, in the need of much repair and upkeep, not to mention a Country Club facility that is decades old, and hardly worth the millions of dollars necessary to bring it “up to snuff.”

Quoting Yogi Berra, the ex New York Yankee Hall of Famer: “It’s deja vu all over again.”

Once again, the people of Oro Valley find themselves in the unenviable position of being forced to do something that 4 people believe is in our best interests. Once again, it’s a developer with deep pockets that has supported the election of those council members with the credo; “You scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours".

There’s only one difference between then and now. Then, it took an election or two to dump those that thought they could get away with their egregious actions. This time, hopefully, we the people will “take the bull by the horns,” and initiate a recall petition to rid ourselves of these four.

For the record, we’re talking about Mayor Hiremath and Council Members Hornat, Snider and Waters. Oro Valley will be a better place the quicker these four can do no more damage.

To use another cliche: “Strike While The Iron Is Hot.” Initiate a recall petition. Get the required signatures. Get four new candidates that will work for us, not the Special Interests, and watch as we Let Oro Valley Excel!
---
Art Segal is a long time resident of Oro Valley. He is also the cofounder of Let Oro Valley Excel. Art has worked tirelessly for our community for many years. We always welcome his comments and his wisdom. Click here to read about LOVE, Art, Freedom of Speech, Oro Valley, and the Goldwater Institute.

30 comments:

Richard Furash, MBA said...

Since Art seems to want to dwell in the past, let's remind him of three of his 'better' candidate choices for Town Council. There was the candidate who had outstanding Game and Fish warrants for failure to appear from the municipal court in Eloy and had to take a plea agreement here in Oro Valley in a domestic violence case. Then there was the one who abruptly resigned in the midst of an alleged affair with the Town Manager, who also resigned. And who can forget his unwavering strong support for Conny who he later labled as a "Loser" on this blog.


Ahhhhh yes; the good ole days. Have a great day!

Richard Furash, MBA said...

You forgot to mention one of the current council members (YOUR friend) who disseminates information from Executive Sessions. That's a violation of the law!

Or the mayor with the violent temper!

Or the wife of the council member who verbally assaults campaign workers and stalks them while they're delivering campaign flyers for her husband's opponent!

I could go on, but this isn't the topic of this thread.

Always a pleasure...

Richard Furash, MBA said...

If we get another election for Mayor, would Zinkin run? We know he watches out for us.

Richard Furash, MBA said...

Well, the "Merry Prankster SHOULD know about all of these past incidents. Should he not?

Richard Furash, MBA said...

Well if Mr. Zinkin runs he should run on a platform of 75% of town budget for the OV Police Dept. This platform would defang the police union which hates Zinkin.


In any case, the police are going to need a huge increase in funds to keep our crime rate low with all the apartments that the current town administration has approved.


The future required increase in police funding is going to make our payments for the outdated community center, the run-down golf course(s) AND the sweetheart management contract with Troon a big stretch without a property tax. (a property tax on top of the insane property taxes we pay to the county)

Richard Furash, MBA said...

God....I would love that. According to the independent counsel report he is also looking out for female Town employees..

Richard Furash, MBA said...

Nombe....You obviously aren't keeping up with the crime statistics in the "burg" as you like to call it. Do some homework and get back with us when you can speak with some accuracy.

Richard Furash, MBA said...

You have never let the topic get in the way of running your fingers across the keyboard before. Would you like to provide some specicificity to your comments?


Don't you have guts enough to name folks or do you just sit in your corner and type unfounded accusations

Richard Furash, MBA said...

You didn't have the guts to debate me on the Troon contract.

Why should I tell you who the "stalker" was? It's rather easy to figure out for yourself since it can only be one of two people. Put your Thinking Cap on...or better yet, put your Thinkerbell cap on.

Richard Furash, MBA said...

cox has a knack of always getting away from the issue at hand. The point of my posting was to start (or continue) a discussion on why Oro Valley would be better off without those 4 that have done too much damage to our community during their tenure in office.


Why not debate the merits of a recall, rather that let cox deflect from the real issue?

Richard Furash, MBA said...

Cox has ran for Council Twice and LOST both times. He lost money to Zinkin in the litigation. Two different Town Attorneys have advised Council that he has violated the Code of Conduct. Why does anybody listen to him. He is a bully, devoid of facts, and has only one friend (A current Councilman).

Richard Furash, MBA said...

Perhaps you should stop accusing Art of being stuck in the past when clearly you are stuck in the past as well.

Richard Furash, MBA said...

I haven't been in Oro Valley long enough to know any of the past council members or Mayor but I have been here long enough to know the current ones and how wrong they are for this beautiful town that my family and I fell in love with 5 yrs ago. The ugly apartments that are popping up all over town and the traffic that they are already generating is enough to make any resident cringe.

I have done my research and wholeheartedly believe that this El Con purchase is completely wrong and will inevitably be the downfall for Oro Valley; therefore, I am all for a recall.

I am also fairly new to reading this blog and was completely shocked to discover who you are Tucsonbass. I have never witnessed this much unprofessional behavior in my entire life. Your comments and gestures on this blog (apparently for quite some time) are appalling and solidify my support for a Mayoral recall! I think it's time for us, younger generation, to get more involved and clean house! Out with the old, as the saying goes, and in with the new. Utterly shocking!

Richard Furash, MBA said...

VC....Just for the record....A debate is impossible with you. It doesn't matter what is presented, you will never concede your position. So as I have said before I choose to just ignore your babbling.

Richard Furash, MBA said...

Unbelieveable....Unfortunately your facts are incorrect. I did not lose a penny to Zinkin in the litigation. Please name the, "Two different Town Attorneys have advised Council that he has violated the Code of Conduct." as that is a complete fabrication. The content of you post and the use of the word "bully" gave away your cover. You are not a clever person so stop making the attempt and do your required reading. ;-)

Richard Furash, MBA said...

Art...I only responded to your post. I simply pointed out that your choices for representation on Council have been a defendant, folks with no moral character and another that YOU referred to as a "Loser" on this very blog.


The four you currently oppose are upstanding members of the community.

Richard Furash, MBA said...

When have you ever conceded YOUR position? And the only time you "ignore" me is when you don't have a counter-argument.

Richard Furash, MBA said...

I concede my position when I am proven wrong.


And stop complimenting yourself. I ignore you most of the time.

Richard Furash, MBA said...

I heard it was your insurance company that lost the money, not you. What is important is that you lost. Just like you lost the two elections.

Richard Furash, MBA said...

If you heard that it was my insurance company then why did you say, "He lost money to Zinkin in the litigation." ? What is important is that you simply cannot tell the truth. I am very proud of the fact that I ran against a long seated incumbant and lost by only 4 votes. I have a positive record of community involvement. What's your record? Tell us!!!

Richard Furash, MBA said...

I have thought long and hard about replying to Tucsonbass. I have come to the conclusion that I feel I have to say what happened.
Yes, I did get a ticket from Game and Fish. The ticket was for shooting too close to the buildings. What was not on the ticket was I was only 20 feet inside their line. Yes, I was inside the line and too close to the buildings, for that, I take responsibility. I also take responsibility for failing to appear. In that time frame of when I was supposed to appear, my wife was diagnosed with breast cancer, my daughter got involved with a convicted felon, and we had a family member become involved with meth. I was also undergoing treatment for a pulmonary embolism (blood clot in my lungs) from my first knee replacement. So, the Game and Fish ticket was forgotten about. The night I found out about it was the night my wife, who by this time had undergone surgery and radiation therapy for her breast cancer, myself and our daughter got into a dispute over the convicted felon. And, unless you were their in the courtroom, Mr. Tucson Bass, you do not know what the judge gave me for a punishment. I am very pleased to say that our daughter and myself have come forward and repaired our relationship and the convicted felon is now out of the picture.
My wife, thankfully, has been cancer free now for a number of years. For that I am very grateful. The family member who became involved with meth has undergone successful drug rehabilitation and is now clean.
My daughter is finishng up here at the UofA and will receive her Bachelor of Science degree in Biochem in May of 2016. She has started the process of applying to Oxford and Cambridge Univerities in England, where she wants to go to get her Masters and PhD (or as they call it in England, her D-fill) degrees. I am very proud of her.
As for me, I just saw my orthopedic surgeon on the 30th of Dec and was given 3 options for my leg. So Mr. Tucsonbass, let me ask you, of these 3 options which one would you take? Here are the 3 options:
1) Do nothing and live with the constant, severe knee pain.
2) Have a 9th knee surgery, 3rd total knee replacement and see if the pain goes away
3) Amputate the leg above the knee


These are the 3 options I was given because I have constant, severe knee pain from an injury I received while in the Air Force. I received the injury in Oct 1973 and was re-injured on July 1974. So over the past 41+ years, I have undergone 8 knee surgeries.

You also forgot to mention about my bankruptcy during the time I ran for council. That occurred because of the first knee replacement and subsequent pulmonary embolism, I was out of work for over a year and receiving no compensation. The income stopped, but the bills did not.
I am happy to say that instead of having the Chapter 13 discharged, my wife and I voluntarily had the Chapter 13 dismissed and we got caught up on our bills.


So, the Game and Fish Violation and subsequent warrant was because of all that occurred I just forgot. The domestic violence was because of the convicted felon in the mix. I ask you, would you have had a different response had this been happening in your life? Had you had a blood clot in your lungs? Had your wife also been diagnosed with breast cancer? I think not.

Richard Furash, MBA said...

Lori, I have been here much much longer and while things weren't perfect before you are so right in your assessment. We moved here because of its beauty and quieter living. And are so disgusted by what the town is becoming.
As for the rest of your comment. You couldn't be more right.

Richard Furash, MBA said...

Hello Don,
Thank you for sharing your personal situation with us. Your "rest of the story" is such a good story. It is filled with so many good things that have happened in your life.
The LOVE community wishes you only the best.
Richard

Richard Furash, MBA said...

So who is he?

Richard Furash, MBA said...

Here, below, is T. Bass' note, letting me know that I know nothing about the Troon Management Contract (see my repost of Diane Peters epic take down of the Troon Management Contract) and that I need to do "homework" on the police to population formula.


Mr. Bass does not believe that a substantial increase in population caused by the overbuilding of apartments in Oro Valley will require an increase in police funding. This is the first time I have heard Mr. Bass come out AGAINST police funding.



Well I guess I better do some "homework" because in my experience, when the population increases we need to hire more police officers. But what do I know? I don't know anything about the Troon management contract (infra) and I do not know that we can police several thousand more citizens with current resources.


Tucsonbass Nombe • 2 days ago

Nombe....You obviously aren't keeping up with the crime statistics in the "burg" as you like to call it. Do some homework and get back with us when you can speak with some accuracy.

And you obviously know nothing about the Troon contract.

Richard Furash, MBA said...

Since you're for a recall due to the El Con deal, you should also know that the 4 who need to be recalled are good friends with Tucsonbass and if there is ever a vacancy on the council due to someone resigning, he is one of the people that they would strongly consider to fill the vacancy. It's yet another example of them being unfit for office.

They pulled this stunt in 2010 when Councilmember Latas resigned and they appointed Steve Solomon to fill the vacancy. Latas was pro-citizen and pro-environment and won by a landslide. Solomon was pro-business, arrogant and rude. The voters threw him out of office at the next election. Just another example of the poor decision-making skills of the majority-4.

Richard Furash, MBA said...

The accusations that Tucsonbass (the blogger formerly known as OVOT) makes against others are an example of telling the "truth" but not the "whole truth." He cherry-picks the information to disseminate.

Thank you for having the courage to tell the whole truth! And best wishes to you and your family.

Richard Furash, MBA said...

"Folks with no moral character." Hmmm...you still listen to Bill O, don't you? Charged with sexual harassment in 2004. Settled out of court.

How about Rush L. and all his drug problems? You probably listen to him, too.

Want me to keep it local? Disseminating information from Executive Sessions. Violation of the law.

Richard Furash, MBA said...

If your insurance company paid the settlement, then your insurance premiums most likely increased as a result of your bad behavior. Ergo, you still lost money to Zinkin.

Richard Furash, MBA said...

"Epic take down." I love it! You rock, Nombe!