Under-Voting Helps Your Preferred Candidates

Primary ballots in mail
The Pima County Recorder has mailed the ballots for the August primary. The ballot lists five Oro Valley council candidates.

You can vote for three. Should you?

Undervotes are common in Oro Valley council elections 
There is no requirement that you vote for three. You just can't vote for more than three.  The vote that you do not cast is called an "undervote."

Our analysis of Oro Valley election history reveals that the number of votes cast depends on the level of voter enthusiasm for the candidates.  The 2018 election resulted in a "sea change" on council.  99% of voters chose among six candidates.  They elected three new council candidates.

There was far less voter enthusiasm in 2016. There were six council candidates. 11% of the voters did not vote all three votes. Voters simply lacked enthusiasm for a second or third candidate. There were 4,438 undervotes in that election.

How undervoting helps your preferred candidate(s)
Voting for only those candidates you really want to represent you actually helps them win the election. Not simply because you voted for them; but because undervotes reduce the threshold to win a seat in August; and, if that does not happen, to qualify to be on the ballot in November.

The reason for this is that the number of votes needed to win or qualify decreases in direct proportion to the total number of votes cast. The threshold is determined by dividing the total number of ballots cast by the number of seats available. That total is then divided by 2.  The three candidates receiving the highest vote totals are declared winners if they received more votes than the threshold number of votes. As you can see from the example, undervotes can make a huge difference.
---
The county sent the ballots on July 8.  You can call (520) 724-4330) if you do not receive yours.

Solomon Uses Scare Tactics

The other day, council candidate Steve Solomon dropped a "scare flyer" on the doorsteps of some. This one alleges that Burns, Garner and Zinkin have "pledged to close and sell your golf course-destroying your home value." Oh my. Tragedy to follow! What will these poor residents do?

We wouldn't be surprised to see more flyers, saying that incumbent candidates plan to "gut the police force;""take your gun rights;" kidnap and  your children and grandchildren.

Heck. Solomon will make anything up. And those who live only on "sound bites" will believe it.

The fact is: The supporters of the challengers would like you to vote from fear.

Solomon will feed you any "horse petuti" that he thinks that you will swallow!

Here's what one Oro Valley resident thinks about Solomon's behavior.
---
TIRED OF THE SOLOMON FALSEHOODS? 

Four years ago, Steve Solomon ran for Council in an attempt to retain the seat that he was appointed to by the Majority-4 in 2010. Since being beaten in the 2012 primary, no one has seen hide nor hair of Mr. Solomon. He has not been present at any Council meeting, board or commission meeting, and has not volunteered for any Town project. Now, after all this time, he reappears.

Solomon is a "big developer", "big projects" guy.

On April 20, 2011, Solomon voted to rezone the property where the HSL apartments now stand in Steam Pump Village. On Dec. 7, 2011, Solomon voted to approve a Major General Plan Amendment to allow for the apartments at Linda Vista/Oracle. On April 18, 2012, Solomon voted to rezone the property to allow for the apartments at First/Oracle. On May 2, 2012, Solomon voted to approve both the conceptual site plan and architecture plan to allow for the Encantada Apartments at Steam Pump Village to be 3 stories high.

Now Mr. Solomon is trying to tell you that he will save the Police and SRO's. In fact, the current council increased the number of SRO's by a 7-0 vote, and when have the police been threatened? He’s taking credit for forming Dial-A-Ride when it was a concerted effort by citizens and multiple council members after Solomon voted to eliminate funding for Coyote Run, the town’s former transportation service for the elderly and disabled.

Now he is telling the people who live adjacent to the golf courses that, if you do not elect him, your property values are going to diminish.  (See right panel)  Next he will tell you he laid the cornerstone to the library and Town Hall.

Solomon is telling you that the incumbents have pledged to close and sell the golf course. This is absurd. The incumbents are the only candidates who have offered any alternatives to the continued losses incurred by golf. Evert incumbent has also stated publicly that they want to include the People in finding alternatives to stop the continued losses from the golf operation.

Solomon is n got going to save your property values. He has not offered one solution to stop the recurring losses from the golf course operation. His “plan” is to do nothing and thereby continue to lose more than $1,000,000 annually for at least the next 5 years. His “plan” could result in the need for a property tax because Oro Valley cannot afford five more years of these substantial losses.

Solomon was bad for Oro Valley during his 2-year tenure as an appointed Councilman. He has done nothing to help our town since his defeat in 2012. It would be a serious mistake to return Mr. Solomon to Town Council.
---

Guest View-Mike Zinkin: Disagreement Is Not Incivility

When Did It Become Uncivil To Disagree
 I have read with interest the opposition candidates constant claims that they will bring respect and civility to the Council. The implication being that Bill, Brendan and I are disrespectful and uncivil.

Just because one disagrees with another does not mean they are uncivil.

Yes, I disagree with the purchase of the golf course, the approval of a 5-story building, and the increase of the sales tax…and thousands of Oro Valley citizens agree with me. Yes, I pull the financials from the consent agenda in order to affirm from the Town Directors our exact losses pertaining to the golf and restaurant investment. How does this make me disrespectful or uncivil?

I have put up with a barrage of disrespectful and uncivil actions from the Majority-4. Examples of true incivility and disrespectful behavior would include writing an Op-ed (the Mayor) advocating for a fellow council member's recall and timing it to be published on Christmas day, writing the State Bar Association (Mayor and Vice-Mayor Waters) asking that a fellow Council member be disbarred, writing the County Attorney (Mayor) asking for an investigation in order to disqualify a fellow Council member, and standing outside a supermarket (Councilmember Hornat) attempting to gather signatures for a recall of a fellow Councilmember.

I will continue to disagree with those who do not stand up for your General Plan. I will continue to disagree with those who spend your money foolishly. I will continue to disagree with raising taxes and reducing lot sizes for new home construction. Don't let the opposing candidates fool you into believing that these things equate to being disrespectful or uncivil.

The choice will be yours in August. You can have a Council that will ignore your needs and agree only with each other, or you can elect those who will listen to and stand up for you. I hope that I can continue to count on your support and your vote.

Mike Zinkin
Oro Valley Town Council Member