Meet Council Candidate Mary Murphy

Meet Mary Murphy

"I am running for council to serve and protect our wonderful community," declares Murphy in our communications. "I have a bachelor's degree, experience in Biomedical Research, and was a Licensed Practical Nurse for 15 years before moving to Oro Valley." Murphy is a stay-at-home mother of two. She has served on the Town’s Board of Adjustment.. 

Murphy is a champion of first responders
"I am proud to be married to a Desert Storm veteran who has had a successful thirty plus years in law enforcement. During that time, he also served for twenty years in the Marine Corps Reserve. So, I've witnessed firsthand the sacrifices these men and women make to serve and protect our communities. Many people don't realize the comfort they receive from these heroes until they actually need it."

Murphy “walks the talk” 

She supports first responders, citing her volunteer role as the Executive Director of First Responders and Military Affiliations for Rockin’ 4 Heroes. You will also see her at related events. Two weeks ago, “I had a fantastic time at the Guns and Hoses kickball charity event to support Project Graduation (keeping our community's graduates safe) at Riverfront Park on Saturday. It was a beautiful day to celebrate safety in our wonderful community.” You will see her at next fall's Rockin’ 4 Heroes... November 10 at Kreigh Park.

"I am a very vocal advocate for the Arizona Heroes Memorial which is being built in Naranja Park. I cannot wait to see this very special project come to fruition soon! I was honored to be asked by the Board to speak at the groundbreaking ceremony last year. I will have a brick honoring my father-in-law and my husband. Both were officers in the Marine Corps. And I would encourage you to consider supporting the memorial by creating a brick in honor of a loved one."

Government for the People 

"Accessibility in local government is essential," Murphy notes, expressing her commitment to being readily available to meet with residents through initiatives like "Council on Your Corner." Additionally, she underscores the importance of supporting local businesses and maintaining disciplined fiscal policies, echoing her vow to keep property taxes out of Oro Valley.

Championing the good 

She also believes that "accentuating the positive" can make an enormous difference in our town. She proposes initiatives akin to the "Spotlight on Youth" awards, celebrating those residents who positively impact our community, fostering a culture of reciprocal gratitude and service. "I love the idea of doing a Spotlight on community members to make a positive impact much like we do for a wonderful 'Spotlight on Youth' community awards," she remarks.

Preserving Oro Valley’s character and appeal

Murphy prioritizes protecting the character of Oro Valley. "Protecting Oro Valley's beauty, parks, and amenities is important to me as it preserves our community’s heart and soul for current and future generations.”

Enthusiastic about Oro Valley's future

Murphy brings a focus on community service, an unwavering advocacy for first responders, and a commitment to accessible governance. Her goal is to champion and safeguard Oro Valley's unique character and appeal for generations to come.

Want to learn more?

You can learn more about Mary Murphy.  Visit her campaign web site. 

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The 2020 Election: A Tale Of Two Towns

The Oro Valley 2020 council election is official. Tim Bohen and Mo Greene are the new members of council. Steve Solomon is returning for his second full term. It is his third time on council. He was appointed to council in 2011.

The election result is an amalgamation of the total vote count
A peek behind the numbers reveals a town divided.

Greater Oro Valley 
Greater Oro Valley includes the entire town except for three precincts that are located around the community center. Greater Oro Valley has nine precincts that have 24,600 registered voters. Greater Oro Valley includes Sun City, the original incorporated section of Oro Valley, the Oracle Road Corridor, and most of the town west if La Cholla.  Greater Oro Valley is highlighted in yellow in the panel that follows.

Greater Oro Valley elected Bohen, Garner and Solomon. Solomon was a far last choice, barely gaining more votes than Rodman and Greene.

The Town of Oro Valley Municipal Golf
The other part of the town is comprised of those who live around the Oro Valley Golf and Community Center. There are 8,200 registered voters in these three precincts. They voted in overwhelming numbers for Greene, Bill Rodman and Steve Solomon. Bill Garner and Tom Bohen received few votes from these people.

Town of Oro Valley Golf supported special interest money
You would think that the municipal golf folks would have thought more broadly about who should be on council. You would think that they would consider the documented fact that the three they elected are heavily financially supported by the developer community.

These are the same developers who supported Hiremath and his majority for 8 years.

These are the same developers that the people tossed out in 2018

The rest of Oro Valley rejected this money in 2020.

But not the municipal golfers.

Apparently they want over development, more cluster homes, and more homes built in Big Wash so they can keep their "special status"
The municipal golfers got their way in 2019, by overwhelming every town council meeting. They intimidated a council that jumped through hoops to accommodate 36 holes of a golf when the obvious correct answer was 18 holes.

Not satisfied with that win, the municipal golfers tried, with Solomon's help, and failed, also with his help, to recall Mayor Winfield and Vice Mayor Barrett.

Now they went out their way to try to "pack council" with people who will pay for their lifestyle.

Perhaps we need a non binding referendum on the part of the community to settle, once and for all, what all of Oro Valley wants when it comes to municipal golf. None? 18 holes? 36 holes? We need to opine.

Five Things To Keep In Mind When You Vote Tomorrow

Our fact check sets the record straight

Three things happened since we posted our "Election Primer" on July 14.  First, things got nasty in the form of expensive post cards containing outrageous accusations that were mailed by Greene, Rodman and Solomon. Second, because things got nasty, Mayor Winfield, Vice Mayor Barrett and Council Member Jones-Ivey endorsed Bohen and Garner. Third, last week we finally got the truth on developer campaign financing of Greene, Rodman and Solomon.

So, as you vote, do think about these things and more...

All candidates support public safety

There are two issues that are always lightning rods in Oro Valley elections. One is support of public safety. 

In every election since 2010, one set of candidates accusing the other set of "not supporting public safety." This year  Candidates Greene, Rodman and Solomon did just that is an expensive (60 cents per) glossy 6x11 post card. 

We've fact checked the accusation. All candidates support public safety. In fact, Candidate Garner did the hard work in 2008 of saving police positions.

First responder and school support has nothing to do with the Oro Valley Town Council

That same flyer accused "the other guys" of not supporting first responders or education. Where did that come from? First responders are not part of Oro Valley operations. They are a separate taxing district. Schools are not part of Oro Valley operations. They are also a separate taxing district. These things have nothing to do with the Oro Valley Town Council.

No candidate is encouraging policies that will likely lead to a property tax

The other lightning rod is an Oro Valley property tax.  An Oro Valley property tax is antithetical to the founding of Oro Valley. Oro Valley was founded on the basis that it would not have a property tax. Not having an Oro Valley property tax is in our DNA.  It is simply in not an issue.  The council can not mandate a property tax. Only the voters can do so.

According to candidate Bill Garner, speaking on a Jim Horn Oro Valley Podcast: "We should never be at that point [of needing a property tax] providing that you elect candidates that are stewards of your money. I have always been a fiscal steward of taxpayer money."

The campaigns of Greene, Rodman and Solomon are financed by the special interest developer community

Last week, we confirmed our earlier observations based on the Rodman and Solomon campaign funding of their 2016 campaign. As they did then, developer money has flooded Oro Valley politics.  All the usual characters are back - HSL, Realtors of Southern Arizona, Town West Real Estate, The Kai Family, Beztak (Sam Beznos) and Heritage Homes- to the the tune of $35,000. Solomon and Rodman alone received 75% of their campaign funds from them.  See our posting last week to learn more.

Garner and Bohen are endorsed by Mayor Winfield, Vice Mayor Barrett, and Council Member Jones-Ivey

Mayor Winfield, Vice Mayor Barrett and Council Member Jones-Ivey were silent at first regarding which candidates they would prefer to be on council. That changed once the expensive post cards containing outrageous accusations were mailed to homes. They have endorsed Garner and Bohen for council. That is an endorsement of the people with whom they will work for at least the next two years. See our posting of July 15 on the endorsement of Winfield and Barrett.  See our posting of July 22 with quotes from Barrett and Jones-Ivey.

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Guest View-Kim Krostue: “Methinks Rodman doth protest”

On incumbent candidate Rodman’s website is an impassioned article defending taking money from construction industry businesses, individuals, and association PACs. Readers are told It’s legal, and the American way for deep pocket donors to back their preferred candidates.

However, rather than defending himself, Mr Rodman relies on James Prunty, a former construction trade association executive, to lecture us on why candidates taking builder and developer money is critical to Oro Valley’s future. This approach is a political tactic to have a surrogate try to diffuse Rodman's big problem with his 2016 special interest contributors.

Unfortunately, we are judged by the company we keep. Prunty, part of the green shirt and recall team, has run an extended smear campaign against Mayor Winfield, Vice Mayor Barrett, and council members Jones Ivey and Nicolson. Identifying himself as a volunteer policeman, he posted a picture of the four on social media calling them inferior which in today’s climate can be viewed as both racist and sexist. Here are the words he has used in his many Explorer published letters to attack them: inferior, serpents, stupid, evil, deceptive, dishonest, the four horsemen, no integrity, not credible, dangerous, untrustworthy, whited sepulcher, disingenuous, and unethical.

It says a great deal about incumbent Rodman that he chose Prunty as his spokesperson defending him for accepting over $20,000 in special interest contributions during his successful 2016 campaign. Assuming we buy Prunty’s thesis that Rodman taking money from developer Fasseas, Diamond Ventures, Venture West, Realtors of Arizona PAC, and the Southern Arizona Home Builders Association is good for business in Oro Valley, how does Rodman explain the $12,900 in contributions he and Solomon each accepted from HSL? 

Kim Krostue
Oro Valley Resident
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The LOVE "Six Step" 2020 Election Primer

A "Six Step" Plan
You have your ballot. The future of Oro Valley is in your hands. How will you vote? If you are undecided, here's six steps to follow.

Step 1: Watch the two forum videos
There are two forum videos. Oro Valley resident Jim Horn hosted a candidate forum on June 29. Horn's forum is a "Meet and Greet" forum. Each candidate discussed their candidacy. There was no debate or cross discussion. You can watch that forum here.

The Sun City Oro Valley Government Affairs Committee hosted a forum on July 1. That forum included questions to which each candidate responded. The forum is worth watching.

Step 2: Read candidate question responses and check online sources
The Explorer sent questions to each candidate. The Explorer published their "Candidate Surveys" in their June 24th edition.

Visit online sources like Take Back Oro Valley and Oro Valley Thrives. Learn from social media. Search each candidate's name on Facebook and Nextdoor.

Step 3: Look at past behavior
"Past behavior predicts future behavior."

There is ample information in LOVE regarding the behavior and the actions of Council Members Rodman and Solomon. There is also information on the behavior and actions of former Council Member Bill Garner. Tim Bohen has posted on the pages of LOVE.

Harry Greene has never been active in Oro Valley. He is playing catchup. He play's mini-reporter in some videos on his facebook page, doing interviews to try to get up to speed on Oro Valley.  He's like a cub reporter. We published about him on LOVE so do read that.

Please do take a look at our article last Thursday regarding the "hit piece" put out by Greene, Rodman and Solomon. The mailer brings the bar of civility way down. We wonder what they would do if they were elected to council.

Step 4: Understand endorsements or "implied" endorsements
Greene, Solomon and Rodman have attached placards or stickers on their signs regarding endorsements. "Endorsed by police and fire" means that the police and fire unions have endorsed them; not the police department or the fire district. These two unions, together with the Realtors of Southern Arizona always support pro-growth candidates. They don't interview other candidates.

You will also want to be careful to not assume what appear to be endorsements on campaign signs. Solomon, for example, has a campaign sign on La Canada, north of Moore that has a “Preserve Vistoso” placard attached to it, inferring that he is supported by the organization "preservevistoso.org". Preservevistoso.org has not endorsed him. They are not allowed to endorse any candidate because of their 501c3 status.

A new endorsement this year is the golf community surrounding the Oro Valley municipal courses. This is the Canada Hills Community Association ("CHCA"). They also support the pro developer candidates. They believe that Greene "...will best represent the Canada Hills Community Association".  Which we believe is code for "protect golf at any cost." As a council member, however,  Greene is supposed to represent the best interests of the entire community and not just the place he lives.

Candidates Garner and Bohen have not sought the endorsement of any group. They have earned the endorsement of people who actually do the "heavy lifting" of Oro Valley Government. Read about that tomorrow.

Step 5: Look at their contributors
Contributors are the best indication of the leanings of a political candidate. Contributors make donations to candidates who support their views. As we wrote last week, "big" money buys access. This week, the candidates will file reports telling us who has contributed to their campaign as of June 30. There will be another report they will file before the primary that will add to that list.

• For Rodman and Solomon, LOVE looked at their 2016 campaign funding. Almost all of their money came from developers, HSL being the primary one. It's hard to imagine that they have no developer money in their 2020 campaign. We shall see.
• Greene is a first time candidate.  He stated at the Sun City forum that he has no control over who donates to his campaign. "Anyone can click the 'donate' button." What Greene did not say is that he is free to reject a donation from someone with whom he does not want has campaign associated.
• Bill Garner and Tim Bohen have told us that they have taken contributions only from local residents in small amounts.

Step 6: Vote only for candidate(s) you want to be on council
Yesterday, we wrote that you are not required to vote for anyone you don't want on council.  Casting a second or third vote for someone you really don't want on council reduces the chance that your chosen candidate(s) will win. These non votes are called undervotes. Undervotes have spelled the difference in past Oro Valley elections.

Do be judicious in your voting. No need to rush. The future of Oro Valley is in your hands.
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The county sent the ballots on July 8.  You can call (520) 724-4330) if you did not receive yours.

"Cease and Desist" Letter Sent To Greene, Rodman and Solomon

Cease and desist use of town seal
Last week we reported of a political mailer sent by the campaigns of Greene, Rodman and Solomon. The mailer included the photo in the panel below. It is a picture of now ex-police chief Dan Sharp in uniform with a badge that includes the town's logo.

Class One Misdemeanor
Town Legal Services Director, Tobin Sidles wrote the a "Cease and Desist-Use of Town Logo" letter to Harry Greene on July 9.

"On or around July 8, either you or one fo your agents acting on your behalf created and published a political mailer advertisement, which included a picture of the Town Seal/Logo located in it on the badge of retired Police Chief Danny Sharp...  You are hereby put on notice that the Town of Oro Valley Seal/Logo is copyrighted within the State of Arizona.

Logo included in last week's political mailer

Further, under Town Code Section 10-1-26, it is a crime... to use the Town Seal/Logo without the prior consent of the Oro Valley Town Council. This specifically includes use for election purposes. You are hereby on notice that any pictures within your control containing the Town seal/logo within them must be "fuzzed out." (Source: July 9 letter from Tobin Sidles to Harry Greene)

Not in compliance in other areas
Add this to the list of other violations regarding political signage from which Greene, Rodman and Solomon suffer. These include placards that make their signs bigger than allowed and identification labels on signs that are smaller than required.
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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.
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The county sent the ballots on July 8.  You can call (520) 724-4330) if you do not receive yours.

Greene, Rodman, Solomon Launch Disgusting Attack on Garner

Candidates Greene, Solomon, and Rodman introduce a new low to Oro Valley elections
Today's mail included an 8.5 x 11 inch glossy mailer that was paid for by the campaigns of council candidates Harry Greene, Steve Solomon, and Bill Rodman. It features Ret. Oro Valley Police Chief  Daniel Sharp.

Sharp says Garner is a threat to public safety
Sharp asserts that "Bill Garner's candidacy... is a threat to a very successful approach" to Oro Valley public safety...when on council he practiced 'wedge politics', creating conflict.."

Sharp states that Garner has "...continued to work behind the scenes to undermine the Department."  He concludes that "A vote for Bill Garner is a vote against public safety."

Saying something does not make it so
Sharp makes these outrageous assertions without providing one example.

In addition, Sharp fails to mention that in 2009 while on council, Garner and Oro Valley resident John Musolf worked with Sharp to save 8 police officer positions in the budget. Garner worked for public safety. Not against it! Their work resulted in a 7-0 police budget approval by council. (source)

Sharp's image on mailer fraudulent
The picture of Sharp in the mailer conveys the impression that Sharp is still in charge of the department and that, therefore, he represents the views of the department. It's a picture that was posted on a website in October, while he was Chief of Police. He is wearing his Chief's uniform. The badge on the uniform includes the town logo.  Sharp's signature on the mailer puts the word "Ret" after OVPD Chief of Police. Most people won't even see that.

The Oro Valley Police Department does not support this attack
We asked Oro Valley Police Chief Kara Riley if the  Department was associated in any way with this document. Riley's reply is quoted in the panel at left. Clearly, any inference that the views of Sharp reflect the views of the Department are false.

Council candidate Bill Garner rebuts Sharp's accusation
"Frankly, I was stunned by the political mailer. My campaign has had nothing but positive messaging and support towards public safety. I did not oppose the community policing model nor was it cut or modified while I served on council. I actually advocated for retaining police officers when the former chief removed them from a recommended budget in 2009.

Oro Valley has turned a new chapter in our police department leadership. I’ve met with Chief Riley and have nothing but respect for the manner in which she is running the department. I look forward to working with her."

The repulsive three
We always thought Council Member Solomon capable of low behavior. After all, he led an attempt to recall Mayor Winfield and Vice Mayor Barrett. He's ranted and raved at council meetings. He told one person at a council meeting that they should leave Oro Valley if they don't like it here.

But we never thought that Rodman or Greene would allow their campaigns to participate in something so repulsive. Nor did we ever imagine that a former police chief would allow himself to be used.

Why would anyone want Harry Greene, Steve Solomon, or Bill Rodman on council? 
They have introduced Oro Valley to the depths of depravity with this behavior.

Imagine what they will do to council.
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Greene Throws In With Rodman and Solomon

Greene has no town governance experience... no involvement history
Harry "Mo" Greene is a candidate for Oro Valley Town Council. He brings extensive and commendable credentials in the medical community. He brings  credentials in the art community through the Southern Arizona Arts Council and through his own artwork.

Greene has very limited involvement in the governance of Oro Valley. He claims he was on a Naranja Park focus group at an unidentified time. He spoke at the town council special session of July 24, 2019 at the Church of the Nazarene (time stamp is at 2:09) in favor of keeping 36-holes of golf. To our knowledge he has not participated in the town's community academy.

Greene has based his candidacy on three unsupported assertions; and on one questionable decision.

Unsupported assertion 1: "Most recent council declared war on golf"
According to Greene's Explorer candidate profile, he is running because "...the most recent council decided to declare war on golf at the community golf courses." (Explorer) He asserts that the council leaders elected in 2018 declared a war on golf.  The history of the past two years refute his assertion.

There is no "war on golf"

Sponsored by "Greene for Oro Valley"

The municipal golf issue is settled. The town will operate 36-holes of golf. The town will restore the courses from revenues earned. There is a new course manager, Billy Casper Golf, who promises increased operating efficiency and improved revenues. The courses now have operating targets and financial goals. Two HOA's are going to contribute $125,000 to course operations. The is no war on golf.

Unsupported assertion 2: The Town Manager Knows Best
Greene does not plan to dig into matters. He is going to leave it to the town manager, who, according to Greene, is "far more knowledgeable" than anyone on council.

"We have a council and town manager form of government but the elected officials want to do their job and the job of the town manager, who is far more knowledgeable than they." (source)

Greene's approach contrasts sharply to the approach taken by most council members and by two candidates for council, Bill Garner and Tim Bohen. These people are prepared for meetings. They do their homework.

Greene's approach is the same as that of prior council member Lou Waters. Waters, with some other council members of the Hiremath majority council, assumed that any questioning of town staff was "meddling." That council let municipal golf limp along, lose money. It took a new council and a community involvement approach to set a winning course. To do that, the new council had to "get into the weeds."

Questionable decision
The "Greene-Rodman-Solomon" slate is a reality. Does Greene know with whom he has cast his lot?
Harry Greene is an Oro Valley political novice.  Perhaps he feels that he can not win on his own. Right from the start, Greene cast his lot with Solomon and Rodman. Greene cast his lot with Solomon and Rodman from the beginning, soliciting signatures for them at the same time he was soliciting signatures for his own candidacy

Courtesy of a LOVE reader

Greene says in his profile that he loves the beauty of Oro Valley. He says he likes "The beauty of the mountains." Does Greene know that he has cast his lot with guys who vote to blade the desert?  Guys who lived off developer money in their 2016 campaign?

Unsupported assertion 3:  Residents are trying to "destroy each other"
"So, why not retire?" Greene, 78, asks during Horn's Town Hall (time stamp 17:57). "I thought that my experience would balance out my age and perhaps I could work to try to bring the community together and have us stop trying to destroy each other and put something together that would be great for the town."

This is the third unsupported assertion Greene has made. Oro Valley residents are not trying to destroy each other. Many Oro Valley residents are active in the community. They often express disagreements on matters. Our tradition of open hearings and board involvement helps the community reach agreement.  Yes. It is a messy process. Yes. It is uncomfortable. Yes. It takes time. But it does work. Look at  the agreement reached on municipal golf.

Oro Valley residents are not trying to destroy each other. We're are just trying to make it a better place.
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On several occasions we requested to interview Greene. He told us that he was "not ready."  So, we left it up to him to contact us. We've heard nothing from him. We relied on the following sources to prepare this article: 

• “Heathers Corner" Greene Interview published on March 25, 2014
• Candidate profile of June 24 the Explorer published on June 24, 2020
• Jim Horn's Town Hall of June 25, time stamp (13:45 to 18:24)
• Mo4OroValley

LOVE Exclusive: HSL Money Poured Into Rodman and Solomon 2016 Campaign

This is the third of a three part series on the influence of developer and contractor donations on Oro Valley politics. Our first article covered the special funding of the 2014 campaign.  Our second article discussed the special interest donations in the recall election of 2015 and in the primary election of 2018. This final article focuses on the special interest money that poured into the Rodman and Solomon candidacies in 2016. 
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The 2016 election of Bill Rodman and Steve Solomon
2016 was the only year between 2014 and 2018 in which Mayor Hiremath and his council majority were not on the ballot. There were six candidates that year. Three were incumbents. The incumbents raised a total of a few thousand dollars for that election.  Bill Rodman and Steve Solomon raised $47,600.

91% of Rodman and Solomon contributions came from special interest developers and contractors
In 2016, then candidates Bill Rodman and Steve Solomon were introduced to the big money special interests that Mayor Hiremath and his majority had solicited for the 2014 and 2015 elections.  Rodman and Solomon drank from this well of money. They took a huge gulp.

76% of Rodman and Solomon contributions were from HSL Properties
HSL Properties is the company that had so generously donated to the campaigns of Mayor Hiremath and his majority council members.

Somehow, current council members Rodman and Solomon had found the same "pot of gold" that Hiremath had uncovered in 2013; a source so rich that it literally financed all Oro Valley council majority campaigns from 2014 to 2018.

Two building related PACS further emphasized their funding financial dependence on the developer community. Rodman and Solomon each received $1,000 from the Southern Arizona Realtors PAC and $250 from the Southern Arizona Homebuilders Association (SAHBA).

Rodman and Solomon virtually had no public financial support
What is also striking is the lack of general public financial support of either candidate. Solomon received $33.38 while Rodman raised $925 from the public. Seven donors were listed on his report. Only three had residences listed as Oro Valley.

Does the past behavior predict future behavior?
Is it likely that Candidates Rodman and Solomon will raise funds from the special interest community for this election? It is, if past behavior predicts future behavior. We won't know who are their contributors until they file their campaign finance reports. One report is due at the end of this month. The other is due before the August election. Even then, we're not sure that information is accurate. Our review of the election reports revealed that information is sometimes left off of these reports, information that is reported later as amended campaign election reports.

So do stay tuned on this.

We will review and report what we learn when we learn it.
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Source: The campaign financing information in these three articles was from the campaign finance reports filed by the candidates. There were about a hundred of these. A few of them were clear and concise. Many reports, especially those of Mayor Hiremath, were difficult to follow. Sometimes, the information on current contributions was in the wrong column; or the contributions called "campaign to date" were wrong. In some instances the "occupation" of the contributor was incorrect or their affiliated employer was wrong. We don't know nor did we ask if these reports are reviewed and audited by the town. But they should be audited and verified before being accepted.

Love Exclusive: Special Interest Money Poured Into The 2015 Recall and The 2018 Primary Election

This is the second of a three part series on the influence of developer and contractor donations on Oro Valley politics. Our first article covered the special interest campaign the Hiremath epiphany years: 2010 through 2014. We follow today with a discussion of the special interest donations to the special election of 2015 and the 2018 election.
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El Conquistador Country Club purchase causes recall election
In 2014, weeks before the primary, Mayor Hiremath had an epiphany. Suddenly, Oro Valley needed a community center and it was his top priority. The community center came with 45 holes of golf, purchased from his top campaign contributor, and the top campaign contributor to his three majority members, HSL Properties. This we reported in the first article in this series.

The purchase of the property by a 4-3 council majority vote threw the town into chaos. Residents initiated a referendum to challenge the purchase. The referendum secured ample signatures. The town clerk rejected the petitions on the basis that a wrong number was used on the top corner of the petitions. A court upheld her decision. Petitioners then initiated a recall of the Hiremath Majority.  There were ample signatures for a recall election on each of the four.  The Hiremath Majority retained their council seats.

Click to enlarge

2015 Recall Election
Who did the Hiremath Majority turn to finance the 2015 recall campaign? The same people who got them elected in 2014. This included HSL, the company that sold the golf courses to the town.

HSL contributed 44% of the $61,291 special interest money raised by the Hiremath Majority.

Add to that PAC money of $8,500, which is also special interest money. The total is almost $70,000. That's the total raised, except for a large family contribution that Hiremath received.

2018 Primary Election
Fast forward to the 2018 election. This is the one that the Hiremath Majority lost. By this time you might have guessed who financed the 2018 primary election of the Hiremath Majority. If you guessed "special interest" and "HSL" then you have it right... again.

The Hiremath Majority raised more than $85,000 from individuals and $14,500 from PACs. Special interests contributed nearly $75,000. That's 87% of all individual contributions. And yes, HSL was the number one contributor.

By now, you probably see a pattern: Big money from a few contributors flowing into Oro Valley's election of the Hiremath Majority.

Next week, we going to look at the 2016 election. That is the one that current council candidates Rodman and Solomon won. We'll see if special interest money financed their campaigns.
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Next Monday: Special interest money and the 2016 Election

Candidate Bohen Aims To Finish The Job

Finish the job
Town Council candidate Tim Bohen wants to finish the job that the voters started in 2018: The job of increasing resident input on council, removing special interest control that dominated the town from 2010 to 2018.

"I am very grateful for what the challengers did in 2018. They turned over our council. They changed the direction of our town."

Bohen steps into the void
"I think a lot of us were hoping that people would come out to run in 2020 to finish the job." In February, Bohen realized that Bill Garner was the only one who stepped up for the challenge. It is a huge challenge that most won't consider. Given Bill Garner was the only one, Bohen decided it was his turn to serve the community.

Bohen values Oro Valley's uniqueness
Bohen sees Oro Valley as a unique community. He wants to keep it that way. As he explains in the video at right, generic solutions don't fit Oro Valley.

The town's location, its geography, and its history demand solutions that fit what the town is and what the town can be.

Wants developments that make sense for Oro Valley
Bohen believes that the town doesn't push back enough on developer requests. According to Bohen, you have to challenge the applicant to develop a proposal that actually makes sense for Oro Valley. “You push back to get to a mutually beneficial result."

One example is the abandoned Nakoma Sky project. The land sits on the north side of the wash behind Home Depot. Bohen believes that the land use changes that enabled this project should never have been approved by council. “I'm just amazed at how we buy the Developer’s projections on the future on everything. The Council should have asked a simple question: 'Do they have the financing in place?'" Apparently Nakoma Sky did not.

Now the land is bladed and abandoned. “I look at that as a failure of the town council to not look deep enough. Either that applicant was naive or they were lying to us about it. That shouldn’t happen. Who is actually looking out for the interest of Oro Valley? Nakoma Sky never should have got going. It was clear that there was a very high risk of failure and no one asked the right question.”

The bottom line for Bohen:  “Oro Valley being a tough town to deal with is a badge of honor.”

Ready to dig in
Bohen is prepared to dig in the moment he takes office. He has been participating in town halls and viewing town meetings. He has been active in Oro Valley for years. You can read his LOVE posts here.  Knowing this, we asked him his thoughts on two Oro Valley "hot topics":

2020-21 Budget
In terms of dissecting the town manager's recommended budget, Bohen's focus is on identifying items that seem to have an eternal life.

There are items in the budget that are simply carry-over expenditures from year-to-year.  "You have to take a look at things that you thought were one off and make sure that they don’t become fixtures.”
2020 Parks and Recreation Master Plan
Bohen watched the special session on the outside consulting study. The consultant presented their findings. "I think there was far too much selling of their findings versus presenting their findings…'This is the way you should go' rather than 'here’s the data.'.  Nobody knows Oro Valley better than we do."
Vistoso Course
Bohen is following developments regarding the Vistoso Golf Course. One way or another, this thing needs to be settled for the benefit of the residents and the town. “Rompsen bought a golf course and they should have made it work as a golf course.” They closed it. “It is a less than satisfactory situation. If golf is not sustainable, then we have to come up with a sustainable solution." Bohen recognizes that there has to be closure on this. He cautions: "The progress on these things takes years.”

A "hands-on" person
On council, Bohen plans to get all the facts before making a decision. “Town council has to insist that they have the most complete and most accurate data” when making decisions. This includes data on water, development, pensions, and revenue sources, “Because town council owns the decision.”

Getting the data, sorting through it and interpreting it is going to take effort, an effort that some past council members simply did not want to make. The didn't want to get into the "weeds". Their attitude was that the town hired professionals and that council should listen to them. The defined any questioning of staff to be "meddling."

Tim Bohen's approach will be the opposite of those council members. He is a "hands on" person.  He plans to work tirelessly. He told us that when he looks back after serving on council he will be happy as long as he can say he gave the job his best effort. Somehow, we think he will do just that.
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Bits and Pieces

Own a small business? 
Apply for the "Payroll Protection Program" today
Keep paying  your employees!!!!
There is no reason that a small business can not pay its employees even if it is shutdown.  All small businesses should talk to their bank today to get an SBA payroll protection program loan. The loan can be up to $10 million. It is forgiven as long as it is used for payroll.

If you work for a small business (under 500 employees) tell your boss about the program. The neat part is that they can put recently furloughed employees back on the payroll and pay for it.

This program is ideal for Oro Valley's local restaurants, most of whom are struggling.

This program is a giant win for everyone. Employees get paid. It costs the business nothing. And the business will be able to get rolling quickly once we get the all clear.

Learn more here.

Miller endorses Reidhead for US House District
Pima County Supervisor, Ally Miller, the representative for Oro Valley, has endorsed Nolan Reidhead as republican candidate for US Congress in Oro Valley's district (District 1).

According to Miller: "Nolan believes in limited government and holds the same fiscally conservative values that I do."

New resident in Riverfront Park
Sure there's things to worry about. But lets not forget that it is spring. It's a time for life. It's a time to celebrate the great life we have in Oro Valley.  This little one obviously thinks that Oro Valley is a great place. We took this picture just south of the paved path at Riverfront Park.

State failed to provide mandated online nomination petition signing portal for local candidates
State statute 16-317 mandates that local candidates can solicit petition signatures online using the State's E-Qual online portal system. Oro Valley Town Council candidates could have used the system if the State had complied with the law.

According to State Representative Mark Finchem: "The E-Qual online portal system, which is managed by the Arizona Secretary of State, has been up and running since before the 2018 election, accepting candidate nomination petition signatures for federal, statewide, and legislative offices. Under state law, candidates for city, town, or county office, and precinct committeeman are also entitled to online signature collection but, thus far, they have been denied access to the state’s E-Qual portal. The Secretary of State’s office has not yet fully complied with the law, even though funds were allocated in prior years budgets to update the system."

Visit this link to see how the system works. Find your favorite candidate and sign the petition. Note, as we mentioned, that local candidates are not included on the list. Then, imagine how useful this system could have been to encourage even more candidates to run for town council had the state followed the law and allowed such.

Is this LOVE or what?
We came across this in an article analyzing the state of journalism today. It is an article well worth reading regardless of your national political leanings. In referring to We thought, goodness, this is us.
"...local journalists don’t try to pretend they’re heroes. They exist to inform their community and hold local government – the government that will most impact their lives – accountable."

The Race Is On: Council Candidates File Petitions

The race is on
At least four Oro Valley candidates for council have filed petitions to run for one of the three open town council seats. Each has established a PAC to fund their activities. We understand that the candidates filed petitions that contained signatures well in excess of the required 468.

The next step for them is to organize their campaign and win the hearts of voters before the August 4 primary election. You will be hearing much more from them in the months ahead.

Today, we want to share with your their reaction to the process of getting on the ballot.

Candidate Tim Bohen
"As a first time candidate, the process of getting on the August primary ballot has been a great learning experience. We have met many Oro Valley residents and they have shared their concerns with us.

The Town Staff we have interfaced with were knowledgeable and capable of clearly explaining what is required.

I want to share with LOVE readers that the process of running for Town Council is daunting but also viable with the support of a motivated campaign team."

Candidate Bill Garner
"For myself the process was fairly easy and very smooth. I was instructed to go into the council chambers room where table and chairs were set-up for me to sit at while reviewing my paperwork. There were two clerks present with Mike Standish handling the documents and Michele Stine taking care of counting and copying.

They counted the ballots on the council dais with table tents indicated with numbers one to ten simulating totals on each petition sheet. Mike placed the sheets in each pile according to numbers on each petition then added them up by starting at table tent number ten and working down to number one.

I knew my count going into the room and told Mike in advance and the count was correct after verification or a total of 676.

I had a couple of questions and they were answered and I was given my copies with time stamps and I was on my way."

Candidate Harry "Mo" Greene
"The Town Clerk Michael Standish and his assistant Michelle Stine made the signature procurement very clear and totally understandable. Michael had prepared briefing books for anyone contemplating running for Town Council. The manuals were clear and concise.

As someone new to the political scene Mr. Standish was a tremendous help.

Using his guidance and the manual we had no missteps. My campaign volunteers fanned out and obtained the near maximum signatures in an amazingly short period of time.

The bonus of the process is being able to talk with the voters and learn about their concerns. It was truly energizing.

I am looking forward to the campaign and the election."

Other candidates: Incumbents Bill Rodman and Steve Solomon
At least one of these incumbents filed their nomination petitions as of this past Friday. We are assuming that the other will file shortly.

The race is on!

Five Seeking Signatures For Council

Five seeking signatures for council
Five Oro Valley residents are in the process of gathering signatures so that can be on the August ballot for council. There are three open seats. One is Bill Garner. He was the subject of our posting last week. He is a former council member.

Two others are current Council members Bill Rodman and Steve Solomon. Current council member Rhonda Pina is not seeking reelection. She is seeking the district one open Pima County Supervisor seat. Current Supervisor Ally Miller has chosen to not run for a third term.

"Team" Rodman, Greene, Solomon

Newcomers
Two individuals are new to Oro Valley politics. One is Tim Bohen. He is soliciting signatures independent of other candidates. We will provide a profile of Bohen this Wednesday.

The other is Oro Valley newcomer resident Harry "Mo" Greene. Greene is soliciting signatures also on behalf of Rodman and Solomon (see panel right).

468 signatures due by April 5
Candidates must submit nonpartisan nomination petitions with at least 468 signatures of registered voters who live in Oro Valley. If they do so, their names will appear on the August ballot. That election is August 4th.

2020 Signature Seekers

You will need to act to vote
A voter who party affiliated will receive a ballot since the Oro Valley election is taking place alongside the partisan primary election.

A voter who is not party affiliated, an independent voter, must request an Oro Valley ballot. That ballot must be sent to an address where they will receive  mail, as it will not be forwarded. We  will provide more details on how to do this at a later time.

Garner Seeks Council Seat

Former council member wants "back in"
Former Oro Valley town council member Bill Garner is seeking  one of the three open council positions in this August's election. Garner served as council member from 2008 to 2016. He and his wife Darlene have two children. They both attend local schools.

Wants to be the voice of the community again...
Garner plans to bring experience and sound decision-making to council. “Having served on council from 2008 to 2016, I have a broad spectrum of understanding to ensure that when decisions are made, they are a reflection of the entire community. I am also not afraid to speak my mind or ask the tough questions that will be needed at the council because I want to be the voice of the community. In the end, I am always thoughtful, transparent and honest in my decision-making processes ”. 

...As he was in the past:  The Oro Valley Aquatic Center
Garner's earlier service on council resulted in massive improvement to the town owned pool, which we now call the Oro Valley Aquatic Center.  The pool, a gift from Pima County when they county gave the town Kreigh Park (then known as Dennis Weaver Park), was a run down, outdated facility. It was not community friendly. It was not kid friendly. It was just a pool.

Garner paid attention to all the details. We recall his insistance that there be family changing rooms and kid friendly stuff. Including the splash pad in the plan was a must for Garner. He also made sure that the aquatic center met all regulations and health compliances.

Today the Aquatic Center is a working example of how council members can work together to build something of value  for all the residents of the community.

Seeking a balance
"I want to insure a balance on council between being environmentally sensitive and economically conservative on town issues. My approach is straight-forward: I look at the facts and make decisions that maintain the high quality community that is Oro Valley."

Sees three immediate opportunities
Garner sees three opportunities facing Oro Valley:

• Former Vistoso Golf Club
  This property continues to be looked at for preservation and the maintaining of the current recreational zoning designation. If elected, I would work with all parties concerned with this property to maintain the wishes of the residents and to continue to adhere to the General Plan guidance. 
• Employment and New Business Growth
  Provide additional opportunities for new business growth in the high tech and bio tech sector, in order to provide high quality employment. Promote signature events that bring out of town visitors and provide for economic opportunities and destination marketing.
• Parks and Recreation Future Directions
  Promote the needs of residents of the town to become active in the current parks and recreation survey the that is available on the town web site. In addition look at funding opportunities and other creative solutions to boost current park assets such as Steam Pump Ranch as well as providing additional amenities based on resident input.

Want to learn more about Bill Garner
You can listen to and learn more about Bill and his views on the challenges facing Oro Valley on Jim Horn's Oro Valley podcast. Jim interviewed Bill last week. Simply click on the picture in the right panel or subscribe wherever you listen to you podcasts.

Want to meet Garner?

468 signatures are required for someone to appear on the August ballot. The signatures have to be those of registered voters who live in Oro Valley. Bill Garner will be at the Oro Valley Public Library seeking signatures every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm. He will announce other signing events on the Take Back Oro Valley Facebook page and here on LOVE.

Bits and Pieces

Three council candidates to date
There are three seats open in this August's election for town council.

To date, there are three candidates: Incumbents Bill Rodman and Steve Solomon; and former council member Bill Garner.

Garner served on council from 2008 through 2016. Rodman has served on council since 2012. Solomon was appointed to council in 2010 to fill a vacancy. He lost a reelection bid in 2012. He returned to council in 2016.

The candidates must submit petitions that contain 463 signatures of Oro Valley residents who are registered voters. The petitions must be submitted by 5PM on April 5 in order for the candidate to be on the August ballot.

Not everyone can negotiate a roundabout
A car traveling south on Northern took out the turn arrow sign on the roundabout at Northern and Hardy.

Our guess is the the vehicle entered the intersection at too high a speed, hit the berm and then the sign. This is a picture of the artistry!

Best to go slow.
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HSL to lease Pusch Ridge Course October 1
Last week, the Oro Valley Town Council voted to approve the lease of the 9-hole Pusch Ridge course to HSL, the original owner of the property and the operator of the El Conquistador Resort. The lease will be effective on October 1. The agreement gives HSL the option of using, at their cost, the course manager the town selects in the now ongoing selection process.

Update March 1: Coronoavirus and Oro Valley-Get the latest here
While national media and some national political figures try to use the Cornoavirus as a political panic weapon, we thought those of us locally might want some real facts. Because, like it or not, we do live in the greater bubble of human life.

As of March 1:

• There have been about 87,500 cases reported worldwide
• 79 cases in the US
• 4 cases in Mexico
• 3,000 deaths worldwide
• One death in the in the US
• No deaths in Mexico
• One case in Tempe. That person has recovered.

We have added a link in the top right corner of this page.

Click on the picture to get the most current numbers courtesy of Johns Hopkins Medical Center. The cite data is updated as the Center gets information. So, the date is as real-time as one can get.

The virus has had an impact on the worldwide economy. The Chinese government closed some production facilities to reduce the spread of the virus. Those closings caused disruption to the supply chains of the many companies that get products from China. Those factories are now opening. According to Apple's Cooke, they are now at 80% and ramping up quickly.

The US stock market has reacted, anticipating supply shortages. According to Merrill Lynch, the market has overreacted because of algorithms used to drive computer training. "Today’s marketplace is comprised of traditional fundamental investors who have longer time horizons and those that primarily rely on machines and algorithms to capture short-term trends or rebalance portfolios. The latter has grown in prominence in the last decade with execution of orders on the stock market dominated by algorithmic traders."  (Source)
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Crowded Field Files For Miller's Supervisor Seat

Seven District One Pima County Supervisor Candidates
Seven people have filed to fill Ally Miller's District One seat as Pima County Supervisor. This is a partisan election. There are four republican and three democrat candidates. They will compete in the August 2020 primary. The winners will be on the November Ballot.

A competitive race
Supervisors are elected by district. There are five districts: Five supervisors. The term of service is 4 years. Most supervisors run for reelection so a real competitive election rarely occurs. This one, however, may be the exception.

District One is more than Oro Valley
District One includes all of Oro Valley. It includes pieces of Marana, Catalina Foothills, and unincorporated areas north to the county line and south past River Road. These areas have little in common. So, it is a challenge to serve as district one supervisor.

Pima County District One

The seven candidates
Oro Valley council member Rhonda Pina is running on the republican ticket. Three other people are running as republicans. Two are Steve Spain and Bill Beard. Former state representative Vic Williams is also a republican candidate. His papers were not visible on the county web site.

Current supervisor Ally Miller has endorsed Spain. Beard is a former special staff assistant to Miller.

There are three democratic candidates: Rex Scott, Brian Radford and Jeff Farrell. All filed in September.

Pina raised $53,000 in one month
Oro Valley Council Member Rhonda Pina entered the race in December. Her PAC has raised almost $53,000 (source) in just one month! Major contributors include Jim Click Family ($12,900) and the Assenmacher Family ($12,900). William Assenmacher, President of CAID and on the board of Fly Tucson, is the PAC's chairperson. Other contributors are HSL and related ($6,950), GRFD board member Vicki Cox Golder ($3,000), and members of Diamond Ventures ($3,750).  Pina also loaned $20,000 to her campaign. The other republican candidates just filed for their candidacy this month.

It should be an interesting District One race