What do significant election contributions mean?Now, they identify the Oro Valley council members who share similar views with big-dollar donors. Two, they assure that Councilmembers have the resources to stay in office, and make decisions which support donor interests.
Below, based on post-primary reports of September 15, 2014, is a summary of donors. Many of these individuals have been active in requesting various forms of approvals from the Town of Oro Valley. It is likely that they will continue to do so:
With the addition of contributions from other special interest donors, these four council members received more than 80% of their campaign funding from special interest donors. The following is a summary of the four council lmembers’ total campaign donations by groups.
In comparison, candidates Bristow and Straney received no contributions from special interest. The contributions from individuals for Bristow and Straney were $1,930 and $4,310 respectively.
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Our thanks to one of our readers of their very significant help with this posting.
8 comments:
So, how do you think the "4" will vote during the General Plan Amendment meeting? After all, Wexler and Kai gave them over $18,000. Now that the apartments are in what does HSL want for his donation of over $15,000?
When the shoe drops regarding HSL, it will be the largest noise ever heard in Oro Valley.
I hope HSL doesn't go after the parcel at Rancho Vistoso Blvd. and Tangerine again.
HSL still refuses to do anything with his hotel near the Tucson Convention Center. It's vacant, in disrepair, and an eyesore. He wants money from Tucson to fix his problem. I hope the same does not happen with his Oro Valley apartments. I hope no Oro Valley hotels go up for sale!
Resident Don Cox sent us an email asking:
"Why weren't the donations to Bristow and Straney also posted?"
We responded:
"There is nothing newsworthy in the donations for Bristow and Straney. The amounts raised were from individuals in small amounts. Bristow's and Straney's contributors can be found on the Oro Valley website."
Resident Cox responded to me:
Editorial opinion!! Let the readers decide what is newsworthy. Your extreme bias is glaring as was evidenced by your comment to your own story.
Contrary to your prior statements that the LOVE blog was going to change, nothing has......as I predicted.
Don Cox
Oro Valley, AZ
We responded to Resident Cox:
Don,
Let us be clear.
Neither Straney nor Bristow were elected to office. What individuals contributed to their campaign has no ongoing relevance. Neither Straney nor Bristow have anything to do with what happens in our community.
Those who were elected are in a position to direct town policies. This includes town codes and ordinances, zoning approvals, general plan amendment approvals, town spending, and everything else that happens in our community. They accepted substantial sums of money from individuals who have a vested interest in profiting from our community. Time will tell whether the decisions of those who elected are influenced by these contributions.
However, if you read the posting once again you’ll see that this is something that we did not write about.
We will let people draw their own conclusions as the future unfolds.
Don always claims to be all about FACTS and TRUTH, but when the facts and truth paint his buddies in a bad light, suddenly he gets his panties in a bunch.
The article DOES state that Bristow and Straney received no contributions from special interests.
Two Major General Plan amendments will come up before council in December. Kai and Wexler are involved in both of them. No one gives another person(s) $18,000 without expecting something in return.
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