They should have called it “The Other Lies” because everything they said about Bill Garner and Tim Bohen is a lie.
Below are some examples.
• Don’t support law enforcement, first responders, or education
Bill Garner spent 20 years in emergency services including as a firefighter, an emergency medical technician, an assistant squad chief, and an Emergency Management Director. Garner also has a Master’s degree in Public Safety. Does that sound like the resume’ of someone who doesn’t support law enforcement or first responders?
Additionally, when Garner was on council in 2009, it was he and former councilmember Salette Latas who collaborated on a proposal to save 6 police officer positions that were going to be cut from the 2009-2010 police budget. You can read about it HERE.
From Bill Garner’s Facebook page:
I support our police department, as well as the public safety and emergency responders that assist our community in time of need when the call goes out. I have the knowledge and education to know what it takes to serve in this line of work and the value brought by these men and women.Regarding education, this is a school board issue, not a town council issue. Secondly, Garner has two school-aged children. It’s nonsensical to claim that he doesn’t support education.
• Encourage policies that will likely lead to a property tax
The property tax lie is a scare tactic that they pull every election. Garner was on council from 2008-2016 and never once discussed a desire for a property tax. He has publicly stated that he is opposed to one. The fact is that the Town Council could not institute a property tax even if they wanted to. It has to be placed on the ballot for the citizens to decide. If elected, Bill Garner and Tim Bohen would not even have the power to institute a property tax.
However, Steve Solomon did vote to increase your utility tax from 2% to 4%.
• Have no history of support for neighborhood preservation
When Garner was on council (2008-2016) he (along with Councilmembers Zinkin and Burns) worked with me and my citizens’ group for 9 months during 2014-2015 to “preserve our neighborhood.” Those three council members guided my citizens’ group throughout the process of fighting a Major General Plan Amendment that, if approved, would have completely changed the character of our neighborhood by turning 200 acres of pristine desert into a “Master Planned Community."
Multiple meetings and negotiations took place between my citizens’ group and the applicant. Whenever there was an impasse, Councilmembers Garner, Zinkin, or Burns would negotiate with the applicant on our behalf.
Through 9 months of negotiations, we succeeded in removing apartments, a senior care facility, and almost 300 homes from the plan. We also obtained larger buffer zones between the new development and the existing neighborhoods. The night of the council vote, I publicly thanked Burns-Garner-Zinkin for all of their help. It’s in the PUBLIC RECORD.
Were they too lazy to fact-check or are their lies deliberate?
Either Rodman-Solomon-Greene’s fact checking skills are lacking or they are deliberately lying in order to get votes from uninformed people. Which one is it? Either way, it doesn't speak well of them. Are these the kind of people that you want on your Town Council?
Mo Greene hides the truth
I posted the above information on Mo Greene’s Facebook page. Rather than admit to his error and apologize for it, he deleted my comment and blocked me from further posting. I assumed he would do that in order to hide the truth, which is why I took a screenshot immediately after posting it. You can view it below.
If you want honesty and transparency in Oro Valley government, I suggest that you join me in voting for Bill Garner and Tim Bohen.
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Diane Peters has lived in Oro Valley since 2003, moving here to escape the humidity of the East Coast. She’s been involved in OV politics and development issues since 2006. In 2014, she organized a citizens group that successfully negotiated a controversial 200-acre development project. In her past life, she worked in medical research at various University Hospitals in New England. Her interests include reading, writing, nature photography, travel, art galleries, museums, and politics.
