Arizona Politics for Conservatives: Sonoran Alliance
Arizona Politics, News, Commentary and Information with a Blatantly Conservative Worldview Presented by an Alliance of Writers, Activists, Consultants and Government Insiders.
Phoenix Police have released the following report regarding Mark Mitchell. For several weeks, Sonoran Alliance has provided a forum for one of our writers to demand that this report be made public. One would expect the police investigation to lead to charges being filed. Here is that report.
Voting for the next mayor of the City of Tempe continues at a frenzied pace as election day rapidly approaches on May 15th. One thing that is clearly not moving fast is the release of the report by City of Phoenix Police investigators regarding alleged behaviors by the Democrat candidate in the race, Mark Mitchell.
Meanwhile, Tempe Police who supposedly handed the investigation over to Phoenix investigators to avoid a conflict of interest, have come out in support of Mitchell. Signs started appearing last week courtesy of the political action committee, “Public Safety for Better Government – E.V.”
One would expect that law enforcement officials would reserve any form of advocacy for a candidate – especially one who has been accused of despicable acts – until any police investigation report is released to the public. That doesn’t seem to be the case in Tempe.
This all goes back to our earlier request in which we urged the Mayor of Phoenix, Greg Stanton, to release any report surrounding his endorsee, Mark Mitchell, so the voters would have the opportunity to make up their own minds regarding the allegations.
Mark Mitchell
Strangely enough, “Arizona Police Officers” have already made up their collective mind and appear to be protecting their investment despite any potentially damaging revelations being stonewalled by mayoral leadership.
Tempe voters deserve to know as they head to the polls. The simple solution is to disclose the findings and come clean and let the voters decide based on the facts.
By Byron Schlomach, Ph.D.
After well over four years in Arizona, my wife and I have finally sold our property in Texas and we’re ready to buy a house here. I work near downtown Phoenix, but we’d like a little room and we’re not flush with cash, so I’m willing to drive. That means we could choose to live in most communities in the Valley, as long as they’re within about 20 miles of downtown Phoenix. One city in particular, though, is scratched off the list: Glendale.
I personally consider some parts of Glendale to have a lot of potential. There are some nice neighborhoods, some good schools, and drive times would be tolerable. The idea of moving to Glendale, however, looks too much like a crapshoot. If I wanted to gamble, I could go to a casino. But I don’t want to gamble with an asset as big and as important as a house.
The risk comes from the fast-and-loose way Glendale’s leadership has played with taxpayers’ money. The city has used sales tax proceeds to guarantee bonds for sports venues I personally would never use. It is also paying the National Hockey League to keep the Coyotes at Jobing.com Arena. Meanwhile, parks and a library annex, things I might use, will not be funded at levels once expected. Facing a $35 million budget deficit this year alone, the city is literally teetering on the edge of bankruptcy.
Top this off with a sales tax increase that will make Glendale’s the highest sales tax rate in the nation among major cities, and an expected property tax increase, and I cannot predict what my cost of living in Glendale is likely to be. At this rate, the value of any house I buy could be hurt just by being located in Glendale.
I love my family. I’m not taking the chance. I’m not buying a house in Glendale.
Dr. Byron Schlomach is the director of the Goldwater Institute’s Center for Economic Prosperity.
Learn more:
Arizona Republic: Glendale Leaders Mull Proposed Hike in Property Taxes, Layoffs
Tax Foundation: Glendale Considers Sales Tax Hike to Highest in Nation, Property Tax Hike
(Tempe, Arizona) Plenty of Tempeans would admit to having a few drinks during their college days and maybe getting into a little bit of trouble at a bar. It’s a different matter when someone running for Mayor distorts the truth when asked about his criminal record by the Arizona Republic.
In February of this year this question to Mark Mitchell and Mitchell’s response was published by the Arizona Republic:
Have you ever been charged with a crime or been part of a matter in civil court? If so, what was the outcome? At age 23, upon my graduation from ASU, I was detained during a nightclub altercation in Tempe. I completed an adult diversion program and no charges were filed.
That’s not exactly how it happened. Mark Mitchell was arrested and booked into jail accused of “Delaying and Obstructing a Police Investigation.” There is a big difference between being detained and being arrested.
The Tempe Police report claims a then 24 year-old Mitchell tried to intervene to keep a friend from getting arrested during a bar fight. At the time Mark Mitchell’s father was still the Mayor of Tempe.
Mark’s attempts at using his influence to keep a friend from getting arrested backfired and Mitchell was booked into jail.
There is nothing to indicate the officer was hurt or that this was more than a problem resulting from a bar fight. Mitchell’s actions as a young man are not the issue. Everyone makes mistakes. As a grown man, and as someone seeking elected office, you’re expected to disclose those mistakes, be truthful about them, and not distort the truth when filling out a questionnaire that will be printed in the state’s largest newspaper. If he is not willing to be honest about this, what else is he not being honest about?
Business owner and candidate for Tempe Mayor Michael Monti stated, “When I filled out my Republic questionaire, I played by the rules and disclosed everything because I think someone casting a vote should know everything about a candidate. It’s too bad Mark Mitchell decided the rules didn’t apply to him. No one is expected to be perfect. In fact if getting into a bit of trouble in your 20’s kept people from being elected, there would be a lot of empty chairs in state and local government. The issue here is truthfulness. If someone distorts the truth when filling out a newspaper questionnaire, what does that say about their honesty in dealing with voters?”
Michael Monti, owner of Tempe’s historic Monti’s La Casa Vieja, co-founded Local First, Arizona. He is also active in the Tempe Diablos Charities, and is the youngest inductee in the Arizona Restaurant Association’s Hall of Fame.
To make a campaign donation on line click here or mail a check to
Monti4Mayor
P.O. Box 24476
Tempe, AZ 85285
His campaign is based on bringing private sector ideas to government, fiscal responsibility, civic involvement, economic opportunity, and innovation. His proposals include:
Arizona leaders and organizations that have endorsed Michael Monti include:
To visit the Monti4 Mayor Website click here or log on to www.monti4mayor.com (@monti4mayor).
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With the Tempe runoff election rapidly approaching, talk amongst Tempe’s political insiders is that Democrat mayoral candidate Mark Mitchell has lawyered up pretty heavily. Mitchell’s dive into a legal bunker may very well have something to do with what’s actually not happening in Tempe’s western neighbor, the City of Phoenix.
Recently elected Mayor of Phoenix, Greg Stanton, an endorser and high dollar fundraiser for Mitchell, may be stalling on the release of a report revealing a police investigation of the mayoral aspirant that was triggered by an anonymous victim’s email to the entire Tempe Council. The report is rumored to contain damning allegations that junior engaged in behavior so vile and disgusting that it would likely end his political career if not result in legal action. That investigation was handed over to Stanton’s top law enforcer in order to avoid a conflict of interest.
Early voting is already underway in Tempe. One would expect local media would be hot on the trail of any police investigation especially one that involves a mayoral candidate. Or better yet, that the candidate himself would feel obligated to disclose to the voters whether or not he is under any type of investigation.
And what does this say about the character and political motivations of Phoenix Mayor Stanton who appears to be dragging his political feet on an investigation of his political peer and ally?
Something has to give. We just hope it’s not the trust and confidence of Tempe and Phoenix residents who deserve better from their candidates and elected officials.
Both Mark Mitchell and Greg Stanton should stop this political game of avoidance and obfuscation and make an effort to show some real leadership. Mayor Stanton should step aside and allow Phoenix detectives to acknowledge and even release any findings. But even more important, if there really is no there there, Mark Mitchell owes it to his fellow Tempeans to publicly denounce any such allegations if he truly wants to exonerate his name.
By Carrie Ann Sitren
How do you close a $35 million budget gap? Perhaps the better question is why that hole was dug in the first place. One answer for the City of Glendale is hockey. In fiscal year 2012, the city added $20 million (up from only $1.2 million the year before) to its operating budget for the Jobing.com Arena, where the Phoenix Coyotes hockey team plays. The NHL has been demanding financial support from the city since 2009, when the team filed for bankruptcy.
Instead of looking for ways to cut arena operating costs, city officials are considering a 0.8% increase in the sales tax. This would make Glendale the city with the highest sales tax rate in the nation. It would also be enough to cover the $20 million city payment for Coyotes hockey next year.
In other cities, like Oakland, taxpayers don’t pay high dollars for someone else to manage their arena. Instead, professional management groups compete for that right. Arena management can be a profitable business, with groups maximizing concert and other entertainment events and keeping the revenues from concessions and ticket sales. Meanwhile, cities benefit because they don’t have to pay the operating costs. In some arena contracts, like the Sprint Center in Kansas City, the city also gets a cut of the profits. Last year, arena management added $1.8 million to Kansas City’s budget.
A few million dollars in the door would be a well-needed substitute for $20 million going out of Glendale for its arena. We have yet to see city officials open bidding for management. Given the heavy competition for it in other cities, Glendale should consider that option before asking taxpayers to cough up more sales taxes and for another year of hockey.
Carrie Ann Sitren is an attorney with the Goldwater Institute.
Learn more:
Goldwater Institute: Goldwater Institute v. City of Glendale
Arizona Republic: Glendale Budget Looking Bleak
Associated Press: No Team, No Problem for Kansas City’s Sprint Center
Reposted from Citizens for a Better Tempe
You have probably seen the hit piece put out by the Mitchell campaign, claiming that the historic Monti’s La Casa Vieja “was sued multiple times by vendors for failure to pay bills.”
And you know what, it’s true. Monti’s, like a lot of small businesses, have endured tough times in this economy, and have had to make hard choices to keep their doors open and avoid laying people off.
A lot of businesses like … Mark Mitchell’s company.
Did he leave that part out? That’s odd.
Anyway, Mitchell’s company – Tempe Decorator Center – was sued multiple times in just the past two years, owing hundreds of thousands of dollars to paint companies and other contractors, according to Maricopa County court records. The business was sued for millions by M&I Bank, and even stiffed the Phoenix Suns on Suite tickets. The company also had state and city tax liens filed against it, including one filed by the City of Tucson just last year.
By the way, if you are confused by the fact that Mitchell says he serves as Vice President of a company called Arizona Flooring & Interiors, and not Tempe Decorator Center (TDC) its because TDC shut down in 2010 and re-opened at around the same time under a different name. I’ll leave it to you to guess why. Here’s a copy of Mitchell’s financial disclosure forms showing both names from 2010.
But wait, it gets better.
Four separate employees of Mark Mitchell had to file complaints with the Arizona Department of Labor over unpaid wages – just last year. The Labor Department then went to court on their behalf to try and get a judgment against Mitchell’s company to pay the wages rightfully owed to them – which the government eventually did.
Even better, while his employees were trying to figure out how to get by without the paychecks they were counting on, Mark Mitchell went on vaca …oh excuse me… to conferences in Washington DC, Denver and Charlotte, stayed at hotels costing upwards of $300 a night, and stuck taxpayers with the bill.
There is a larger point here. That both Monti and Mitchell have seen their businesses struggle in a rough economy isn’t really the issue. We have all felt the effects of the financial crisis. The more important issue is that Mark Mitchell is the type of politician that would demonize someone for struggling, even though his own business had gone through the same thing but worse. And unlike Mitchell, Michael Monti always made sure his employees were taken care of.
We have to do better than Mark Mitchell. It obviously hasn’t occured to Mitchell that the experience of navigating a restaurant through tough times and tight budgets is exactly what we need in Tempe’s next Mayor. Not someone who demagogues them for political gain, and certainly not someone who is a hypocrite for doing so.
By Mark Flatten
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Open your wallets even wider, Arizona taxpayers.
You may already know that every American is on the hook for just under $50,000, each person’s piece of the $15.6 trillion in debt run up by the federal government.
But what you may not know is that so much more is owed in your name; about $10,258 for every Arizonan’s share of the $66.5 billion in debt and unfunded obligations borrowed by state and local governments.
In a new report, Debt and Taxes, the Goldwater Institute breaks down that debt. It also enters the strange world of public finance where debt is not debt, governments are not governments and billions of dollars in obligations are supposedly traded without risk.
Most of the debt racked up by state and local governments – about $44 billion – is in bonds issued by the state, counties, cities, school districts and hundreds of other taxing authorities created as stand-alone governments under Arizona law. Billions more comes from shortfalls in pension plans for government workers. There is even $1.3 billion in payments the Legislature simply chose not to make to balance the state’s budget that is just floating around on the books.
The Arizona Constitution is supposed to limit the state’s total debt to $350,000. The tabs that can be run up by local governments have their own caps as well. But the courts have determined those limits only apply to certain types of debt. So governments in Arizona rely far more heavily on borrowing that is not confined by constitutional restrictions or requirements for voter approval.
The Goldwater Institute has developed a series of policy recommendations to curb the ability of state and local governments to bypass voters and avoid constitutional restrictions on issuing debt.
Why should you care? State Treasurer Doug Ducey said it best:
“Taxpayers should care about it because it’s an obligation that they or their children are going to have,” Ducey said. “People should be concerned about the amount of debt, the type of debt, and the fact that there is no overall plan to pay down the state debt.”
Mark Flatten is an investigative reporter with the Goldwater Institute.
Learn more:
Goldwater Institute: Debt and Taxes: Arizona Taxpayers on Hook for $66 Billion Tab Run Up by State, Local Governments
Goldwater Institute: Recommendations for Reform
An article appears in the Arizona Republic this morning describing Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton’s latest drive to expand city authority in the area of ”sexual orientation” discrimination.
Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton’s aides and a group of attorneys are working to draft ordinances that could outlaw discrimination against gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender residents.
The aides and attorneys believe that if rewritten, city laws would also give victims of such discrimination in restaurants and other businesses an opportunity to file complaints with the city’s Equal Opportunity Department for investigation — an option they currently do not have.
The effort comes as the Sheraton Phoenix Downtown Hotel near Van Buren and Third streets tries to recover from threats of boycott by the gay community over a decision by the manager of the hotel’s District American Kitchen & Wine Bar to expel a lesbian couple in late February.
The hotel is owned by the city and managed under the Sheraton brand through a contract with Starwood Hotels and Resorts.
Despite the incident at the hotel restaurant, the city’s Equal Opportunity Department, tasked with investigating discrimination complaints by workers or customers at businesses, has received no complaints of discrimination over sexual orientation or gender identity at downtown hotels.
The department cannot investigate or respond to such complaints anyway because the city has not outlawed discrimination against lesbians, gays, bisexuals or transgenders. Such protections exist for the disabled and for ethnic minorities in areas such as employment, housing and public accommodations like hotels and restaurants.
Stanton’s policy adviser, Brendan Mahoney is leading the mayor’s charge to address any gaps in the city’s human-rights protections.
He has convened a group of attorneys — some from gay-rights organizations — who are analyzing the city code to determine how the laws could be amended to ensure equal rights for anyone, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.
Mahoney said that, while the incident at the hotel restaurant “certainly brought the issue to the forefront,” the timing of the city effort is coincidental.
“This issue was on the mayor’s agenda,” he said.
“This issue was on the mayor’s agenda,” he said. (read entire article)
A few items for discussion here:
Should this even be considered an issue, let alone, a high priority issue for the City of Phoenix and Mayor Stanton? Is this even a serious problem for the City of Phoenix or will it be perceived as an effort to promote LGBT issues?
Was the Arizona Republic article fair or even necessary?
Any sound minded critical thinking person can argue the position that any property or asset the city owns is controlled by the City Council. (He who pays the piper, calls the tune.) But should this effort extend to non-governmental stakeholders or private property owners?
Would these efforts extend to segments of the faith-based community such as Evangelical churches, orthodox Jewish or Muslim mosques? For example, would these faith-based communities be prohibited from using city parking or other assets unless they adopt policies that codify sexual orientation into their bylaws?
Don’t get me wrong. I am sensitive to this issue (family members) and actually prefer that the government stay entirely out of this arena, but is this issue forcing itself to center stage unnecessarily? Is the LGBT community overextending their efforts on this? It’s no secret that Equality Arizona invested itself into the Phoenix Mayor’s election in 2011. Was that on purpose in order to use the City of Phoenix as a platform to push its agenda?
Would love to hear everyone’s thoughts on this. Please be respectful.
Michael Monti says taxpayers would be left holding the bag for Mark Mitchell’s boondoggle
(Tempe, Arizona) Mark Mitchell has recently been touting his ‘plan’ for a Tempe Conference Center, but he has failed to say who will pay for it. That’s because it’s the Tempe taxpayers who would be on the hook for millions.
Businessman and candidate for Tempe Mayor Michael Monti points out that Mitchell has done little to outline specifics of his conference center plans and has been unable for over a decade to get ASU on board, “Any plan must include ASU, the leading State agency in Tempe, which could contribute a significant amount to such a project merely by agreeing to book all of its guests into such a hotel and conference facility. Mark Mitchell has been on the Tempe Council for 12 years, has talked about a Tempe Conference Center his entire 12 years, and has never been able to get ASU to the table in such a proposal.”
Michael Monti has delivered detailed proposals and even held community forums for a plan to bring a public swimming beach to the Tempe Town Lake, without taxpayer funding. Meanwhile the centerpiece for the Mitchell campaign, his proposed hotel/conference center, is scarce on details. What we do know is that such projects, like those in Phoenix, can cost taxpayers dearly. The Phoenix Convention Center? $600 Million. But where will the funds for a Tempe version come from at a time of budget cuts and tax increases?
In addition, the Valley has a number of conference centers. If Tempe were to build one, it would be competing regionally in an already saturated market.
Monti is well aware that he might derive a financial benefit from a downtown Tempe Conference Center, but he still feels the idea is out-of-step and misplaced, “As a Mill Avenue business owner I realize such a project may be good for my business, but I think it would be a bad idea for the city. Secondly, I think it’s time we start looking to south Tempe for civic projects. The Mill Avenue corridor is blessed with a host of amenities. It’s time south Tempe had a bigger say in these decisions.”
Monti is calling for Mitchell to lay out a detailed budget of this project as well a plan to make certain taxpayers won’t be left with the bill.
Monti said, “I am all for bringing more tourists to Tempe. My personal livelihood depends on it. But I am not willing to soak the taxpayers for such a project. The Tempe city budget cannot survive a spending spree by Mark Mitchell merely to satisfy an insatiable need to spend taxpayer money. If built with public money, this project would only serve as another monument to a politician. We should learn from missteps made by other communities (City North in Phoenix) with regard to developer incentives and taxpayer subsidies. If the private sector could cover the entire cost, that would be great. If not, then we need to take a pass on this given the fragile state of our city budget.”
Michael Monti, owner of Tempe’s historic Monti’s La Casa Vieja, co-founded Local First, Arizona. He is also active in the Tempe Diablos Charities, and is the youngest inductee in the Arizona Restaurant Association’s Hall of Fame.
To make a campaign donation on line click here here or mail a check to
Monti4Mayor
P.O. Box 24476
Tempe, AZ 85285
His campaign is based on bringing private sector ideas to government, fiscal responsibility, civic involvement, economic opportunity, and innovation. His proposals include:
Financial incentives for city workers who save tax dollars
The creation of the Tempe Community Corps to increase volunteerism, and aid Tempe neighborhoods
Partnerships with ASU and the business community to bring more jobs to Tempe
The creation of a public swimming beach at Tempe Town Lake, paid for by the private sector
Partnerships with the ASU College of Nursing to aid Tempe seniors
Encouraging businesses to embrace eco-friendly projects such as the Blink Car Charging Stations at Monti’s La Casa Vieja
A ban on texting while driving in Tempe
A gift ban and stricter reporting requirements for Tempe elected officials
An eight year term limit for the mayor’s office
Arizona leaders and organizations that have endorsed Michael Monti include:
Tempe Mayor Hugh Hallman
Tempe Council Member Onnie Shekerjian
Tempe Democrat and Former Council Member Barbara Sherman
Tempe’s first elected Mayor, Rudy Campbell
The Tempe Chamber of Commerce
Arizona Attorney General Tom Horne
Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery
Congressman David Schweikert
Former Tempe City Council Member ‘Hut’ Hutson
Former State Rep. Laura Knaperek Tempe Democrat Carl Hayden
Former Tempe Councilman Joseph Lewis
Scottsdale Mayor Jim Lane
Barry Goldwater Jr.
Former State Senator and Tempe Councilwoman Bev Hermon
Former Tempe Council Candidate Angie Taylor Thornton
To visit the Monti4 Mayor Website click here or log on to www.monti4mayor.com (@monti4mayor).
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By Clint Bolick
Whenever local bureaucrats or special-interest groups want to neutralize conservative legislators, one of their most-potent weapons is two words: “local control.”
If the Legislature wants to curb excessive taxes, demand transparency, end union give-aways, align election dates, or anything that trenches on the power of local government, “local control” is the argument of choice to stymie reform — and it often succeeds.
The notion that the best government is the government closest to home is embedded in the American tradition. It conjures nostalgic images of town-hall meetings and other forms of civic engagement.
But the reality is that many local governments have grown large and distant from their citizens. Few voters are engaged in local elections — in part because they often occur on random dates. And newer types of local governments, such as special districts and regional authorities, are experiencing explosive growth yet are almost completely immune to democratic constraints.
What’s worse, local governments often are manipulated by special interests, especially unions. Our Constitution’s framers predicted this. “The smaller the society, the smaller probably will be the distinct parties and interests composing it,” warned James Madison in The Federalist No. 10, making it easier for special interests to “concert and execute their plans of oppression.”
Our national government derives its powers from the states. So too do local governments, which possess only those powers expressly conferred by the state. Local and state government powers are intended to balance and constrain each other, so as to protect freedom.
Local governments affect our daily lives more than any other — from police and fire to schools, property and business regulations, and the most basic public services. Protections at the state level against local overreach are both essential and appropriate.
Clint Bolick is director of the Goldwater Institute’s Scharf-Norton Center for Constitutional Litigation.
Learn more:
Goldwater Institute: It’s Time to Burst the Special-Interest Election Bubble
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 13, 2012
CONTACT: Julie Lind
Michael Monti Defies The Odds, Emerges As Top Vote Getter In Tempe Primary
Business owner takes on self-described “politician” in general election
(Tempe, Arizona) Despite being outspent by a professional politician who has been on the Tempe City Council for nearly a dozen years, business owner and candidate for Tempe Mayor Michael Monti has surprised many, receiving the most votes in the Tempe Mayoral Primary and moving on to the general election.
Michael Monti’s first entry into politics garnered 8112 votes. He will face Mark Mitchell, a self described professional politician, in the May 15th general election.
Mitchell has been under fire for spending more than $14,000 in taxpayer funded travel over three years; for falling to release earlier travel records; and for his refusal to disclose any gifts of meals, travel or tickets he may have received after nearly 12 years as a City Councilman. Monti has teamed up with Mayor Hugh Hallman and County Attorney Bill Montgomery to propose Tempe adopt the strictest gift ban and reporting rules in the state so that people like Mark Mitchell can no longer abuse the taxpayers.
Monti, owner of Tempe’s iconic Monti’s La Casa Vieja said, “University City, Friendly City, Innovating City, Lake City, and now Surprise City. I am honored so many Tempe residents gave me their vote. Our campaign has been based on a policy platform designed to improve the quality of life in Tempe through responsible spending. It’s a platform based on what years of operating a business have taught me. I want to use that knowledge to benefit my hometown.”
Monti is not the only candidate to run a policy based campaign. Former Councilmember Linda Spears also ran on the issues. Monti said, “It speaks volumes that two of the three people running for Mayor of Tempe decided to make this campaign about policy and issues, not about a title. Mitchell is the son of a former Tempe Mayor, Harry Mitchell. Ms. Spears and I may not be in agreement on every issue, but we both understand that good government demands innovation not vague statements. She ran a thoughtful, intelligent campaign and I sincerely hope that she will continue to contribute to the community.”
Having gathered enough votes to enter the general election, the Monti for Mayor Campaign enters its second phase. Look for more platforms and more endorsements in the coming weeks.
“It’s going to be an extraordinary two months. Anyone interested in donating and volunteering for an exciting cause can email us at info@monti4mayor.com , or log on to www.monti4mayor.com,” Monti said.
Michael Monti, owner of Tempe’s historic Monti’s La Casa Vieja, co-founded Local First, Arizona. He is also active in the Tempe Diablos Charities, and is the youngest inductee in the Arizona Restaurant Association’s Hall of Fame.
His campaign is based on bringing private sector ideas to government, fiscal responsibility, civic involvement, economic opportunity, and innovation. His proposals include:
Arizona leaders and organizations that have endorsed Michael Monti include:
To visit the Monti4 Mayor Website click here or log on to www.monti4mayor.com (@monti4mayor).
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 5, 2012
CONTACT: Mike Manson
The Congressman and the Mayor have both taken on monumental challenges
(Scottsdale, Arizona) Scottsdale Mayor Jim Lane has led the effort to balance Scottsdale’s budget and fuel its economic recovery. Congressman David Schweikert has been at the leading edge of the battle to balance the federal budget and economic reform in Washington DC. That’s why it should come as no surprise that Congressman Schweikert is endorsing the re-election of Scottsdale Mayor Jim Lane.
Lane, whose campaign boldly declares Scottsdale as “The Best City in America” has worked to keep the city on a steady course through the worst of economic times. At the same time he has preserved Scottsdale’s open spaces and preserved the City’s reputation as a destination for tourism.
Schweikert, whose district includes Scottsdale, says Lane has Scottsdale heading in the right direction. “Mayor Lane’s leadership has Scottsdale’s economy stronger and more vibrant. We both understand the importance of responsible spending and balanced budgets are the foundations of a thriving economy. His leadership has been critical during the sluggish economic recovery.”
Lane said, “I am honored to have the endorsement of Congressman Schweikert. We have both been fighting the good fight to reform government and restore our economy. As Scottsdale continues to rebound I can only hope people like Congressman Schweikert are successful in rebuilding the nation’s economy as well. ”
Mayor Lane ran in 2008 on a platform of reform and working to improve the way the city does business. He has kept his promises. Under his leadership, Scottsdale’s economy has expanded and attracted new investment, while the city continues to be a leader in the arts and setting aside lands for preservation.
A copy of Mayor Lane’s 7 minute video can be viewed here. The campaign has also launched Facebook and Twitter pages. On Facebook: Scottsdale Mayor . On Twitter @ScottsdaleMayor .
For more information please contact Mike Manson.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 4, 2012
CONTACT: Julie Lind
Yet Another Key Endorsement: Scottsdale Mayor Jim Lane Endorses Michael Monti For Mayor Of Tempe
Lane says Monti understands that cities must work together with neighboring communities
(Tempe, Arizona) Businessman and Candidate for Tempe Mayor Michael Monti has picked up yet another important endorsement. Scottsdale Mayor Jim Lane has joined the growing chorus of current and former elected officials who are supporting Michael Monti’s mayoral campaign.
Lane, like Monti, also has a private sector background and a common sense approach to solving problems.
Lane stated, “Michael Monti’s policies and proposals for Tempe reflect a thoughtful, business-sector approach to government. I am an accountant and small businessman by trade and I appreciate the fact that a business owner has decided to run for Mayor of Tempe. Hugh Hallman is one of the best Mayors in Arizona. Michael Monti, endorsed by Mayor Hallman, would be a worthy successor. People who have to meet budgets and payrolls have a unique understanding of what it takes to make a community success as well as stand up for itself. Michael understands that in order for a City to succeed it must work together with neighboring communities. We share many interests with Tempe. I hope to work on them with Michael.”
Monti, who helped pioneer Local First, understands the importance of regional cooperation. “I co-founded Local First because I saw a need for local businesses to come together for critical issues. I plan to bring that same philosophy to Tempe City Hall and partner with neighboring communities to serve common interests. Scottsdale Mayor Jim Lane would make an excellent partner. He understands budgets and economic issues because of his private sector background. He understands that politics is not a profession. I am honored to have his endorsement.”
Michael Monti, owner of Tempe’s historic Monti’s La Casa Vieja, co-founded Local First, Arizona. He is also active in the Tempe Diablos Charities, and is the youngest inductee in the Arizona Restaurant Association’s Hall of Fame.
His campaign is based on bringing private sector ideas to government, fiscal responsibility, civic involvement, economic opportunity, and innovation. His proposals include:
Arizona leaders and organizations that have endorsed Michael Monti include:
To visit the Monti4 Mayor Website click here or log on to www.monti4mayor.com (@monti4mayor).
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 7, 2012
CONTACT: Julie Lind
Tempe Candidate for Mayor and Current Tempe Mayor Praise County Attorney for Showing the Way
(Tempe, Arizona)Candidate for Tempe Mayor Michael Monti is joining Mayor Hugh Hallman in calling for gift bans and reporting requirements in Tempe. Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery has proposed a long list of restrictions to prevent another Fiesta Bowl scandal. Monti and Hallman believe Tempe should lead the way and adopt a strict set of rules on the municipal level. They include:
Tempe Mayor Hugh Hallman has set the standard in Tempe by refusing gifts of any kind. He has even turned down perks such as a parking space at Tempe City Hall. County Attorney Bill Montgomery has listed a set of rules that can easily be adopted at all levels of government.
Monti said, “Our Mayor has set the standard. Our County Attorney has identified the proper standards. Now it’s time for Tempe to adopt those standards so that we can lead the way in clean government. Not everyone has followed Mayor Hallman’s example.”
Michael Monti, owner of Tempe’s historic Monti’s La Casa Vieja, co-founded Local First, Arizona. He is also active in the Tempe Diablos Charities, and is the youngest inductee in the Arizona Restaurant Association’s Hall of Fame.
His campaign is based on bringing private sector ideas to government, fiscal responsibility, civic involvement, economic opportunity, and innovation. His proposals include:
Arizona leaders and organizations that have endorsed Michael Monti include:
To visit the Monti4 Mayor Website click here or log on to www.monti4mayor.com (@monti4mayor).
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By Nick Dranias & Stephen Slivinski
Phoenix taxpayers recently paid almost a half a million dollars for a report that looked at city-employee compensation. The report reveals that some types of workers get paid more than the market average; some get paid less. But when you include benefits, the report found that all government workers in Phoenix are vastly better off than private sector workers.
These findings could have been obtained for a fraction of the cost, simply by surveying existing academic literature. Unlike the Goldwater Institute’s own research, which has revealed that public sector collective bargaining costs taxpayers tens of billions of dollars, there is little in the way of actual “news” in the new Phoenix report. In fact, the report missed an opportunity to uncover the real differences in pay and benefits between government and private workers in the City of Phoenix.
The Phoenix report omits any comparison of the hourly compensation of government versus private sector workers. It’s a big omission, particularly since the Bureau of Labor Statistics recently reported state and local government workers receive average hourly compensation that is 44 percent higher than private sector workers.
This failure to compare hourly compensation, despite abundant resources to do so, demonstrates that the city-funded report doesn’t present an accurate picture of the local differences in compensation between government and private sector workers. It also calls into question whether this omission was inadvertent or by design — such an analysis may have revealed that government employees receive dramatically more hourly compensation than private sector workers.
Nick Dranias holds the Clarence J. and Katherine P. Duncan Chair for Constitutional Government and is director of the Joseph and Dorothy Donnelly Moller Center for Constitutional Government at the Goldwater Institute.
Stephen Slivinski is the Senior Economist with the Goldwater Institute.
Learn more:
Goldwater Institute: Save Taxpayers Tens of Billions of Dollars
City of Phoenix: Balancing Competitive Employment and Stewardship of Public Funds
Dear Arizona Taxpayer,
Today in the Senate Government Reform Committee, the majority members voted in favor of four important bills that would reform powerful government-worker unions:
SB 1484 — Paycheck Protection for Government Employees — Prohibits government employers from taking money from employee’s paychecks for union activities without express annual authorization.
SB 1485 — Prohibition on Government Collective Bargaining — Prohibits government employers from engaging in collective bargaining (including “meet and confer”) with government unions.
SB 1486 — Prohibition on Government Union Release Time — Prohibits government employers from paying employees to do union activities on the taxpayer dime.
SB 1487 — Prohibition on Withholding of Dues for Government Unions — Prohibits government employers from withholding any portion of public employee wages to pay for labor organization dues.
To send quick thank-you emails to the members of the Committee, click here. For Goldwater Institute fact sheets on the above bills, click on the bold bill titles, above.
Senate Bills 1484, 1485, 1486 and 1487 will be heading soon to floor votes in the full Senate. Please help us rein in Arizona’s powerful government unions by sending an email to your state Senator in support of these bills.
To take action, simply REPLY to this email and click SEND. It will automatically send an email to your State Senator! You can also customize your message and take action by clicking here.
To learn more about AFP-Arizona’s 2012 Legislative Agenda, click here.
Please forward this alert to your friends and family members!
For Liberty,
Tom Jenney
Arizona Director
Americans for Prosperity
