Above is the supposed contact list for the DRB and Planning Commission. If these links fail to work, blame the board members for participating in the super-secret government run my Manross and Dolan.

If you have any questions concerning any planned projects, don't hesitate to contact the ones above who make the decisions.

Regarding the editorial entitled "Ethical: To Be or Not To Be?" that appeared last week, unsigned, I would like to straighten out some misconceptions about Carla’s situation. The rest of that editorial does raise legitimate issues about appointments to boards and commissions in general, but Carla’s case is clearly not one of those.

First, Carla resigned her seat on the McDowell Sonoran Preserve Commission because of a perception that there may be a conflict of interest on some decisions if she remained the executive director of the McDowell Sonoran Conservancy (MSC). She did that of her own choice so as to not raise any questions about conflicts of interest or an
inappropriate makeup of the Commission. However she has not been in that position for over a year.

There also is no secret that MSC and Carla had a falling out and MSC bought her out by providing some salary though approximately March of 2008 with medical benefits to last a little longer, I believe through July of 2008. That being the case, there is absolutely no possible conflict of interest Carla may have in being a commissioner on the McDowell Sonoran Preserve Commission since nothing in this settlement would or could be affected by any decisions the Preserve Commission could make. To even imply that there would be is simply not the truth. Therefore Carla applied for a Commission seat and it was MSC that raised the issue of a possible conflict of interest, which was strange to say the least since there was no possibility of a conflict given Carla’s current relationship with MSC.

Second, of all the residents of Scottsdale, there is no one, with the possible exception of Jane Rau, who has meant as much to the preserve movement as Carla or has spent as much time and energy making it happen as Carla. Therefore not only should she be on the McDowell Sonoran Preserve Commission, we need her there to represent all us average citizens as well as to insure that the preserve vision is not compromised by those who do not understand its history or importance to the city. You may not like her position at times, but you should never question her dedication to completing ALL of the preserve.

Please make valid points about board and commission appointments, but don’t choose to pick on someone who has gone out of her way to avoid even raising the question of conflict of interest much less actually making a decision that might raise such an issue. Also, don’t pick on someone who has done so much for this city. I have worked with Carla for over 10 years and know well of her commitment to the preserve and all it means to this city. There are plenty of villains out there, she is not one of them.

Howard Myers
Scottsdale

We got calls from employees who participated in the survey mentioned last week and our warning was correct but not heeded by some!

Here are some observations from some of those who participated in the employee survey.

1. it was not anonymous as advertised; you were in a room with up to 20+ employees who all knew who you were or that you were participating.

2. Apparently there was a hope that they would get 250 employees to participate  after sending out over 400 invitations.

3. Brent Stockwell, not a representative from the outside firm as promised, was observing and "working" behind the scenes monitoring the process, and he asked for an emergency meeting for feedback sessions.

4.During the post survey discussions, the negatives outweighed the positives over whelmingly. The employees don't think they'll ever see the truth come out on this survey any more than it did on the "Sick" city investigation a couple of years ago.

5. According to a compilation of all comments we received, top problems were:

• Favoritism,

• Unequal treatment of employees,

• Fire one employee for no good reason, but then give others a second or more chances when they did things that were far worse,

• Lack of appreciation,

• No advancement opportunities,

• Promotions given to favorites who are mostly unqualified,

• Total lack of faith and trust in management

6. The employees sense of personal values were 3-4 points higher than what they thought the city's mgt places on values.

This feedback came directly from those who participated in the feedback sessions which were to only take 90 minutes but were taking over 2 hours + for each session because of the problems uncovered.

There was a sense that Brent was rushing this and no real sense of wanting a true and accurate picture. Many felt that maybe Jan was told to do this and drug her feet until council asked for an update an she didn't have one so she had to move quick.  Possibly, this is what prompted Councilman Ecton to call for a meeting on Dolan.

Yet again and still, the employees are frustrated with her process and message of what could have been an important feedback tool.

 (Return to Top)

 ~ The Hanover Project

Some would have you believe that any debate concerning what we determine to be an ill-conceived project should be based on the merits of the case as decided by the city.

That is the main reason many are fighting to stop this project. Decisions by the city are currently very suspect at best and those decisions will cost the taxpayers ten’s of millions in unnecessary tax dollars so that a developer can make a hefty profit never having to pay another dime and just walk away at the expense of the taxpayers!

The "city" i.e. the DRB, Planning Commission, City Manager, and the City Council Majority are not listening to the resident taxpayers who end up paying all the costs for these albatrosses as they come before the council for a seemingly automatic approval (dare we mention SkySong?). In addition, these purveyors of non-conforming designs and projects are not following the current zoning and height limits among other controls currently in place which are in place for very good reasons and need to be followed to the letter to keep the infrastructure from collapsing under the stress and strains of a total lack of planning for the long term future of the city.

Let’s take a short trip down the list of recent approvals from the "city" and the taxpayers.

How many new projects have the approval of the city, either verbally or on the record?

How many new projects have the "city’s" approval but not that of the taxpayers because the taxpayers were never openly consulted prior to the plans being brought to the city for review only to find that the designs, height and placement are atrocious and unacceptable at best? None of these projects follow code or current zoning restrictions which is a major problem:

There seems to be one common thread which permeates or connects to most of the projects that are questioned by the taxpayers: they are all either promoted, or handled by zoning attorney and "hired guns" John Berry and/or Susan Bitter-Smith and Technical Solutions.

We don’t have a problem with who’s handling the projects because they should be allowed to practice their craft unfettered but fairly as all of us are. But we have a serious problem with the fact that they are home-grown citizens who continually come back promoting designs and ideas which are not commensurate with the current zoning and code restrictions and are not acceptable to the taxpayers. There are also many complaints from citizens that all the facts concerning the projects were not presented and that only the "good parts" were offered in explanations and private discussions.

Those citizens and groups opposing the above projects are not "No Growther’s". Instead they condone and insist upon reasonable and controlled growth that will provide sustainability and maintain the tradition of true family values for which our city is known world wide and needs to continue for decades to come to again become the World Class City we once were.

Our children and grandchildren don’t need to be saddled with unnecessary and frivolous costs to correct infrastructure and other problems caused by uncontrolled, hap-hazard growth approved by people with little to zero vision for the future of Scottsdale and will not be here to pay the exorbitant price they are trying to charge off to the future generations living in Scottsdale.

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 ~ The Intimidation Factor

As seen by the accompanying picture, apparent hired supporters of the Hanover project are shadowing those petition gatherers promoting the Referendum on Hanover using people who have a very threatening, gang like appearance about them, hoping to intimidate citizens into not getting near the Referendum Petition table.

In still another incident according to eye witnesses Jim Heather and Patty Badenoch, while collecting names and phone numbers (not Hanover petition signatures) at the public meeting at a church at Camelback and Miller to discuss the new WaterView project now named Solis Scottsdale Residence and Spa, Hanover "hired gun" Susan Bitter-Smith of Technical Solutions told Patty that she couldn’t do what she was doing and needed to leave immediately because it wasn’t a public meeting, (yet Susan’s people had a table at the same place doing the same thing). Jim talked to city employee in charge Mac Cummins who stated that it was a public meeting and Patty had every right to be there. Patty was also accosted in Jim’s words by Paul Smith of Technical Solutions and some of their blue shirted "Goons" who looked to be trying to intimidate Patty into leaving. Although very understandingly upset, Patty stood her ground and did what she came to do.

Again we have the nasty, unhealthy actions of those who will do anything to win their case come hell or high water.

If this is the way the developers want their "hired guns" to operate, let’s name the developers, the principals of the companies, along with the specific "hired guns" by name and expose them for what they really are, then get involved and get every signature we can to put these below the belt operators out of business by being totally successful in getting the Referendum to the ballot.

Do these pictures below represent what you want Scottsdale to look like city-wide or do we want to stay family oriented with controlled growth?

It totally amazes us to what lengths some people and companies will go to get what they want for their customer or client by attempting to shut up or shut down the opposition through whatever means they feel will best work to their benefit.

Yesterday, I received the following letter from Attorney Thomas K. Irvine from Shughart Thomson & Kilroy, P.C. who are apparently representing the unnamed developers, unnamed associates and "hired guns" thereto of the Hanover Project at Goldwater Blvd and Indian School Roads.

Now for some questions of our own:

• Isn’t it true that corporations cannot be defamed or slandered; that only individuals can?
   

• What statements are Mr. Irvine specifically objecting to?

• Who are the "other persons" he refers to?
   

• Who is his client and who is paying the bill for his services?

• Why doesn’t he state on whose behalf he has written the letter?

• Could it be that someone other than Tom actually dictated the letter and Tom looked it over, then signed it?

Tom has been Susan Bitter-Smith’s' long time friend and election law attorney concerning many election issues over the years. 

Tom was also hired by someone (?) who was apparently well acquainted with the petitioner (?) to represent said petitioner in the Nesvig Gate matter and, at that time, Tom wrote several accusatory letters to Jim Lane who had come out against the move to strike Nesvig from the ballot. 

We feel that every citizen has the right to question the actions of any group of people especially when they attempt to perpetrate what we feel is a "Strong Arm Tactics" to shut up or shut down a free, public, unsponsored and apolitical news website because that website just might be exposing the seemingly offending group to what some feel is necessary to uncover the real reason behind their actions trying to dissuade citizens from signing a Referendum Petition so the voters can decide for themselves if this project really represents the real future of Scottsdale.

• What could be more fair than the Referendum which would answer the question as to what the citizens really want to see built in their city?

• What are the developers and supporters of the Hanover Project afraid of, that the success of the Referendum could totally reform how development projects are handled by the city, or is more about the massive amount of profit they, their legal teams and "hired guns" would lose?

• Could it be that should the Referendum be successful, height and density would be strongly contained and strictly observed as defined by the current code, zoning and ordinances?

Many citizens feel it’s time we put a stop to runaway density until we can agree upon a reasonable plan to allow the city to grow at a reasonable rate with the infrastructure being the first to be upgraded and repaired as necessary with the developers paying for all costs required to upgrade the systems which will be used by their proposed developments from the access point to end of the line.

Are we wrong in feeling like someone wants the Scottsdale Activist to shut the hell up and let developers, politicians and "hired guns" use our hard earned tax dollars to figuratively rape, pillage and burn the city we love without someone, anyone, standing up for what they feel is the right thing to do without intimidation, innuendo and veiled threats from legal and seedy appearing sources?

The Scottsdale Activist IS HERE TO STAY and won't be run off by anyone!!!

There are currently Referendum Petitions being circulated to allow the voters to vote to approve or disapprove the City Council’s approval of this project. For more information, call 480-994-1181. There are also petitions to stop the referendum so be careful what you sign.

Make sure that the portion on the right top side of the petition is marked as to whether the signature gatherer is a volunteer or paid gatherer and that the necessary text information is stapled to each petition.

If you sign a petition and feel you shouldn’t have signed it, simply draw a line through your name and other information given (left side of page to right side of page), than date and time the strike-out on the left margin. This is legal no matter what anyone tells you.

If anyone refuses to allow you strike out your signature, call us at 480-994-1181 giving them the location and the name of the petition gatherer immediately.

If we’re going to go for height and density, maybe we need to throw away the book the current short-sighted administration is writing which is secretly guarded by Manross, Dolan and their few, but loyal soldiers on the DRB, Planning Commission, local developers/builders and step out of the proverbial box for some fresh air.

Under Campana, but almost entirely under Manross and her Council Majority including a city manager who hasn’t a clue about much of anything, and a city attorney who does as she’s told, nothing much of any significance has been accomplished or saved in our little city.

We have seen a proposed revitalized shopping center at Los Arcos, then a Wal*Mart/Sam’s/Lowes complex turn into the Coyote Arena which finally ended up in Glendale. Then we watched Rawhide slip away to the Gila River Reservation in Maricopa, the possibility of great, affordable shopping go to Tempe (Tempe Market Place) and Mesa (Mesa Riverview). All the while, employee morale was slipping to the lowest levels ever seen with atrocious turnover under the management of Jan Dolan. Worst of all, we watched helplessly as the most expensive commercial piece of cornerstone location property in South Scottsdale become a black financial hole with no return for the taxpayers for up to 200 years.

If we really want to take back our position in the world as a World Class City, we need to do something bombastic, revolutionary, outrageous, yet hugely magnificent and a one-of-a-kind which would be envied world wide while adding to the southern end of our fine city. Yeah, I know, Manross and company can’t even think that far or that rich for that matter.

Dave Bachmann sparked a thought with his "My Turn" in the Scottsdale Republic today (02-26-08) concerning a new, high class entertainment venue. A few people have chastised many of us for trying to keep Scottsdale a world class city by leaving well enough alone and banning excessive heights and density which cost taxpayers many dollars in infrastructure and other related costs.

Under the watch (?) of Manross and Dolan, the southern portion of the city has been left to rot without proper code enforcement procedures being followed and without proper administration of planning, zoning and other major issues because apparently, if you don’t like Jan Dolan’s plan for your neighborhood, she’ll let it run down until you leave anyway.

So, what could we do to make Scottsdale the World Destination it once was without tearing up many neighborhoods and still bringing needed prosperity back to South Scottsdale?

Think about this alternative for a minute, it'll grow on you:

Build a 120 story "LEEDs" certified building utilizing a full Southwestern external motif within the city limits in the area east of Papago Park on the N/E corner of 64^th Street and McDowell (Chapman Auto Complex). From that location, none of the local city residents would have their views obstructed to any degree at all. It would be the tallest, most modern, most sought after World Class building in the Western United States.

Now that we have that established, not one single building could ever be built in the designated original Scottsdale downtown area which would exceed 75 feet in height including the mechanicals on the roof and if built, would have to meet at least 75% of the "LEEDs" criteria.

All buildings outside of the downtown area would be limited to 40 feet unless a 75% majority of the voters in a 30 block area around the proposed project approved it and would have to be at least 75% "LEEDs" certified.

A development of this sophistication in this specific location would ease the pressure on infrastructure (closer to all utility facilities), on the roads and on all other areas of the city while bringing in more tax dollars for both property and sales taxes the city could expect out of any 30% of the retail areas of the city.

Transportation you ask?

Easy: Build a world Class monorail from the light rail terminal near the SR-202 and, using the canal bank, have it follow the canal bank up to the new World Class building with a terminal there, then continue to Fashion Square with another terminal, then on to the Casino on the Salt River Reservation, all constructed on the SRP canal bank. If the Fort McDowell Casino wanted in on the action, they could continue the through Fountain Hills to their casino.

Now all we need is for all the developers and builders who want to build prime properties in Scottsdale to partner in this World Class and magnificent one of a kind development and have the Casino's help with the Monorail system!

What more could one ask?

We noted that the prestigious group "Women of Scottsdale" honored Debbie Gaby for all of her wonderful work in the community which was richly deserved and we applaud Debbie for her kindness and all she does for man and womankind.

Our question is very simple: Why was the event held in Phoenix at the Westin Kierland Resort and Spa instead of Scottsdale? …….Or did we miss something?

Doesn’t Scottsdale have enough trendy and upscale places where a highly significant event of this importance could have been held?

Just wondering, couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw the location……………

Mayor Manross kicked off a City Hall Talk by hosting panelists who all agreed that "Arizona is in no shape to handle an expected doubling of the population within the next 50 years to nearly 12 million people".

What??? Forked tongue Mary does it again………………

Mary Manross has been the bulldozing, high pressure, point person on greatly increasing the population in Scottsdale through height and density with knowledgeable residents fighting her and the council majority every step of the way.

Controlled growth with a reasonable plan taking all issues into account would be acceptable but what Mary has done is unconscionable, especially after she has voted for every dense project offered, and she now admits we're not ready.

Read any newspaper in the last 7 years and you'll see the history of Mary and her plan for super-forced growth, which Scottsdale is now not ready for or is it necessary to keep the city "sustainable".

All of this growth for Scottsdale without any infrastructure upgrades?

Who's lying to whom here and for what political purposes?

Mary’s lost it!!

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We have a strange operation going on by a company named Zaio right under our eyes and noses here in Scottsdale. They take pictures of our homes, then they sell those pictures to lenders, Realtors, etc. for a profit.

I personally feel that if you are going to use a picture of my home to make a profit, I should be contacted for permission first, then cut in on the profit if I agree to allow the use of the picture.

I sent emails as follows on the subject and got the return from Chief Rodbell as seen below.

I also sent an email to ZAIO which is shown at the bottom of this article, but yet to have a response.

The contact email address of ZAIO is info@ZAIO.com . Supposedly, you can ask them to remove your home completely from their website and they say they will do exactly that.

Their website is www.ZAIO.com

=========================================================

Chief,
        
A company named ZAIO is cruising neighborhoods taking pictures of our homes. I stopped the guy (Jake Nelson) with ID who claims that it's for the use of emergency services so they know what the outside front features are of a home.
        
 I don't know that is necessary and I am not too sure I like the idea. They say it’s a public street so taking pictures there is no violation of a person’s privacy as long as they don't step upon private property.

Their website address is www.zaio.com <http://www.zaio.com/>  where they say you can request that your home be eliminated from the files.

 What do you know about this operation and thanks for you help in advance.      

Respectfully,

George Knowlton, 480-326-2475

=======================================================

Subject: RE: Zaio
Date: Fri, 29 Feb 2008 14:34:52 -0700F
From: arodbell@Scottsdaleaz.Gov
To: fixscottsdale@hotmail.com
CC:drobberson@scottsdaleaz.gov;jdolan@scottsdaleaz.gov; CityCouncil@scottsdaleaz.gov
       
       
They are a nation wide company. They take pictures of houses for appraisal services, banks, etc…They say on the website that emergency services could use their pictures in case of a fire (doubtful), but not illegal. Below is a bit of info from their website. We don’t see this company as a problem.

"This national database can be accessed by lenders, for a fee, via the Zaio website. The company earns revenue from the sale of zone licenses to local certified appraisers for the rights to a particular zone in a city and on an ongoing basis from the sale of appraisal reports and other valuation products and the sale of images on a per image basis or by way of annual subscription to the databases. At this time, there is no equivalent product available and Zaio has no direct competitors."

============================================================

From: George Knowlton fixscottsdale@hotmail.com
To: Rodbell, Alan #855
Sent: Fri Feb 29 21:46:54 2008
Subject: RE: Zaio

Thanks Alan for your help, too much like "big brother" to me as if we don't have enough of that already.

I'll be asking that my address and that of my kids to be totally deleted from their system via their website. 

Thanks for all you do for Scottsdale,

George

=======================================================

To whom it may concern:

I want any and all picture(s) and any related or unrelated information about my property at 8701 E. Valley View Road, Scottsdale, AZ 85250, immediately removed in it's entirety from your website or any acceptable reference areas, public or private.

In addition, I strongly suggest that you put a link to your organization in a prominent place on your website so people don't have to go through "40 hoops" to find it. There are a number of residents in Scottsdale who do not appreciate your service and want off your list ASAP.

We have contacted the city police department and will print the information in a local website for resident info including this email address.

Thank you in advance.

George C. Knowlton, 480-326-2475

 ~Letters to the Editor  

Carolyn Jagger, City Clerk
Deborah Robberson, City Attorney
3939 North Drinkwater Boulevard
Scottsdale Arizona, 85251

Regarding: My amendment to Campaign Finance Violations to Mr. McCullagh’s reply.

First please note the bottom of Mr. McCullagh’s letter in which he submits his campaign contribution letter where it is stated in clear language the following statement.

This self submitted information continues to prove the point that Mr. McCullagh was well aware of the requirements of his contributors and without that information Mr. McCullagh should have returned the money or asked for that information well before the filing deadline and shows that there was not a "Good Faith Effort" upon Mr. McCullagh’s part to properly disclose all information required for filing. It was not until complaints were filed with the City Clerks office and only after the City Clerk noted that he needed to amend his statement.

Again to the point of Mr. McCullagh’s comment in his letter of "I was of the opinion that campaign finance laws require a good faith effort to collect contributor information; but having made that effort, it is not a pre-requisite for my accepting a contribution" and is why the city clerk briefs each person or tries to of the requirements of the finance laws as she has done with me many times and also suggest that they seek legal help with such filings. The problem with this comment by Mr. McCullagh is that he knows that this is "required information" and that without this information he violates the campaign finance laws and should have not accepted the money until he had such information.

The fact is both State and Local paperwork provided to candidates and other Political Action Committees comes with an original form which is designed and printed to some degree by the government entity in charge and the spaces that are provided by both the State and Local Governments on their forms for the respective person who is required to fill it out is easily noted that no where in these "official documents" does it state the information to be provided is an option. These spaces are there to be filled out, not to the best ability of the filer, but completely leaving a candidate no alternative but to either return the funds or make a better faithed effort to obtain the "required" information.

Another problem with Mr. McCullagh’s "good faith effort" and why I still contend that he violated the campaign finance laws is that I was able to easily Google most of Mr. McCullagh’s contributors to find their occupation and employers which were posted a few days later in the Scottsdale Activist (www.scottsdaleactivist.com). If this was actually a good faith effort than Mr. McCullagh could have easily done what people such as myself had done to uncover who his contributors were and has a very strong appearance of a planned effort to disguise his contributors.

Mr. McCullagh goes on to state in his letter that with the statement of "the envelope was intended to elicit the required information" and again places Mr. McCullagh in a light of knowing full well that the information was not just an oversight on his part nor was it his "opinion" that the information was a pre-requisite as in multiple areas his letter proves that he was fully aware of the requirements to divulge the required information on the forms provided by a government entity for filing.

If I am not mistaken, these reports carry the city seal and are recorded with the city clerk for the use of public information and I have yet to find any section of the material that says fill out what you think you need to as opposed to fill out all lines that apply to your filings.

Reviewing the filings of not only Mr. McCullagh’s reports from his initial run for office, but also his filings for his failed attempt at a legislative run in which the filing was much more demanding as he used clean election funds, I find it impossible to fathom that Mr. McCullagh was not aware that this information was required.

Mr. McCullagh also shows a no faith effort in this matter as he knows who many of these people were and what they did for a living as well as who they were employed by from his dealings in city government affairs as a council person.

Also it has been found that many of the people in Mr. McCullagh’s filing are also members and friends of his Scottsdale Rotary membership in which he knew these people, attended events there, and even had a recent spot in their website information that touted his re-election efforts.

Mr. McCullagh’s statement of "others preferred I only use their names and addresses" was not only an un-ethical action but also shows to what lengths Mr. McCullagh skirted the law to obtain contributions when he should have explained to them that he needed the information to stay with in the boundaries of the law and instead took the money and with held the information required.

If this were being sent in front of a judge I would find it hard to believe that Mr. McCullagh would not be found guilty on perjury charges and I expect no less from the city in their determination in this matter as this was clearly not an "oversight" on Mr. McCullagh’s part but was actually a planned attempt to deceive the public and the publics right to know this information and has brought about such actions as clean election laws and campaign finance reforms.

Respectfully

Michael Merrill
Scottsdale

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After reading the article in the Scottsdale Republic (2-29-08) I see exactly why so many people have totally lost any trust and respect for Mayor Manross and her ability to show good judgment and make good decisions. She can’t even keep her stories straight.

She says in the article that we’re not ready for the population growth in the next 45 to 50 years, yet she goes about approving height and density like a blind mad woman without any regard for the overworked sewers, streets, gas lines and electrical systems we depend upon daily.

I think the 2 pea’s in a pod; Manross and Dolan need to go, now before they do any more damage to my adopted home town.

E Slocomb
Scottsdale

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Have you ever heard these words or actually stated them yourself "man we are in some deep doo-doo now"?

Well, if you care about your wallets and did not pay attention to the last article regarding our water costs then get a load of this one folks.

I am going to start by just giving you the bottom line totals first in the hopes that it grabs your attention and makes you use the words "Holy Crapola" because after the costs are out there, you may consider it "holy" just to flush your toilets in this city anymore. Also I would like you to remember the issue of how your waste water rates have also been raising over the years just like your water rates.

The grand total of costs for the city in this issue is a whopping ^$267.3 million dollars! That’s right folks ^$267.3 million dollars is the estimate given by the city that again is in 2007 dollars with no inflationary numbers packed in for future years and it also does not include the costs of septic systems conversions, capacity increases for wet weather flow impacts, and maintenance costs which will again be provided at a future date when they also complete an asset management program.

So let’s see here, for Water and Sewer we have a total, which is unrealistic considering the factors that have been left out of these numbers which reaches to a "presumed" total of ^$428 million dollars. If we can consider the issue of many factors being left out of the costs being presented now you would probably be able to note that the real total will be more than HALF A BILLION DOLLARS.

Again lets see if we can wake some of you sluffers up as that was HALF A BILLION DOLLARS.

Again we get to hear those lovely words that "most of this will be covered by impact fees for developments" and just ask yourself when the last time it was that you had ever heard of "development paying for itself"?

Now lets consider how close these impacts are to your wallet as none of us are going to be dead of old age before we start paying for this.

Ozites, this is the costs for just the next 5 years and if you are not planning on dying in those 5 years or moving out of Oz, guess who the hell is going to be paying for all of this considering the largest totals are tied to the Manross/Dolan growth excitement. Do any of you have a clue as to what is really going on with infrastructure costs for all of this "revitalization" and projected northern growth rates?

Consider the facts that the city planning commission is hell bent on up-zoning anything that crosses their agendas and the council follows in line with, as 5 acre parcels are being decimated so we can add more housing on smaller lots so the developers can make more money for land they paid to much for, and that we are cramming over 200 residents on parcels in the south and downtown that are not even 5 acres .Don’t forget that it has now been noted that the Manross/Dolan excitement of "mixed use developments" is the third highest drain on our water resources.

Now you want to hear a real kicker from your illustrious Mayor of Oz who has again shown that she is the biggest sack of untreated waste in the mix?

On Thursday our Queen Mother stated that "in 45 to 50 years we will have double the population of Arizona" and then commented further "can you imagine the impact that will have on Scottsdale and Arizona. I don’t think we are prepared" but yet this sly little piece of umpa lumpa turd is preparing your wallets to cover those costs before it even comes about and in the next 5 years you will be paying the HALF A BILLION DOLLAR tab to make the queen mothers dreams come true and we still have no clue what the assessment report will tack on to this for maintenance and repairs for infrastructure of both services.

This group of 150 leaders from across the state concluded that adequate planning for water, infrastructure, and "other needs" is not in place and all the while this evil little witch so full of lies and forked tongues she stands before these people and shows her two faces as she decimates the taxpayers of Oz to cover the costs for her legacy.

Oh another great note to have come out this week is the fact that Oz is the 5^th largest city that is in debt now with 927 MILLION in bond debt. Yep you read that right also, nearly 1 billion in debt already and we are fixing to see it climb to 2 billion in very short order.

Thanks for paying attention to just this ‘small" part of our infrastructure problem and if you are noting that your wallet is no longer in your back pocket or your purse, the slamming of the door you heard a minute ago was your wallet running for a place to hide.

If you were not paying attention to this bit of information, than you can keep your mouth shut when the poop really hits the fan and there is no water to flush it out.

Hey Councilman Lane, are you listening and can you comprehend what we have been trying to explain to you for over 4 years yet?

You folks can all vote for that little lying bitch to be back in office and destroying more than your city because I just think she should be dumped in the same excrement we have to pay for to be treated to make it palatable to swallow.

To try to stay in line with how Mary the Fairy and her band of weasels and the fact I know that none of you are going to actually read the 209 page reports I have mentioned in the last 2 articles, I thought it would be fun to let you know how the city is projecting growth for your areas.

As I had a conversation this week with Tony Nelssen because he was shocked to think that I could support the up zoning of the Ranches at Stagecoach Pass, 18-ZN-2006. I explained to Tony that if they can get away with doing it to us in the south and downtown, they will do it to the people up north who keep voting these idiots onto the council. In this issue the developer wants to rezone from the required 5 acre parcels to some weird number that is out of whack for the area.

So let’s take a look at the planning and zoning department numbers for the north and their future.

Now for those of you who live in sections E-1, E-2, E-3 and section D, I would like to welcome you to our nightmare and the people you have foolishly elected as your representatives and you can now spit out your window and hit your neighbor’s toilet.

So much for your rural feel as the only thing you are going to feel in the future is the squeeze on your wallet and the squeeze on your quality of life so welcome to Oz and those who run it.

I suggest you pay attention when you go to vote this year and if you do not vote, you better start.

Now for all of you who live up north and read this website, look at section A1 and explain to me where you have the right to bitch when you elect these morons to office who do this to us and why we should not resent you when you complain about your quality of life as the city destroys ours with no objections or help from you to stop it.

This also applies to the following people whom I uncovered in a request for council e-mails.

Anthony and Denise Piccirillo

Sandra and Will Worthington

Bernhard Welle

James W. Ikard

While I cannot really support this up zoning in good faith as a native of this city, it should be noted that I wonder where these people stand in their decisions of what is acceptable to them for our quality of life in the south and downtown.

I happen to love living in the south and while it is a little denser and there is very limited room for any more growth, we also object to being crammed any further and allowing projects that are 4.6 acres with over 200 residents on them.

Like Bob Littlefield has been telling folks, the city does have a plan and you are not part of it, however if you pay attention to city reports you should be able to see it.

~Don’t let the door hit you

Well everyone knows the writing on the wall for the Wizard of Oz, unless of course Beany Boy Lane does a 180 but I am more interested in what is actually going on here and why all of a sudden.

So did Wayne actually have a melt down? I doubt it and I doubt the Oz repugnant views on this issue are correct either.

I have heard that Wayne had done this directly after he filed a Political Action Committee in case he is recalled and that this move is appease the huge majority of the public who want to see the Wizard gone and while this could be plausible I also doubt this scenario either as I am pretty sure Wayne already knows that the public does not trust him any longer and if he does have to run again he will not survive to be re-elected.

There is the scenario that Wayne had his melt down over the issue of the security devices not gaining support for re-installation and that brings up a whole new scenario itself as it appears that Wayne thinks the city activist are all on the verge of gunning down the council and I have to say that seems pretty darned far fetched.

We may be noisy and nasty from time to time but since I know most of the activist in this city, I cannot think of one who is so off kilter that they would go down and start shooting up the Kiva. Is Wayne getting death threats and is that his reason for going into panic mode? While he may be mad at Mary for not gaining the support for his motion I don’t think this is a payback for such a petty issue.

Then we have the scenario that Mary put him up to this and I believe this scenario more than any other because the Wicked Witch of Oz is worse than crafty and we have seen how she moves in her political ways, problem for her this time around is everyone is already aware of what she has done to this city and what she spouts off about in public meetings and events.

Consider this as how it is being played out and tell me it does not make the most sense of the political shenanigans we have all endured under the Wicked Witches rule.

Wayne cannot afford to piss Mary off to the point of her removing her voting base from his possibility for re-election so for Wayne to have done this on his own is absurd.

Mary on the other hand cannot afford to keep taking the beating she gets about Jan as it is dragging down her chances of being re-elected if not outright killing it, but she also cannot fire Dolan and do a 180 with out everyone on the planet knowing that Mary dumped her just so she could be re-elected and it also would not look good to the GLBT or whatever they call themselves.

So I will presume that what transpired was a move by both Mary the Fairy and the Flatulating Butthead Mr. Ecton to kill two birds with one stone. Mary and Wayne conspire to try to save both of their candy butts with Mary telling Wayne to bring this forward as the fourth vote against Jan, in return Mary promises Wayne that she will have her voting base still continue to vote for him if he is recalled.

In return Mary removes the Albatross around her neck in this upcoming election, she also skirts having to be deposed to answer questions about the water plant land deal issue so that does not come out to the public, and Wayne thinks he will win the hearts of voters because he got rid of Jan and is a changed man regarding how the city is being run.

Pretty crafty, don’t you think?

Michael Merrill
F8713@aol.com

Last night, I watched the documentary, Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room, which got rave reviews from critics, who said that it is an accurate portrayal of the rise and fall of Enron. Actually, like so much out of Hollywood, it is masterful agitprop, leaving viewers with misinformation about energy deregulation and markets, and with the notion that greed, hubris and fraud only exist in executive suites.

The documentary includes footage from congressional hearings on Enron, with the likes of Barbara Boxer and Henry Waxman grilling Enron executives about their fraudulent bookkeeping. It’s telling that Hollywood hasn’t produced a documentary or movie about a far, far, far greater fraud: the crooked books of the United States government and the Ponzi schemes of Social Security and Medicare.

If such a movie were made, it could include a scene like the one below, in which the people have arrested members of Congress and are grilling Barbara Boxer and Henry Waxman in the same hearing room where they had grilled Enron executives.

People: Senator Boxer, are you aware that the unfunded liabilities for Social Security and Medicare are over $60 trillion, or about $450,000 for each American household?

Boxer: No, I had no way of knowing about that. The comptroller general of the United States has failed to do his job and inform Congress of the liabilities.

People: Remember that you are under oath and face being tarred and feathered if you are caught lying. In our hands is a report to Congress from the comptroller general warning you and other members about the liabilities and the dire economic consequences of not doing something about reducing them.

Boxer: [Hands trembling] Uh…aaa…you see…I…uh…I can’t read everything that crosses my desk. My staffers kept me in the dark about this.

People: You didn’t accept that as an excuse when Enron Chairman Kenneth Lay said the same thing to you. You’ve given us no choice but to light the tar pot and pluck some chickens. While you’re being tarred and feathered, we have a question for your fellow witness:

People: Representative Waxman, does the Social Security Trust Fund actually exist, or is it a fictitious accounting entry?

Waxman: [Looking like a cornered weasel] Well, uh, it depends on what the meaning of "exist" is. After all, famous philosophers have said that we can’t even prove that we exist.

[Screams from Senator Boxer can be heard in the background]

People: When the hot tar hits your skin like hot wax, Representative Waxman, you’ll know you exist. You are certainly aware that the money that is supposed to go into the Trust Fund to pay future Social Security obligations is spent by Congress on other things. Yet in the Enron hearings you excoriated CEO Jeffrey Skilling for reporting revenue and profits that didn’t exist. If he committed fraud, haven’t you committed fraud on a much larger scale?

Waxman: He did what he did out of greed while I work unselfishly for the people. There is no comparison between him and me. Besides, he robbed Enron employees of their 401(k) savings. I haven’t robbed anyone of anything.

People: So you’re saying that everyone who has paid FICA taxes will get all their money back plus a fair investment return?

Waxman: The Supreme Court has ruled that the government has no legal obligation to keep its promises about Social Security and Medicare.

People: Yeah, like when the accounting firm Arthur Andersen ruled that what Lay and Skilling were doing was legal. It’s amazing that you don’t see the difference between Enron’s fraud and your fraud. Enron committed fraud against people who voluntarily worked for the company or bought its stock. You commit fraud against people who are forced to participate in your pyramid schemes and have no choice in the matter. Enron employees were given the option of investing their 401(k) contributions in Enron stock or a safer investment. Future generations of Americans will not have the option of walking away from the debt that you have accrued for them. While you’re being tarred and feathered, we have a question for your colleague in crime:

People: Senator Boxer, are you aware that if savings were not taxed, there would be no need for the 401(k) provision of the tax code or for the thousands of administrators, bureaucrats, lawyers and tax accountants who make handsome livings from administering, interpreting and litigating the provision?

Boxer: [Sobbing and covered in tar and feathers] But people wouldn’t save if the 401(k) provision didn’t exist, and if we didn’t tax savings, we couldn’t fund the government.

[Screams from Rep. Waxman can be heard in the background]

People: Hey, Senator Boxer, you’re not speaking to the leftists in your district. Unlike them, we know history and economics. We know that the savings rate was higher before taxes became confiscatory. We also know that over the 27 years that you’ve been in Congress, federal spending has increased 84 percent in real terms while the U.S. population has increased 30 percent. This trend, coupled with your unfunded liabilities and fraudulent bookkeeping, will leave the government with no choice but to print money and confiscate people’s nest eggs. Shame on you for sowing the seeds of the economic destruction of the country. Armed guards are waiting outside to escort you and Representative Waxman to prison.

People: Okay, we’re ready for our next witnesses. Call in Senators Obama, Clinton and McCain, and heat up some more tar.

An author and columnist, Mr. Cantoni can be reached at ccan2@aol.com.