Archive for November, 2009
(Ms. Abbott is on the left, during one her happier moments)
According to our friends at Let Oro Valley Excel (link on right):
Monday, November 9, 2009
Paula Abbott Resigns From Oro Valley Council–Effective Immediately
Earlier this afternoon, Paula Abbott notified Mayor Loomis that she has resigned from the Town Council effective immediately.
Many of us feel this action was taken seven weeks too late as it was on the night of Sept. 23 that Ms. Abbott joined with Loomis, Carter & Kunisch to terminate David Andrews as our Town Manager.
Paula’s action leaves the town in somewhat of a quandary. Someone will need to be appointed to fill her remaining 7 months, and as things are now, a 3-3 vote on most, if not all potential candidates seems inevitable. We’ll see how that plays out.
As for Paula, she was first elected in 2002 and reelected in 2006. For most of her tenure, she was a lone voice of the people of Oro Valley. Sure, she had her detractors all along the way, but having helped get her elected twice, Paula always had my respect for voting her conscience and usually voting for the best interests of the people.
Did Paula and I agree on every issue? Of course not. I believed some of her votes were wrong, but in a seven year span, would any two people agree on every issue every time? Obviously not.
I would also say this to Paula’s detractors: How many of us could have lasted for that long a time, especially when dealing with other Council Members that treated you with such disdain? Paula dealt with it, although it was never easy.
It wasn’t until Paula saw fit to take the action against David, that was NOT in the best interests of the vast majority of us, that I too became one of her detractors.
Hopefully, now that she is no longer on the Council, Paula will tell us as how and why she joined the other three in terminating David. Some of us already know the answer, but Paula should “come clean.”
Closing on a positive note, I’d like to thank Paula for her seven plus years of service to the community, and wish her our best now that she is once again only a citizen of our community.
Posted by artmarth
Labels: Town Council
She was always a queer duck. Never returned a call to anyone (constituent or otherwise) ever. This is a perfect addition to the bizarre world that is OV politics. Stay tuned, it will get weirder…
At the core of the mini-dorm fight is a national property rights decision that the Supreme Court ruled on in 2005. A city in New London Connecticut decided that making way for a new Pfizer pharmaceutical campus, high end condos and mixed use retail would be better for all citizens and provide an economic multiplyer to the towns coffers. The only problem was, Kelo happened to own a home right in the middle of the towns multi million dollar project. The City of New London ultimately took Kelo’s house under eminent domain provisions which are usually used for cities and governments to build roads, utility lines or rail services.
Kelo sued all the way to the Supreme Court. The court ruled 5-4 in favor of the City of New London and Kelo’s home was removed in the name of progress. The back lash over the decision has caused numerous states to enact legislation or run ballot propositions to tighten the laws around private property rights beyond those being interpreted by the Supreme Court.
In Arizona Prop 207 was passed in 2006. More about various states reactions to Kelo v New London HERE and HERE. Tucson ongoing battle with Mike Goodman over his mini-dorms in the Feldman neighborhood is the states first test of the new Prop 207. Like mini-dorms or not the decision has everything to do with a persons private property rights and how a community can interpret, restrict, expand or regulate those property rights.
From todays WSJ, it appears the big economic engine that sparked the entire argument has decided not to build after all. What remains for now is a dirt lot, similar to the many dirt lots around Tucson that have been left undeveloped due to a stale mate between city leadership, neighborhoods and developers.
The Supreme Court’s 2005 decision in Kelo v. City of New London stands as one of the worst in recent years, handing local governments carte blanche to seize private property in the name of economic development. Now, four years after that decision gave Susette Kelo’s land to private developers for a project including a hotel and offices intended to enhance Pfizer Inc.’s nearby corporate facility, the pharmaceutical giant has announced it will close its research and development headquarters in New London, Connecticut.
The aftermath of Kelo is the latest example of the futility of using eminent domain as corporate welfare. While Ms. Kelo and her neighbors lost their homes, the city and the state spent some $78 million to bulldoze private property for high-end condos and other “desirable” elements. Instead, the wrecked and condemned neighborhood still stands vacant, without any of the touted tax benefits or job creation.
That’s especially galling because the five Supreme Court Justices cited the development plan as a major factor in rationalizing their Kelo decision. Justice Anthony Kennedy called the plan “comprehensive,” while Justice John Paul Stevens insisted that “The city has carefully formulated a development plan that it believes will provide appreciable benefits to the community, including, but not limited to, new jobs and increased tax revenue.” So much for that.
Kelo‘s silver lining has been that it transformed eminent domain from an arcane government power into a major concern of voters who suddenly wonder if their own homes are at risk. According to the Institute for Justice, which represented Susette Kelo, 43 states have since passed laws that place limits and safeguards on eminent domain, giving property owners greater security in their homes. State courts have also held local development projects to a higher standard than what prevailed against the condemned neighborhood in New London.
If there is a lesson from Connecticut’s misfortune, it is that economic development that relies on the strong arm of government will never be the kind to create sustainable growth.
Back in 1999 Tucson geniuses passed a big box ordinance to keep out big bad Walmart. Neighborhoods pushed hard to preserve their unique character and individuality. Now those neighbors are driving to Marana to buy their big screens.
What the ordinance did was push a big source of general fund revenue out of Tucson city limits. It’s time for another look at the ordinance and see if it still make sense.
The new Target on Oracle and Roger will bring in between $2 and $3 million in general fun revenue this year alone. Sure could use the money right about now.
“At Alvernon as you mentioned, there is an opportunity there, potentially,” she said. “There is a lot of speculation about El Con. We would be interested in serving that community.”
On a local level, Wal-Mart needs the locations. Its store at Speedway and Kolb, which preceded the 1999 big-box ordinance, is extremely busy and stressed. There are plenty of Walmart customers who either fight through traffic to get to that location or turn around and head to Benson — yes, Benson — to buy their stuff.
“We know that customers from the southeast area are traveling to Benson and Green Valley and some are even going all the way over to Marana,” Garcia said.
But this expansion push also comes at a time when Wal-Mart is rolling out smaller “neighborhood market” grocery stores.
Squeezed out of metro markets with big-box ordinances and looking to reshape its brand, Wal-Mart has turned to the smaller store as a way to gain market share, recent news reports have said.
I don’t like Walmart and try not to shop there. I disagree with their treatment of vendors and their demand for “Always Low Prices” has driven manufactures to chase ever cheaper labor (and quality) all around the globe. So this is no means a call more more Walmarts in Tucson. This is a call for the council to finally realize that the market will determine if Best Buy, Target or Walmart locate in our community. People will drive for a deal and that drive is starving Tucson of much needed sales tax revenue.
Openly influencing an election as an elected official or part of the City of Tucson’s management team is illegal. I wonder if the Goldwater Institute would look upon our Mayor’s latest quote and find cause to be concerned. If you remember they challenged Walkup and the Council on open meeting law violations – HERE and HERE.
From today’s Star:
Mayor Bob Walkup told the Star’s Rhonda Bodfield last week that officials erred in focusing so heavily on educating the public on the impact of Proposition 200, the very polarizing public-safety initiative that would have forced the city to spend some $156 million over the next five years on additional fire and police personnel.Walkup told Bodfield that officials did too little to make sure that voters understood the impact of Proposition 400. Obviously.The city’s management team cannot, by law, take a position favoring or opposing such propositions. Letcher did provide materials describing how Propositions 200 and 400 would play out if they passed or if they failed.
For Immediate Release
“Entrepreneurial Economy” Blueprint Launches
- High Profile Task Force to Address Start Up Issues, Opportunities -
TUCSON, Ariz. (November 4, 2009) – Today, Tucson Regional Economic Opportunities, Inc. (TREO) launches the next extension of its Blueprint, called the Entrepreneurial Economy Blueprint, to focus on entrepreneurship. TREO’s Economic Blueprint, a long-range plan to diversify the region’s economy and closely guide the community’s economic development vision for decades to come, was launched in 2007 and focused on five key areas to achieve a competitive economy through the recruitment, retention and expansion of existing business. The outcome of the Entrepreneurial Economy Blueprint will be an action-specific strategy to create new jobs and community wealth through the start-up, growth and expansion of knowledge-based enterprises.
“I am pleased to be chairing this effort. We need a stronger alignment of many community groups to leverage assets we already have, strengthen partnerships, find common ground on addressing gaps and promote awareness of cutting-edge entrepreneurial activity here in the region,” says Harry George, Managing Partner of Solstice Capital, the Chairman of the Entrepreneurial Economy Task Force.
The project will tackle topics and goals such as:
* Angel, Venture and other Capital Resources: Addressing key gaps and leveraging new “Fund of Funds” State program
* Talent Attraction/Retention: Improving the product of Tucson for the “Creative Class Entrepreneur”
* Enhanced Infrastructure: Strengthening incubation of the next big idea
* Forming University/Industry Research Partnerships: Aligning strategies to achieve a common vision
* Technology Transfer: Getting more out of the UA’s research powerhouse
* Promoting Technology-based Economic Development: Aligning marketing efforts to plan strategies
* Communication Plan: Extending entrepreneurial opportunity by building and a robust communications campaign
Building on TREO’s process of deep community involvement in the Blueprint, the effort will be guided by a diverse, high-profile Entrepreneurial Economy Task Force to develop a series of strategies that will strengthen our economy through innovation and entrepreneurial growth. The project will be completed by March 2010.
Entrepreneurial Economy Task Force Members
Harry George, Solstice Capital, Chair (Investor in tech businesses)
Mike Jameson, Tucson Newspapers, Inc.
Ed Berger, Desert Angels (Investor, CEO, healthcare and real estate)
Daisy Jenkins, Raytheon Missile Systems
Jack Dean, sanofi aventis (Executive/Scientist Sanofi)
Huw Jones, Esq., Hayes Soloway - (Patent Lawyers)
Darryl Dobras, Desert Angels - (Banker - Investor)
Robert Morrison, Desert Angels (Founder Sunquest Info Systems)
Raymond Baer, Wells Fargo Bank
Tim Reckart, Esq.
Kerstin Block, Buffalo Exchange (Founder)
Michael Voedesky, CEO, Salutaris Medical Devices, Inc. (CEO- Biotech start up)
Tom Grogan, Founder, Ventana Medical Systems (Founder)
Roy Flores, Pima Community College
Robert Shelton, University of Arizona
Larry Hecker, Esq., Hecker and Muehlebach
David Smallhouse, Miramar Ventures LLC
Sherry Hoskinson, McGuire Center for Entrepreneurship, UA
Tarek Makansi, CEO, Tempronics (Founder – patent holder – IBM exec)
Marie Wesselhoft, Arizona Center for Innovation
Laura Shaw, TREO
Joe Snell, TREO
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Contact TREO:
Laura Shaw, Sr. Vice President, Marketing and Communications
(520) 243-1940 office, 520-609-5972 cell or laura.shaw@treoaz.org
WAKE UP TUCSON: Use your checkbook
By Joe Higgins and Chris DeSimone, special for Inside Tucson Business
Published on Friday, November 06, 2009
The campaign signs are being collected. Campaign teams are exhausted. Candidates are getting to know their families again and life will return to normal for a couple radio talk show hosts. In the end Tucson has taken the first big step in a long journey.
Business people understand elections have consequences. Especially when government leaders are making decisions about banks being too big to fail, universal health care, new regulations, another czar of something or other and unending government takeovers. Billions and trillions of dollars that get thrown around way too easily.
President Obama rolled into office after eight years of Bush fatigue. Last year was time to punish Republicans for overstepping their power and losing sight of their core beliefs. The electorate was ready for a change.
Tucson had a similar momentum for change building this year among voters. Missteps, starts and stops, insider deals and unfulfilled promises got public attention and what happened? Republicans overcame a 2-to-1 voter disadvantage to elect Steve Kozachik to the city council. If you’ve met Koz, you know he would be better suited for a future non-partisan race than what he went through this year. This election was not about party affiliations; it was about job creation.
Where was the business community in this election? Once again a last-ditch rally cry went out, “it’s time for business to influence an election.” Meetings were called, checks were written, campaign strategies were implemented and in the end it was close. A handful of us actually did a lot, a bunch of us did a little and most of us thought “why bother.” Look at the track record in elections; business wins a few but loses most then drifts back into apathy until the next election.
It’s going to take a consistent long-range approach to change that current climate. We agree there is a lack of vision from elected officials but we in the business community also lack long-range vision. Where is business leadership? Who is the “go to” voice for business in Tucson?
Is it the Tucson Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce? Judge for yourself. Take a look at Austin, Albuquerque or El Paso and compare their chamber models to ours.
Is it the Southern Arizona Leadership Council? SALC’s big push is education, which we agree is critically important to economic development. Starting with the basics and fixing the local playing field before lobbying Phoenix may be a better strategy. Voters last week told Tucson Unified School District and most districts around the state that more money isn’t going to happen – at least not right now.
Is it the Southern Arizona Home Builders Association or the Tucson Association of Realtors? Both organizations are too toxic to lead the charge. The Democratic machine in Tucson has made a career out of demonizing the “evil” growth lobby.
Is it Tucson Regional Economic Opportunities (TREO)? TREO’s mission is to bring business to our region. It is still primarily supported by government sector and can’t bite the hand that feeds it, yet a rolling up their sleeves and creating a pro-business climate is the very thing TREO needs to be successful.
Is it small business? We have the numbers but we are usually so busy trying to keep our doors open scratching out a living we have little time for anything else.
Ladies and gentlemen, to use the famous Pogo quotation, “We have met the enemy and he is us.” The next time you write your membership check to a business organization look to see if it accurately represents your view and is on the right track. The next time you get asked for a large donation ask if the organization — be it a chamber, business group or political party — if it can show measurable results.
Do we bury our heads for another two or four years and hope things will be different? Do we continue with the “go-along-to-get-along” attitude that has left us as second-class players in an community that is decaying?
It’s time for the business community to call for accountability and leadership. Vote with our checkbooks. It’s time to feed those business organization that are truly getting things done and starve those that have failed us.
Our hats are off to all the candidates and incumbents for the effort they put forth. If your pick didn’t win, get over it. Now is the time to get to work and support all of our elected officials to make Tucson a better place to do business.
Contact Joe Higgins at joe@joehigginsinc.com or Chris DeSimone at provenpartners@comcast.net. They’re the hosts of “Wake Up Tucson,” which airs 6 – 8 a.m. weekdays on The Voice KVOI 1030-AM. Check out their blog at www.TucsonChoices.com.