My View
By Don Sorchych | September 16, 2009
A new Carefree PAC
I can’t imagine the scurry of daily newspapers. Weekly is bad enough, but monthly magazines are better for those that assemble publications.
So for the last couple of days I wondered what My View would be about and, once again, I was saved by Carefree.
We reported that Ryan Ducharme was within spitting distance of getting twice the requisite signatures to put the recall of Mayor David Schwan to a vote.
Another PAC to the rescue! A contractor alerted me that signature collectors for a petition in Schwan’s favor were active at town hall.
I drove down there and you could see the petition people at the west entrance to town hall sitting complacently waiting for pro-Schwan victims. I took pictures of two ladies signing the petition and picked up a copy of a letter titled, “The current effort to recall our mayor is bad for Carefree.”
I asked if this was the Kiwanis petition table. The left guy asked why I asked the question. I replied, “The gentleman to my right is in Kiwanis.” Lefty said, “I am a Kiwanis member too.”
Bingo, a Kiwanis petition event staffed by two Kiwanis members. Doesn’t Kiwanis claim to be apolitical? It actually is a hotbed of Carefree Good Old Boys (GOBs) and Good Old Girls (GOGs) and we have named many of them on these pages. I believe the vast majority of Kiwanians are public minded individuals, but they are the quiet ones, unfortunately.
It appears this petition effort is rooted in the Dick Stewart suggestions made in an e-mail to other GOBs and printed by Sonoran News.
The first paragraph, “The recall petition is a misuse of the public right,” is an opinion, at best. PAC members wrote, “The drastic measure of a citizen recall is an important mechanism in removing an elected official from office for gross malfeasance or other misconduct,” which is an outright lie!
The only statutory requirement is that grounds for recall be not more than 200 words.
Furthermore, there are grounds for recall signatures from all council members since the town administration led by Schwan have violated the first amendment rights of recall leaders Rod de Szendeffy and Ryan Ducharme. Further, town hall goons gave Ducharme fits over signage requirements while the town has a plethora of illegal signs. After the court ruled in favor of the recall, the town made business owners come into compliance.
With all the evidence of illegal town hall actions why is the council not in flames demanding investigation and prosecution? All seven council members are dupes. As a minimum, they should vote to have a serious investigation by MCSO. Interviews while under oath and use of polygraphs of town staff, council and GOBs is basic to a serious investigation.
Paragraph two says, (The recall) “Will damage our commercial base and diminish property values.”
There is absolutely no evidence of this assertion. Any investor wants a fair and legal town hall and a successful recall will begin the process of eliminating the GOB control of town officials.
Paragraph three: “Public services could be seriously affected and reduced.” The operative word is “could.” And a comet “could” destroy Arizona too.
These GOBs make claims as if the recall people will run the town as their leaders do.
You will notice the GOBs were for extension of council terms to four years. Voters weren’t.
GOBs didn’t want direct election of the mayor. Voters said they wanted to vote for the mayor.
Voters caused Wayne Fulcher, Lloyd Meyer and Greg Gardner to resign and leave four weak candidates behind. Schwan who got the least votes in the primary was elevated to mayor, with GOB guidance. They don’t get it. They are as obsolete as 78 rpm records.
Voters also gave Bob Coady and Peter Koteas record votes. The people of Carefree have spoken and spoken and spoken again, but GOBs and Kiwanians are slow learners.
Their influence is waning and soon will be seen as the joke they are.
Since paragraphs two and three are about economics and use the threat of fees and taxes they should consider the facts. Sonoran News is proud of its service to customers and testimonials attest to the fact that customer images on our pages cause their phones to ring.
Yet, as I have said in past columns, ex-Mayor Ed Morgan and his lackeys illegally threaten advertisers so they are afraid to advertise. The success of Carefree businesses would be greatly improved, as would town taxes, if GOBs got religion about finances.
Last week Sonoran News Advertising Sales Representative Julie Tucker attended a chamber meeting. After the meeting a gentleman approached her and said, “I have a new business and would love to advertise in Sonoran News but if I did I would have my head cut off.”
It sounds like GOBs are taking lessons from Islamofascists.
Paragraph four; “Citizens of Carefree can be proud of our many accomplishments.”
No question Carefree is a lovely town since the combined efforts of non-GOB citizenry has accomplished much. Mentioned features like the town center and fire station, were needed and provided, but with way too much money, but the town is not as well heeled as the GOB’s claim.
I wonder why the prevailing four vote council doesn’t mention that Carefree is on the national list of speed traps and why anyone in the 21st century should be driving at 25 mph, except in residential areas.
The last paragraph: “Informed citizen involvement must determine our future.”
In this last paragraph the authors tried the Matt Dingman tactic of blaming the town at large about the wreck he and fellow GOBs have accomplished, which included all sorts of illegal actions. The authors speak of a small and vocal group, which perfectly describes the mob of thirteen that vented all over town hall at a council meeting. Once again they mention an outsider was brought in to collect signatures to which I say, “So what?”
Then they say, “... not through elections, but through a misuse of the recall process.”
Ahem, hey GOBs and GOGs, the recall process results in an election and if you read ARS 19 you will see there was no misuse, none.