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Joyce Clark Unfiltered

For "the rest of the story"

Clark does it again

Posted by Joyce Clark on August 31, 2016
Posted in City of Glendale  | 8 Comments

IMG_1171

News clipping from my run as a write- candidate

Here are the official, unofficial results until the election is certified:
CITY OF GLENDALE COUNCILMEMBER – (10) 10/10 100.00%
Under Votes: 186
Over Votes:  7
CHAVIRA, SAMUEL 1,273 49.36%
CLARK, JOYCE 1,295 50.21%
Write-In Candidate 11 0.43%
Total … 2,579 100.00%
 
MAYOR – CITY OF GLENDALE (47) 47/47 100.00%
Under Votes: 1372
Over Votes: 74
BURDICK, MARK 10,732 49.43%
WEIERS, JERRY 10,919 50.29%
Write-In Candidate 61 0.28%
Total … 21,712 100.00%

Please vote today

Posted by Joyce Clark on August 30, 2016
Posted in City of Glendale  | No Comments yet, please leave one

Today is Primary Election day in Arizona. Please take the time to vote. So many have sacrificed for our right to do so. Local municipal candidates don’t have armies of paid staff or a lot of campaign money. They are closest to you, the voter, and do much of the campaign work themselves. All that they ask of you is to vote. Please take the time to recognize their hard work by voting for one of them. If you live in Glendale and more specifically the Yucca district, I respectfully ask for your vote today. Thank you.Today August 30 2016

Let’s celebrate

Posted by Joyce Clark on August 29, 2016
Posted in City of Glendale  | 3 Comments

                             Let’s have a party!

                               Let’s celebrate!

celebrate_newoptimistclubTo all of my volunteers, contributors and supporters,
Whether you called or walked for me, took a yard sign, worked a poll site, contributed to my campaign or supported me in some other capacity, I am grateful and hope you will join us tomorrow night.
On Tuesday, August 30th, Election night, I will be joining Mayor Jerry Weiers to watch election results. Mayor Weiers and I extend this invitation to you to join us.
                            The event will be at:
                   The Veterans of Foreign Wars Hall
                            7618 N. 63rd Avenue
                              Glendale, 85301.
All are invited. We want you to join us as we watch election returns come in on election night. Be advised media will be present.

The Primary Election is this Tuesday, August 30, 2016. For Glendale candidates the election will be over with the day’s results. Councilmember Ray Malnar and Vice Mayor Ian Hugh are running unopposed and will continue to serve in their capacities.

Mayor Jerry Weiers is facing former Fire Chief Mark Burdick and I am running against the incumbent, Sammy Chavira. Since there are only 2 candidates in each of these races, they will be decided in the Primary. A candidate must receive 50% of the vote plus 1 vote. Historically, there has been only one time in the state when neither primary candidate received 50% plus 1 and had to continue on to the General Election. It’s a rare occurrence.

As I sit writing I immediately think about all of the people who had enough faith and trust in me to become part of this campaign…there are too many to list but know this…I am in your debt.

Several people deserve special mention. Former Councilmember Norma Alvarez of the Ocotillo district insisted that I give running serious consideration and made a good case for my consideration. Norma, thank you for setting me on a path that provides me an opportunity to serve my community once again.

The other is my long time friend and confidant, Dawn Monaghan. She, as always, is a sounding board, editor and someone who keeps me on track when I tend to stray. Thank you Dawn.

Lastly, but certainly by no means least, is my family. It was they whom I asked about the idea of running again. They were immediately enthusiastic and urged me to do so. They walked with me, they hung signs and in true familial fashion, got angry about the lies my opponent spewed about me.

Based upon the feedback I have received from hundreds of former constituents, I feel very confident. A phone survey is no more than a snap shot in time and we had enough money to do just one. The results were that I was leading Sammy two-to-one. I guess we will find out if the phone survey was accurate very shortly.

I will be with my supporters on Election night. Mayor Weiers is hosting a viewing party for election results and I and my people will attend. If, and when I win, I will host a thank you party for my supporters and contributors at a later date.

Now is the time when all candidates get nervous. No one is ever certain whether they will win or lose. You hope you’ve done everything you could do to persuade and to educate voters and now it’s their turn to judge you with their votes. In a peek into the review I and my campaign staff made, here’s what we did:

  • Put up 80 campaign road signs 4’X4’
  • Put out 250 yard signs 18”X24”
  • Called an estimated 5,000 voters
  • Sent out weekly blast emails
  • Sent out 5 campaign mailings
  • Personally walked and called voters
  • Made automated calls to voters
  • Produced mini videos posted on my internet sites
  • Went to meet n greet events
  • Participated in the Glendale Women’s Club forum
  • Placed an ad in the Glendale Star
  • Responded to media requests for biography and answered their specific issue questions
  • Distributed 7,000 flyers within the district
  • Handed out campaign material at voting locations
  • Established a campaign website, www.joyceclark.com
  • Wrote numerous posts on www.joycelclarkunfiltered.com , on Facebook/Clark for Council and Facebook/joyceclark
  • Had many, many late night phone conversations tossing ideas back and forth and sometimes just musing over observations re: the campaign. Thank heaven I’m a night owl.

Being detail oriented here are a few funding facts. My campaign donations came from:

  • 21 contributions of $100 or more were from Glendale/Yucca district residents.
  • 10 contributions of $100 or more were from outside of Glendale. They were from friends, former colleagues and retired Glendale employees.
  • 22 contributions of $50 or less were from Glendale/Yucca district residents.
  • 5 contributions of $50 or less were from outside of Glendale. Again, they were from friends, former colleagues and retired Glendale employees.
  • I did receive 3 unsolicited PAC contributions totaling $1200 from 3 police associations that came with the endorsements I received from the Arizona Police Association and the Arizona Fraternal Order of Police.
  • No special interest money or PAC money was sought.

This campaign was funded by people, just like you. Unlike my opponent, I am beholden to no one except the people of the Yucca district and greater Glendale. I serve you, not special interests. For as you see, my campaign was funded primarily by Glendale and Yucca district residents. I can’t thank them enough.

Sammy and his big money, special interests have tried to divert the voters’ attention away from his shameful record. He violated his campaign promises almost immediately and the most disturbing was the use of taxpayer dollars as his personal checkbook for travel. Here is a link to the original Arizona Republic story by Paul Giblin: http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/glendale/2016/03/04/glendale-councilman-sammy-chavira-charges-24k-trips-3-years-taxpayers/78857734/ .

Sammy receives two paychecks. One is from the Phoenix Fire Department and is estimated to be approximately $100,000. The other is his $35,000 paycheck as a councilmember. Yet he still used nearly $25,000 of taxpayer money for personal trips to DC, for example. He has missed a dozen council meetings, has been late and has participated telephonically in others. He hasn’t done the job of a full-time councilmember yet he wishes to be reelected. He is a man with a broken moral compass and a man whose only priority is that of the special interests that bankroll his campaign.

Over my 16 years as councilmember I had an excellent record of service. I introduced innovations such as a Care Card program that provided discounts on prescriptions. I was fully accessible by phone, in person and by email. I helped so many of you with code issues or other issues with the city. I sent district newsletters to every household twice a year and held regular district meetings. I did not abuse the taxpayers’ trust and did not charge mileage or my monthly cell phone bill to the city, as some councilmember’s did. I challenged city personnel to defend their financial and policy recommendations to city council. I was honest, ethical and tried to make decisions that served the best interests of the people of my district and the city as a whole.

I have done the best I could and am at peace with my efforts. I sincerely thank those who have believed in me and worked so hard to elect me and I thank my family as well. I look forward with hope to writing a thank you to those who voted for and elected me.

© Joyce Clark, 2016        

FAIR USE NOTICE

This site contains copyrighted material the use of which is in accordance with Title 17 U.S. C., Section 107. The ‘fair use’ of any such copyrighted material as provided for in Section 107 of the US Copyright Law and who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democratic, scientific and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a ‘fair use’ of any such material. For more information go to http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond ‘fair use,’ you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.

There is no doubt that Sammy raised a ton of money for his campaign. Upon review of his campaign finance report filed on August 26, 2016, 99.9% of his money does not come from Yucca district residents or even Glendale residents for that matter. Here is the link to his campaign finance report: http://glendaleaz.com/Clerk/documents/PrePrimary-ChaviraforGlendale.pdf .

Where did Sammy get his money? Can you say special interests? Here are a few that should be of interest. Jacob Long gave $750 and his family attorney, Jim Miller, another $500. They benefitted recently with the approval of Stonehaven (between 83rd and 91st avenues; Camelback to Bethany Home Road). Stonehaven is a planned residential subdivision of over 1,200 homes with 46% of the lots being 5,500 SF (less than Glendale R1-6 standard of 6,000 SF lots). Sammy approved Long’s development with gushing words of praise. Gee, I  wonder why?

There were 3 Glendale residents who contributed: John Phebus, an attorney with offices in north Glendale gave $1000 (I wonder who he represents?); Tom Schmitt with no occupation or employer listed (it is a requirement per Arizona campaign law) gave $200; and Reginald Martinez gave $50. That’s it. No other Glendale or Yucca district resident thought enough of him to contribute.

But guess who did? Why, the fire fighters, course. Three individual fire fighters, from Mesa, Phoenix and California contributed a total of $500.  The big money ( a total of $11,300) comes from Fire Political Action Committees (PACs):

  • International Association of Fire Fighters          $6250 (the maximum allowed)
  • Avondale Fire Fighters                                           $ 500
  • Casa Grande Fire Fighters                                      $ 500
  • Gilbert Fire Fighters                                               $ 500
  • Glendale Fire Fighters                                           $2000 (violation of federal Hatch Act?)
  • Los Angeles, CA  Fire Fighters                                 $ 500
  • Prescott Fire Fighters                                             $ 250
  • Sedona-Verde Valley Fire Fighters                           $ 250
  • Surprise Fire Fighters                                            $1000
  • Tempe Fire Fighters                                              $1000
  • Mesa Fire Fighters                                                  $ 750
  • Peoria Fire Fighters                                                $ 500

I decided to run a grassroots campaign. If district residents and Glendale residents wanted me back they would support me. Here is the link to my campaign finance report: http://glendaleaz.com/Clerk/documents/PrePrimary-ClarkforCouncil.pdf . My campaign donations came from:

  • 21 contributions of $100 or more were from Glendale/Yucca district residents.
  • 10 contributions of $100 or more were from outside of Glendale. They were from friends, former colleagues and retired Glendale employees.
  • 22 contributions of $50 or less were from Glendale/Yucca district residents.
  • 5 contributions of $50 or less were from outside of Glendale. Again, they were from friends, former colleagues and retired Glendale employees.
  • I did receive 3 unsolicited PAC contributions totaling $1200 from 3 police associations that came with the endorsements I received from the Arizona Police Association and the Arizona Fraternal Order of Police.
  • No special interest money or PAC money was sought.

In terms of Sammy’s campaign expenditures, they paint a picture. He paid Ben Scheel of Bright Consulting another $5,570.85. Sammy did not plan or participate in his own campaign. He paid someone else to do it. He paid the LA Machine $7324.00 for field operations. Sammy did not walk his district. He paid someone else to do it.

Just as Sammy has been invisible as a councilmember and unresponsive to the people of his district who he is supposed to serve, he has been invisible as a candidate. He paid to have someone run his campaign and he paid someone to walk his district. In his three campaign reports now filed, he has not received a single donation from a Yucca district resident.

Sammy is about big money from special interests. That is who he will vote for and represent. Not you, not the people of the Yucca district.

© Joyce Clark, 2016        

FAIR USE NOTICE

This site contains copyrighted material the use of which is in accordance with Title 17 U.S. C., Section 107. The ‘fair use’ of any such copyrighted material as provided for in Section 107 of the US Copyright Law and who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democratic, scientific and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a ‘fair use’ of any such material. For more information go to http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond ‘fair use,’ you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.

PLEASE CHECK OUT THE LATEST CHAVIRA VIDEO. IT WAS INDEPENDENTLY PRODUCED AND NOT PAID FOR OR AUTHORIZED BY CLARK FOR COUNCIL. IT IS TO THE LEFT OF THIS COLUMN.

Glendale’s local election this year, just as the national one, is one of the strangest I have ever seen. Mark Burdick, candidate for mayor, has been running TV ads for well over the past month, most of which have been against Mayor Jerry Weiers, also a candidate. His TV ads are based on one tiny snippet of information with liberally applies doses of innuendo and outright lies.

The kind of money needed to run TV ads for 2 months is very, very large and that money comes from special interests. The most notable special interest by far is the fire union. They desperately want Burdick to win. Think of the power they would have with the 5th largest city in this state having sway over its mayor and agenda.

Recently when interviewed by the Glendale Star Burdick admitted to lying about Weiers and also admitted the advice came from his campaign consultants because that was the only path to winning. Here is what he said to the Star editorial board on June 28, 2016, “As a ‘city insider’ by his own admission, Burdick has publicly stated his willingness to use deceptive claims and misleading statements to garner votes his political advisors assure they will render.”

His campaign consultants are the likes of Julie Frisoni, former City of Glendale employee and apparently at one time in former City Manager Ed Beasley’s inner circle; she is also allegedly responsible for aiding and abetting IceArizona while it was in contract negotiations with the City of Glendale.

Mark Burdick, when he was the city’s Fire Chief, never stood up to the fire union. Consequently, the union virtually ran the City of Glendale’s Fire Department. Burdick was also unable to control his department’s budget and in nearly every fiscal year had asked for more money to cover overtime.

Burdick’s inability to draw a line between the best interests of the city and the fire union’s agenda is demonstrated by his past performance as Fire Chief.  Burdick’s position as a former Fire Chief doesn’t qualify him to be mayor. The two positions are drastically different. If that is what you want, go no further. Vote for Burdick.

But I ask you to consider this. There are many Glendale residents who want city infrastructure, including our streets repaired and maintained; they want to see not only restoration of but more recreational opportunities for their families; they want to see a permanent West Glendale branch library and Heroes Park completed as designed; and they want to see library hours restored.  They have many pent up needs unmet because of the national recession.

None of these citizen wants will be realized if Burdick becomes mayor. Burdick has made a large part of his election rhetoric making sure “public safety” receives more money.  Burdick will insure that all available money will go to “public safety” – but not all public safety — just the fire department. Look for new fire stations, more personnel and enhanced salaries and benefits for fire personnel…and of course, more overtime at time and a half pay. If your choice is to use all available city money for public safety rather than distributing it in an equitable manner, insuring that there will be money for needs other than public safety, read no further. Vote for Burdick.

When Glendale residents picked up the Glendale Republic of May 23, 2015 the headline screamed Fire department understaffing stirs concerns in an article by Matthew Casey. It reflected a deliberate strategy by Joe Hester, then President of the Glendale chapter of the fire union, (who really ran the department) to use scare tactics to get additional revenue …immediately…to expand the fire department. Hester said, “It seems pretty obvious there is a crisis by any way you measure it. Our folks are extremely disappointed in the budget process.” Here is the link to the original article: http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/glendale/2015/05/22/glendale-fire-department-understaffed/27713737/ .

The most telling statistic in the article was provided by then Glendale Fire Chief Mark Burdick. He offered Glendale Fire Department response times for 90 percent of calls by year:

  • 2010   8 minutes 11 seconds
  • 2011   8 minutes 10 seconds
  • 2012   8 minutes 6 seconds
  • 2013   8 minutes 12 seconds (Jerry Weiers becomes Mayor)
  • 2014   8 minutes 12 seconds

Burdick said publicly that fire response times had not deteriorated and in fact, had remained constant for 5 years. What he said last year is in complete contradiction to his campaign rhetoric of today. Will you believe what Burdick said last year when he was not running for office or the hype he has offered now that he is running?

There are many factors that impact fire response times. Two of them are major determinants: the city’s transportation system and Automatic Aid. The city’s rigid grid system of streets often impacts response times. Glendale’s congested major arterial streets often make it difficult for fire to respond quickly. Fire’s Automatic Aid system is valley wide. All city signators to Automatic Aid are required to answer neighboring cities’ calls if there is no close unit within the affected city. Did you know that Glendale answers more calls into Phoenix than Phoenix answers calls in Glendale? That is not the only imbalance between Glendale and its neighboring cities. It is imbalances like these that require units farther away from an incident to respond. It is not uncommon for Glendale to receive an emergency call only to find the closest unit is answering a call in a nearby city.

Those who are assisting Burdick’s effort to become mayor have their own agenda and that is to regain the power and influence they lost when Jerry Weiers became Glendale’s mayor.

Burdick’s only “economic plan” is to ensure that the fire union’s demands are met. At what cost? Forget your libraries, forget your parks, forget more recreational opportunities for your children, and forget improved sanitation or water services.

Voters in Glendale, you have a choice and as you make your choice I ask you to consider the following. Mayor Jerry Weiers is a good and decent man and during his first term he has silently and without any fan fare, done much to benefit the city we all love. Jerry Weiers lead the city’s economic turn around and has begun the city’s trek toward restoration of financial stability. The city’s bond rating has been upgraded in the process. Few people know that Weiers was able to obtain 18 free (no cost to the city) police cars. He also started the city’s Christmas parade, sure to become a tradition like Glendale Glitters. He convinced Westgate to restore the city’s 4th of July. He is fully involved with many charity groups and his major focus is always on our veterans. He has lead a council not as unified as people would believe. He has restored Glendale’s credibility with other Valley cities.

Glendale voters, the choice is clear between a man whose first and apparently only priority is to use all available city resources for the fire department and a man who realizes that Glendale has many needs and the distribution of city resources must be prioritized and used as equitably as possible; a man who continues to hold as priority #1 the continued financial health of the city. That man, a man I believe who has earned your vote, is Jerry Weiers.

© Joyce Clark, 2016        

FAIR USE NOTICE

This site contains copyrighted material the use of which is in accordance with Title 17 U.S. C., Section 107. The ‘fair use’ of any such copyrighted material as provided for in Section 107 of the US Copyright Law and who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democratic, scientific and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a ‘fair use’ of any such material. For more information go to http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond ‘fair use,’ you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.

CHECK OUT THE VIDEO TO THE LEFT OF THIS COLUMN. IT IS A VIDEO INDEPENDENTLY PRODUCED. IT WAS NOT PAID BY OR AUTHORIZED BY CLARK FOR COUNCIL.

I have offered my biography and my platform of 5Es: Equity, Environment, Engagement, Economy and Ethics. I have shared some of the accomplishments I achieved in my previous service to you. I have honed in on Sammy’s unethical record as a councilmember. Yet you may not be ready to vote for me.

For the years that I served as your councilmember I was honest and ethical. I never abused your trust. While some councilmembers charged mileage or their cell phone expenses to the city, I never did. All of the Sammy mailers implying that I mismanaged city money is simply a lie. I have already stated why he is using these lies. It’s his only path to reelection for his record is a shameful one.

I am not the type to brag about myself but it seems now is the time to offer some instances of my service to you. There was a constituent who had a front yard full of weeds, knee high. City Code Compliance had cited her repeatedly and she was facing a deadline. She was unable to do the work and furthermore did not have the money to rectify the problem. I used my own money, not a dime of city or taxpayer money, and had rock delivered and spread on her front yard. She didn’t ask for help other than my intervention with the city. That I could not deliver. So I delivered a permanent solution instead.

There was another instance out of so many… the time when a small neighborhood had a problem neighbor. Lots of teens/young adults, late parties, constant noise, cars parked everywhere, perhaps drugs, refusal to acknowledge a problem…you get the idea. After I met with the neighborhood to learn the extent of their problem, I called my “go to” Glendale police officer. Within a matter of days the problem was solved. I was a facilitator. Once I knew what the problem was, I knew where to go to get it solved.

There was a time when an entire apartment complex’s water was about to be turned off. The tenants called me desperate for a solution. The owner of the complex owed back payments and was refusing to pay. I contacted the media who then ran stories on TV about the situation. Within 24 hours the complex owner had made arrangements to pay his bill in full.

There was my request to council, approved, for the first 50,000 Christmas lights in Murphy Park. Today those first Christmas lights have grown into over a million lights for Glendale Glitters or my tour of my district for senior management resulting in the Neighborhood Partnership Program.

Another instance that comes to mind was the battle of the burned out house. It took constant prodding of various city departments, including the city attorney’s office, to finally have the house demolished, perhaps not as quickly as nearby residents expected, but I did get the job done.

Land use and zoning was a constant battle. Although I did not win all battles, I won 90% of them. I believe, as many Yucca district residents do, that Yucca is a prime location for large lot development. If you travel along 83rd Avenue you see many large lot developments…Desert Sunset, Missouri Ranch Estates and Missouri Ranch are just a few. I am especially proud on my work on Rovey Farm Estates with lots from 7,000 to 9,000 SF on its western side to one acre lots on its eastern side. On each of these residential developments, I worked closely with the residential developer and the city’s Planning Department, insisting on larger lots and making a successful case for them.

I have not bragged about any of my accomplishments because I felt it was just part of my job as your councilmember. Sammy Chavira has no such record other than a string of unethical actions.

Yucca district residents could always reach me. To this day, I readily offer my home phone number and my personal email address. While I could not successfully solve all constituent problems with the city I did solve an overwhelming number of them. I listened respectfully to all and occasionally there were arguments that changed my mind on an issue. I did not pander to people. If I could not solve their problem, I told them so. They may have gone away unhappy with me but I did not play games with them and promise something I could not deliver.

I have always been active and engaged. To this day, I know the problem areas in our district and welcome the opportunity to address the city’s attention to them. I have demonstrated over and over again that I cared about people and offered my services to help them.

There is still so much to do for our district. It’s time to complete Heroes Park as designed. Even though it is not in my district (I lived in this area for 30 years), O’Neil Pool in the Ocotillo District must be repaired or replaced. It is a disgrace that this economically challenged area has lost its only major recreational amenity.

There is still so much to do for our city. The major focus must be the city’s financial position. While the city has begun its financial recovery there is more to be done.

I have shown that I was an active and engaged councilmember. I want to continue to be that councilmember. I want to help you. I want a fiscally healthy Glendale. I want what you want, safe neighborhoods, the availability of good-paying jobs within Glendale, and a variety of recreational amenities for your families. If you want the same things, then I ask for your vote on Tuesday, August 30th. Together we can make Glendale better.

© Joyce Clark, 2016       

FAIR USE NOTICE

This site contains copyrighted material the use of which is in accordance with Title 17 U.S. C., Section 107. The ‘fair use’ of any such copyrighted material as provided for in Section 107 of the US Copyright Law and who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democratic, scientific and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a ‘fair use’ of any such material. For more information go to http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond ‘fair use,’ you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.

PLEASE CHECK OUT THE LATEST CHAVIRA VIDEO. IT WAS INDEPENDENTLY PRODUCED AND NOT PAID FOR OR AUTHORIZED BY CLARK FOR COUNCIL. IT IS TO THE LEFT OF THIS COLUMN.

I have never seen local Glendale campaigns as dirty as they have become in this election cycle or the tremendous amount of outside, special interest money being spent on them.

 Case #1: Another Sammy lie. At the Glendale Women’s Club Forum on August 4, 2016 Sammy claimed responsibility for securing $5.5 million dollars in Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) grant funding. He said it was the result of his trips to D.C. Not so. There is not one scintilla of evidence produced by Sammy on his 2015 receipts for any D.C. trips stating they were for UASI grants. Scouring the City of Glendale website, in 2015 the Glendale Police Department (GPD) received $100,000 of UASI funding. No record of any grant for the Fire Department could be found. USAI grants are sought through and the funds are awarded to cities by the Arizona Department of Emergency Management. Sammy did turn in receipts for two meals with Phoenix fire officials and stated they were for “UASI regional funding.” All Glendale UASI grants are sought through and administered by personnel with the Glendale PD (GPD), not Sammy.

Case #2: Sammy’s unusual connections. Revitalize Arizona and Residents for Accountability are two PACs that have made independent expenditures in opposition to Mayor Weiers and me.  OpenSecrets.org says this on their website about Revitalize Arizona, This PAC does not exist in the 2016 election cycle. Try another cycle.” Residents for Accountability appears to be a shell PAC administered by the Torres Law Group, the same Torres Law Group that Sammy paid approximately $1700 to check petition signatures. It is registered in Tempe but has not been active since 2013. It is not registered with the Glendale City Clerk despite the fact that it has provided “major funding to Revitalize Arizona” for all of its mailings in Glendale.

When a PAC does independent expenditures in support of or opposed to a local candidate it must register with that community. In this case, that would be Glendale, since it is spending money in opposition to Mayor Weiers and me. I checked the Glendale City Clerk’s website as of August 6, 2016 and its list of registered PACs. Would it surprise you to find out that Revitalize Arizona quite recently was added to the Glendale City Clerk’s list but Residents for Accountability is not on her list? I wasn’t.

As for the required legal prohibition from consulting with a candidate or a candidate’s campaign committee keep in mind that BILL Scheel (Sammy’s consultant in 2012) of Javalina Consulting is using these two PACs as well as the Truth and Leadership PAC for nearly all of Chavira’s campaign mailers. BEN Scheel has been paid $1500 to date by Sammy as his campaign manager.

There appears to be a web of interconnectivity between those working on Sammy’s campaign or spending money in support of Sammy’s campaign.

Case #3: Sammy violates federal law. Sammy and those working for him deliberately placed Sammy’s campaign material in mailboxes in the Yucca district on August 6, 2016. It is a violation of U.S. postal regulations to place material that has not been mailed and has no postage in mailboxes. I am surprised that his consultants did not advise him not to do so or that Sammy allowed it to occur.

Case #4: Sammy lies…again. Sammy has consistently, deliberately and willfully misrepresented the truth. He uses not one single fact to substantiate his accusations. In other words, he is lying. He conveniently ignores City Manager Ed Beasley’s misrepresentations to city council (and Beasley’s inner circle who abetted him) and he ignores the actions of former Mayor Scruggs and her merry band of “yes-men” councilmembers who voted in the majority on everything Beasley and Scruggs wanted.

I, on the other hand, did not have to manufacture a single word. Sammy had self-inflicted wounds. The facts regarding Sammy’s abuse of taxpayer money was reported by the Arizona Republic and TV Channel 15. The facts about Sammy’s legal issues with his Glendale traffic ticket was reported by the Glendale Star. The facts regarding Sammy’s dozen absences from city council meetings and workshops are readily available from city council minutes on the city’s very own website. I didn’t have to make anything up.

These facts demonstrate a man lacking in ethics as a result of his own actions. He has disgraced the position of Yucca district councilmember. Add his lies and exaggerations about his record and his determination to smear me. This is a man who desperately wants to be re-elected and will resort to whatever is necessary to make that happen. The only way to try to make that happen was to deflect voters’ attention away from his record of misdeeds and inaction. He simply cannot defend it.

He truly believes, and is absolutely relying on his belief, that Yucca district voters are stupid and ignorant or that they will overlook his transgressions. He has been totally invisible to his residents and has done nothing to assist them yet he’s counting on their vote by using platitudes and wonderfully trite phrases. He has emphasized his fire fighter status assuming that because he is a fire fighter, voters will vote for him.

He can’t see to accept the fact that he has failed in his responsibilities to not only the people of his district but to the people of the community as a whole. He fails to realize that his abuse of power, lies and deceptions have made district voters very angry.

This has been a year of hanky panky by the fire-sponsored candidates in Glendale. The fire union has been low profile this election cycle but we should wonder about how much money they have spent in support of Burdick and Chavira. I suspect we won’t know until the next campaign reports are filed with the City Clerk on August 26, 2016.

This is a year of change and Yucca district voters have decided they can’t afford Sammy financially or ethically.

© Joyce Clark, 2016        

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This site contains copyrighted material the use of which is in accordance with Title 17 U.S. C., Section 107. The ‘fair use’ of any such copyrighted material as provided for in Section 107 of the US Copyright Law and who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democratic, scientific and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a ‘fair use’ of any such material. For more information go to http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond ‘fair use,’ you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.

PLEASE CHECK OUT THE LATEST VIDEO TO THE LEFT OF THIS COLUMN. JOYCE CLARK INVITED SAM CHAVIRA TO A DEBATE. HE REFUSED. IMAGINE IF IT HAD HAPPENED…

My opponent, Sam Chavira and his big money, outside-of-Glendale special interests, went negative against me. He needed to keep the public’s focus off of his record and the only way to do so was to attack me. He lied. He has a record that he cannot defend. On July 5, 2016, I invited Sammy to a debate. He refused. He said, “My record speaks for itself.” Here are the facts that make up his record.

FACT:  Sam Chavira abused taxpayer trust by spending nearly $25,000 on trips, like to Washington, D.C. to see the Pope or hosting a $420 seafood dinner for his Phoenix fire department bosses.

FACT:  Sam Chavira has been an invisible councilmember. He does not return constituent calls, often cannot be reached and hosted only one district meeting (May of 2013) during his term.

FACT:  Sam Chavira has 2 full time jobs, as a Phoenix firefighter and Glendale councilmember. He has failed to do his job as your councilmember. He missed 12 city council meetings (Minutes of city council meetings). That is more than any other Glendale councilmember in history.

FACT:  In March of 2016 Sam Chavira received a speeding ticket in Glendale. His court date was scheduled for April 20, 2016. He failed to appear in court. His driver’s license was suspended. He only paid his fines when the media questioned him.

Sam Chavira’s ethical compass is broken.

He can’t do the job he was elected to do.

He used taxpayers’ money as if it was his personal checkbook.

He thinks he’s above the law and failed to appear in court.

My ethical compass is not broken.

I will do the full-time councilmember’s job full-time.

I will publicize every taxpayer dollar I spend from my councilmember’s budget.

I am not above the law. Glendale’s elected officials have a duty to be role models for our community.

© Joyce Clark, 2016       

FAIR USE NOTICE

This site contains copyrighted material the use of which is in accordance with Title 17 U.S. C., Section 107. The ‘fair use’ of any such copyrighted material as provided for in Section 107 of the US Copyright Law and who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democratic, scientific and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a ‘fair use’ of any such material. For more information go to http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond ‘fair use,’ you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.

These say it all

Posted by Joyce Clark on August 16, 2016
Posted in City issue and actionsCity of Glendale  | Tagged With: , , , | 1 Comment

CHECK OUT THE LATEST VIDEO TO THE LEFT OF THIS COLUMN. JOYCE CLARK INVITED SAMMY TO A DEBATE. HE REFUSED. IMAGINE IF IT HAD HAPPENED…

Two more weeks until the Primary Election in Glendale on August 30, 2016. The last of the road size campaign signs are up. If nothing else I’ve had fun with this election…so much Sammy material to work with.

Some of my readers do not live in Glendale, Arizona. I thought I would share my series of campaign signs with you.

Chavira-pink-48x48roadsignsChavira speeding campaign sign LT YELLOW June 6 2016Invisible LT PURPLE June 6 2016They say “a picture is worth a thousand words.” These signs say volumes.

© Joyce Clark, 2016        

FAIR USE NOTICE

This site contains copyrighted material the use of which is in accordance with Title 17 U.S. C., Section 107. The ‘fair use’ of any such copyrighted material as provided for in Section 107 of the US Copyright Law and who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democratic, scientific and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a ‘fair use’ of any such material. For more information go to http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond ‘fair use,’ you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.