It has been 17 years and 265 days since the city’s pledge to build the West Branch Library.
There are scads of words in the English language with which to characterize Doug MacEachern’s editorial in the Republic on September 10, 2015. Here’s the link: http://www.azcentral.com/story/opinion/op-ed/dougmaceachern/2015/09/10/west-side-valley-economy/72034706/ .
Just a few that come to mind are: elitist, snobbish, snooty, snotty, arrogant, haughty, imperious, pompous, presumptuous, superior, conceited and smug.
I am not disputing MacEachern’s assessment of Glendale’s attempt to become a sports mecca. His attacks on Glendale and its citizens are unwarranted. He characterizes all of Glendale’s citizens as “of limited means.” Or how about his opinion that, “Glendale is still Glendale. Not especially upscale, even in its upscale neighborhoods. And quite a bit more dicey around the edges…”. He ends his editorial trash with, “There are many nice places in the West Valley for tourists to stay. But if they have their druthers they are going to go to where the parties are rocking. And that’s not Maryvale. And it’s not Glendale.”
Really, Mr. MacEachern? One would have thought that having risen to the vaunted position of “idiotorialist” for the Republic you would have grown past petty sniping. You haven’t been invited into Glendale’s upscale neighborhoods because they are gated and you don’t have the code for entry.
Your editorial opinion is currently being used as puppy potty training paper and lining bird cages in a few homes in the West Valley. It’s only a few homes because the Republic readership is no longer as it once was.
If you feel the urge to share your opinion with Mr. MacEachern, here is his Twitter handle (@MacEachernDoug) and his email address: dmaceachern@azrep.com .
Mr. MacEachern, your East Valley elitism, snobbishness, snottiness, pomposity, conceit, arrogance and smugness are showing. Go pound sand…
© Joyce Clark, 2015
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Why are you offended by this article, Joyce?
The man only wrote what most people think.
The truth of the matter is, when people come from out of town “to party”, they do head to Scottsdale and Phoenix.
You don’t believe that?
The Tourism Departments for those cities spend major bucks to bring out-of-towners to stay with them for sports events, conferences, etc…
Fact is, they have the hotels, restaurants, bars, and everything else that’s needed to accommodate large numbers of people – Glendale doesn’t!
Maryvale? Seriously, who wants to stay in Maryvale? Most people couldn’t find Maryvale on a map!
Former Mayor Scruggs & Co. had visions of making Glendale the “Sports Capital of Arizona”, and it’s for that very reason we are in the financial mess that exists today!
The arena for Ice Hockey and LaCrosse (LaCrosse for god sake?! That team doesn’t even exist any more!) should NEVER have been built here in Glendale!
That was a losing proposition from Day One!
For 22 years I’ve enjoyed living in Glendale.
The only regret I have is that the Coyotes Ice Hockey Arena was built here – and the never ending battle it has brought upon us, the Citizens of Glendale.
Its wrong to say that Glendale is in the mess they are because of the “Sports Capital” as you put it. The reason they are in this mess is the drop in revenue from the downturn and the slow recovery. If you do some homework, up to NOW, the Arena and the Coyotes have led to no lay offs or program shut downs. Its a falicy or the under educated. The 45M the City paid came from a fund that has NO EFFECT on the general budget. NONE The arena bond payments with the exception of the 1st lock out season were the only time the revenue designated to make the bond payments wasnt met.
You can argue it was a bad investment. If the Coyotes are forced out it will become a White Elephant. To think anything else is foolish. The REAL issue will the the debt on the Spring training site. There is NO viable debt repayment plan in place. They one that existed is gone. The Coyotes brings between 500K to 600K a year to the Westgate area that do spend money that generates tax revenue for Glendale. So, chase the Coyotes away and lose that.
The battle is because of a poorly written lease by the developer Steve Elman. The COG did little background check to see if he actually had the funding he claimed he did. He didnt. He booked from Scottsdale when they asked that question. He was 3 years late in developing Westgate. He paid fines of $1M a year because he failed to live up to his agreement. He has $25M in a trust fund to build a parking lot. The one the COG is now paying $48M to build. Where did that money go? The COG and Elman took it out of trust and SPLIT it. Elman soon after let Westgate go in foreclosure.
How much tax revenue has Glendale lost because Elman didnt do what he said he would? I think that Westgate is around 30% of what Elman claimed it would be by now. The bad choice the COG made was getting into business with Elman.
Funny what a few facts can do.
The e-mail address given in this article does not work and I found that the proper address for Mr. MacEachern is doug.maceachern@arizonarepublic.com
Lynn,
Thank you for the email address correction. I will change it.
Glendale was good enough for his wife to collect a paycheck while serving as Commissioner in the Glendale Municipal Court.
Maureen, Are you referring to MacEachern’s wife? When did she serve as a Commissioner?