Header image alt text

Joyce Clark Unfiltered

For "the rest of the story"

Disclaimer: The comments in this blog are my personal opinion and may or may not reflect an adopted position of the city of Glendale and its city council.

The primary election is in one week, July 30th. Please do vote. It’s now too late to mail your Early Ballot but you can drop it off at the Glendale City Clerk’s office at the Civic Center Annex in downtown Glendale or you can drop it off on Election Day at a polling location.

Here are a couple of recent observations that have come to my attention. Lupe Encinas in a recent mailer used this photo:

I have learned that a complaint has been filed for its use of Glendale’s employees, namely police officers with no disclaimer or permission. A candidate cannot use Glendale’s employees in campaign literature. She will probably plead ignorance and that she didn’t know it was a violation. If she is found to have violated election law I suspect she will be fined.

At the candidate forum held by the Glendale Women’s Club, only the Lupe twins appeared. The Vice Mayor had a previous commitment and Dianna Guzman had had emergency surgery. During the forum, Conchas said at one point, “When I’m knocking on doors I hear a lot about speed enforcement and speed safety… I have been talking to residents about solutions and that includes more motorcycle police and giving out a few more speeding tickets.” This is the height of irony considering that Conchas has two traffic citations in his background and a Failure to Appear at one of those court hearings. Yet now he’s concerned about traffic safety and speeding. Check out these:

A recent anti-Vice Mayor Hugh was mailed out recently. It was paid for by the political action committee, Moving Glendale Forward, ID# 24-02. It was created specifically to do one action – print and mail a hit piece on Councilmember Hugh. The contributors to this PAC are 3 people, no one else, Art Othon of Othon Consulting, donated $500; Andy Konasek of Arizona Strategies, donated $500; and surprise! Bart Turner, Glendale City Councilmember representing Glendale’s Barrell district, $2,325.09. The printing and mailing cost $3,325.09. Bart Turner paid for 70% of the mailer. It appears that Turner despises Hugh and not just Hugh, but me, Mayor Weiers and Councilmember Malnar. In other words, the majority on Glendale’s city council.

He is financially supporting the two Lupes, Conchas and Encinas, both Democrats. There are more skeletons in Turner’s closet, but they are for another day in his future.

Turner appears to be a RINO Republican. When Democrat Mark Kelly was running for office Turner endorsed him and was subsequently censored by Republican Legislative District 24.

Several observers from that night at the Women’s Club shared their comments with me. One said Encinas is really “dumb” and another said she has “no grasp of the issues.” The last observer to reach out to me said both candidates had a golden opportunity to share specific solutions and to identify specific issues. Instead, they used platitudes and spoke in generalities. They both showed that they had no real understanding of Glendale’s policies or issues.

I’m sure you’ve heard the expression, “Me thinks thou doth protest too much.” It’s from Shakespeare’s Hamlet. The continual protests coming from the Encinas camp about connections with the radical Conchas should raise eyebrows. They had more than one Meet n Greet together. It certainly wasn’t a one-off.

The last thing Glendale needs right now are radicalized Democrats who espouse Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), defunding the police, higher taxes, gender transformation of children and open borders…the Democrat Pary platform.

Glendale is in a good position, economically and socially. Let’s keep it on a path of prosperity and safety for all of Glendale. Please vote for Ian Hugh and Dianna Guzman.

© Joyce Clark, 2024    

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.

Disclaimer: The comments in this blog are my personal opinion and may or may not reflect an adopted position of the city of Glendale and its city council.

Today Early Voting ballots were mailed out. I would expect you to get yours within the week. Please do vote. Fill out your ballot when you receive it and mail it back promptly. The longer one waits to vote, the more likely it will be forgotten and never mailed back.

Two incumbent candidates, having no opponents, are reelected. Mayor Jerry Weiers has no opponent and Councilmember Ray Malnar has no opponent.

The two district city council seats yet to be determined in the Primary Election on July 30, 2024, are the Cactus and Yucca districts.

In the Cactus district incumbent Vice Mayor Ian Hugh faces off against Lupe Conchas and in the Yucca district, Dianna Guzman is vying for the seat against her challenger, Lupe Encinas.

I endorse Vice Mayor Ian Hugh and I encourage you to vote for him. I have worked with Ian Hugh for 8 years, since 2016. I know Ian very well. He is smart, reliable and his word is his bond. He has an extensive understanding of the issues Glendale faces. What you may not know about him is his kindness and compassion toward others. He doesn’t make a big deal about it but he often drives people around to go food shopping or to make medical appointments. The same compassion he voluntarily offers to others is the same compassion he feels for all of Glendale’s residents. I know he makes policy decisions taking into consideration, his concern for others. Over the years he has demonstrated time and time again his love for his hometown, Glendale. He is a genuinely good person.

Lupe Conchas is not good for Glendale. He is a radical Democrat that believes in the far-left ideology of that party. He supports diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) but at what cost to African-Americans and Hispanics? He is endorsed by the LGBTQ community and supports gender reassignment for children. Police officers are the very people we rely upon to keep us safe yet his record is one of disrespect and non-support for them. His background includes traffic citations with a failure to appear and financial judgements against him. When he breaks the law he shows that he cannot or will not support the laws. If he can’t manage his money, he cannot be expected to manage the city’s $1.2 billion dollar budget.  He is ambitious and would use this city council seat to move to higher offices. Some unions are throwing a boatload of money-tons of it- into his campaign. He is more than willing to have them buy his seat on city council.

I am also endorsing Dianna Guzman for my Yucca district city council seat when I retire this December. Dianna Guzman has proven to me that not only is she working hard to get your vote but that she is ready for the job. She has lived in the district for 27 years and was part of our citizens’ group that saved Heroes Park land from being sold for yet another cookie cutter residential development. She has attended every city council workshop and voting meeting in person since she announced her run for office. She serves on Glendale’s Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission. She is a graduate of Glendale University and the Citizen’s Police Academy. In the crazy heat of July, she is out there three times a week with her volunteers door knocking and talking to residents. In fact, just now, one of Dianna’s volunteers knocked at my door. She is supporting Dianna as they are fellow church members. She knows Dianna and believes in her candidacy by walking and knocking on doors. Dianna not only has my support but my respect as well. If, and I hope, she is elected I know the Yucca district will be well represented.

Lupe Encinas is a well-meaning person, but she is just not ready for the job. It appears that she went into this race half-heartedly. She was slow on getting nominating petition signatures and just barely got enough to qualify. Her campaign finance statements are rife with errors.

What has proven to be interesting and amusing is that her campaign manager, Natalie Stahl, co-founded a group called Arizona Law Enforcement Wives Network. It is a small, mostly inactive group. It’s last Facebook post was in December of 2021 and its site, www.alewn.com doesn’t go to any page. If you have seen Encinas’ campaign signs they say endorsed by the Arizona Law Enforcement Wives Network. Yes, the same, small inactive group co-founded by her campaign manager, Natalie Stahl. Sounds great but signifies nothing.

Encinas is simply spread too thin as an owner of 4 different companies. I don’t care how good a time manager she claims to be, she won’t have sufficient time to do justice to you as a councilmember. She has aligned herself with Lupe Conchas and shares his values as a registered Democrat espousing a “Woke” agenda. It’s not Lupe Encinas’ time and deep down I suspect she and her supporters know that as evidenced by a lack luster campaign.

Police and fire support and endorse Vice Mayor Hugh and Dianna Guzman. You can trust their judgement. They vetted all of the candidates before making their endorsements. Please don’t let them down by choosing candidates that don’t wholeheartedly support them.

Please make sure that you vote by Early Ballot or at the polling location on July 30th. This may prove to be the most crucial election in Glendale’s history and the nation’s.

© Joyce Clark, 2024    

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.

Disclaimer: The comments in this blog are my personal opinion and may or may not reflect an adopted position of the city of Glendale and its city council.

As you know by now, I am supporting Dianna Guzman for my Yucca district city council seat. Coming up is your opportunity to meet her and ask her the tough questions. Dianna is well prepared about Glendale government and the city’s budget and is looking forward to meeting you.

Dianna is hosting a Meet & Greet event at Heroes Library on Wednesday evening, June 12th from 6 PM to 8 PM. Not only that, but Mayor Weiers and I will be there as well to take your questions and to tell you why Dianna is the right choice for Councilmember representing the Yucca district.

Dianna would appreciate an RSVP for the purpose of providing refreshments that evening. Please click on this link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/meet-dianna-guzman-candidate-for-glendale-city-council-tickets-918936984257?aff=oddtdtcreator

Please join us that evening. We look forward to seeing you again or meeting you for the very first time.

© Joyce Clark, 2024    

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.

Disclaimer: The comments in this blog are my personal opinion and may or may not reflect an adopted position of the city of Glendale and its city council.

I am blocked from Lupe’s Facebook page. Gee, I wonder why? Is she that petty? It really doesn’t matter because my readers send me what she has posted. If her objective was to keep me from seeing her posts it hasn’t worked very well. Here are some of the latest FB posts that I have received from my readers.

This one is from Audrey Hickman’s FB page for Lupe (she is supporting Lupe). “She (Lupe) needs $20,000 to pay for her advertising materials and website expenses.” This post is very remarkable. It is two months before early ballots are mailed on July 3rd.  Candidates by this time have already raised money for signs and mailers. Signs are already being printed and will be put up in middle May, less than two weeks from now. Mailers are being designed and readied for mailing. Soon we will be bombarded with candidate mailers in May and June.

It seems that Lupe has not raised the money she needs to mount a campaign. We will know how she’s doing when the next campaign Financial Reports are due on May 11th, a week from now. Let’s hope that her next Financial Report is accurate. The last two have not been so.

Her seemingly lackadaisical attitude as well as her lack of financial accuracy in her reports as a candidate should not surprise anyone. After all, even though she filed a campaign committee a full year ago she didn’t bother to collect signatures until the very last month. As a result, she barely had over the minimum number of signatures required. I believe that she did not have the required number of valid registered voter signatures to qualify. I did not contest her petition signatures and her opponent Dianna Guzman chose not to contest because she is confident that she can beat Lupe in a head-to-head match.

If she cannot be accurate about reporting her financial activities as a candidate, will she be attuned enough to detail to report her councilmember expenses accurately? Will she pay enough attention to the city’s annual budget?

Then Adam Rolnick posted this on FB for Lupe. “Free auto insurance quotes if you’re elected!” Lupe responded with a ‘like’ and “100%.” She owns an insurance agency.

Or this observation, “Lupe is bribing constituents that if they vote for her they will get free auto insurance quotes.  Wow.”

I don’t believe this constitutes bribery because you, I or anyone can call an insurance agent and get a free quote. However, it can become a slippery slope if something of value is offered to obtain a favorable vote. She owns the Pink Door Tea Room. What if Lupe offers a free meal from the Pink Door Tea Room if you vote for her? She owns Goodie’s Glass. What if she offers you a discount on a vehicle glass replacement for your vote? She owns a real estate company. What if she offers a discount on the sale of your house in return for your vote? Then she will be on a very slippery slope indeed.

Lupe Encinas’ attitude and enthusiasm as a candidate for my Yucca council district seat has been lacking since she announced. That is troublesome on so many levels. Does she really want to be a councilmember? Will this be her attitude should she obtain office? Responding at the last minute? Whether it’s a constituent request or councilmember preparedness, this kind of service as a councilmember will not serve Yucca residents or all of Glendale well. Her attitude is not what Yucca district residents want or expect in terms of service.

© Joyce Clark, 2024    

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.

Disclaimer: The comments in this blog are my personal opinion and may or may not reflect an adopted position of the city of Glendale and its city council.

Glendale, with a current population of 253,000, is a conservative community, fiscally, culturally, and socially. Our residents want to raise their children in a safe environment. They expect to continue to receive the excellent service provided by its Public Safety Departments. They want the city to protect their property values. They recognize the value of services they receive such as water and sanitation. To this day, it is one of the very few Valley communities that provides once a month bulk trash pickup. They expect good roads and amenity-filled parks for their families to enjoy. Its City Council shares these values and works every day to make policy decisions that meet these expectations.

Jose “Lupe” Conchas is running as a candidate for the Cactus District City Council seat. He is not the right fit for the city council. Past performance is an indicator of future performance.

In July of 2019, the Party for Socialism and Labor (PSL) held a march in Phoenix to protest the treatment of illegal aliens by ICE. Lupe Conchas was one of 16 protesters arrested at that march. Here’s what the PSL stands for based upon information easily obtained from their website:

“The Party for Socialism and Liberation believes that the only solution to the deepening crisis of capitalism is the socialist transformation of society.”

“The Party for Socialism and Liberation exists to carry out the struggle for socialism inside the United States, the center of world capitalism and imperialism.”

“…revolution is a necessity and a right.”

Make no mistake. The PSL is a Socialist/Marxist organization and Lupe Conchas was an active participant in their organized march.

Here are just a few photos of the march taken by the Arizona Republic in a July 2019, story about the march. In this photo you can clearly see the PSL sign.

In this photo Lupe Conchas was front and center.

 

 

 

 

 

This is the only flag used by the group during the march. Not a single American flag in sight.

In the July 2019 Arizona Republic article, Conchas said, “…that he hopes to raise awareness that his arrest was nothing compared to the conditions at the U.S. southern border. Even though I might have slept very uncomfortably last night, it’s nothing compared to what children and families who are seeking legal asylum are facing at the border.”

Conchas has demonstrated through his actions that he is a Socialist/Marxist democrat, a member of the most radical faction of the Democrat party. His actions appear to demonstrate that he will be divisive within the community. His support for an open border policy will continue to allow the smuggling of drugs such as fentanyl resulting in countless deaths as well as more crime and violence. He shares a “defund the police” mentality.

His social media posts claim he is a “fresh” voice but his opponent, Vice Mayor Ian Hugh has a wealth of experience and knowledge and has successfully demonstrated his leadership within his district as well as city-wide. “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”  It’s not a matter of age but rather a matter of mental acuity and the Vice Mayor is as mentally sharp as ever. Experience does matter.

Conchas also wants to start or expand the Head Start program in our district schools. This statement alone shows how much he doesn’t know about city government. The City Council has no authority over the policies, practices, and procedures of any school district within the community.

Lastly, he wants a program to improve our streets. Again, he appears unaware of the fact that the council instituted a Pavement Management Program that is resulting in the resurfacing or reconstructing of every street in Glendale over a multiple year program and it has invested millions of dollars in the program.

I ask that you reject Lupe Conchas and all that he represents. Please vote for Vice Mayor Ian Hugh as your Cactus councilmember.

© Joyce Clark, 2024    

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.