This morning in checking the latest edition of the Glendale Star I noted a story that Sammy Chavira had received a speeding ticket in Glendale. That, however, it not what caught my attention. Rather it was that Sammy failed to appear for his court date resulting in additional fines and a suspension of his driver’s license and vehicle registration. Here is the link to the online story: http://www.glendalestar.com/news/article_396a5ba0-0bbd-11e6-aeb2-e79ffa40b720.html

It seems as if Sammy Chavira and recalled councilmember Gary Sherwood are brothers under the skin. Gary Sherwood was recalled after it was discovered that he had received at least one speeding ticket, allegedly continued to drive while under suspension (criminal offense) and he failed to appear in court. Subsequently a warrant for his arrest was issued for his Failure to Appear. That wasn’t the only reason for his recall. There were others such as his lack of representation of his constituency on the Becker Billboard issue, etc.

Sammy is apparently following in his buddy’s footsteps. Here are the facts as publicly available from court records:

  • Chavira w car 2On Sunday, March 13, 2016 Sammy received a speeding ticket (civil traffic citation) in Glendale. Apparently he was in a minor traffic accident. A Glendale officer was called to the scene and the officer determined that the cause of the accident was due to Sammy’s “speed too fast to avoid collision.”
  • His date to appear in Glendale City Court was Wednesday, April 13, 2016.  According to the court record he failed to appear. Since Sammy’s citation was civil, no arrest warrant would be issued for his failure to appear in court.
  • His case was turned over to the court’s collection agency, FARE, and fines were imposed and started to mount.
  • The court also sent a notice to ADOT and a letter to Sammy suspending his driver’s license and vehicle registration. The vehicle is not registered to Sammy although he has been driving it for quite some time.
  • On Monday, April 25, 2016, Sammy apparently received his letter from the court and paid his fines, now at $408.

In the spirit of full disclosure I had two speeding tickets issued to me in Glendale…one was 20 years ago and the other 15 years ago. I paid my fine and attended the one day of traffic school in each case and I was done. No points on my license, a painful fine and an even more painful day in traffic school.

Sammy could have done the very same. Does Sammy think that the law doesn’t apply to him? First is his issue of his nearly $25,000 in questionable travel expenses and now a Failure to Appear for his court date.

A pattern demonstrating Sammy’s less than ethical behavior has emerged. First in the pattern is his apparent abuse of taxpayer money in his councilmember discretionary accounts. He used taxpayer dollars to go to Washington, D.C. to see the Pope and on another trip to D.C. to see a friend sworn in to Congress. Yet city policy, as lax as it is, requires that substantial, official city business be conducted.

This time he received a civil traffic ticket and failed to appear for his court hearing. Sammy’s response to being queried by the Glendale Star is typical Sammy when he responds with, “A glitch, I’m all good.” I don’t know about you but when I received my speeding tickets 20 years ago, I was a nervous wreck. I didn’t consider it a “glitch.” I couldn’t pay my fine and go to driving school fast enough.

Sammy also questioned why his ticket would be a news story. He still doesn’t get it. Elected officials, the visible leaders of our community and the highest representatives of Glendale, are and should be, held to a higher standard. Their decisions and behavior should be beyond reproach and should be examples of ethics and morals to emulate.

Sammy’s unethical behavior coupled with the urging of many people disgusted with his inaccessibility and lack of responsiveness as a councilmember were prime motivators for my decision to run for the Yucca district city council position. I can, and will, restore honesty and integrity to the position. No more voting for large campaign contributors’ issues. No more flip-flopping on campaign promises. No more following a personal agenda. No more looking to see what’s in it for me. No more repeated absences from council meetings. No more invisible councilmember. No more personal trips using taxpayer money and then claiming city business.

In other words, NO MORE SAMMY.

Below is the actual court record, a public document obtained from the online Arizona supreme court website:

         
Case Number: M-0747-TR-2016006290  
Title: ST OF AZ VS CHAVIRA SAMUEL UL Category: Traffic
Court: Glendale Municipal Filing Date: 3/15/2016
Judge: J BAXTER Disposition Date: 4/20/2016 
       
Citation Count Description Disp. Date Disposition
C00000000905382 1 SPEED GREATER THAN REASONABLE AND PRUDENT 4/20/2016 FAILURE TO APPEAR
Date Description Party
4/21/2016 FARE: COLLECTION LTR TYPE 1 D 1
4/20/2016 FUND: 2012 SURCHARGES (83%) D 1
4/20/2016 FUND: VICTIM RIGHTS ENF ASSMNT D 1
4/20/2016 FUND: COURT IMPROV-BASE D 1
4/20/2016 FUND: DEFAULT FEE $45 031602 D 1
4/20/2016 FUND: 2011 ADDTNL ASSESSMENT D 1
4/20/2016 SUSPENSION LETTER SENT D 1
4/20/2016 FUND: FARE DELINQUENCY FEE D 1
4/20/2016 FUND:PROBATION ASSESSMENT D 1
4/20/2016 FUND: FARE FEE SPEC COLL D 1
4/20/2016 FUND: TIME PYMT $20 JCEF D 1
4/20/2016 FUND: CRT IMPROVE SURCH 83% D 1
4/20/2016 FUND: BASE FINE D 1
4/20/2016 INFO: ASSIGNED TO FARE D 1
4/13/2016 CAL: ARRAIGNMENT-CIVIL TRAFFIC
3/15/2016 COMPLAINT FILED-UNIFORM CITATN D 1