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EMIL
FRANZI |
They're in the starting gate for OV council, legislative racesJuly 18, 2007 |
Northwest voters face two
important elections next year beyond choosing the next
president. Oro Valley residents get to choose three
council members, and there are hotly contested races
brewing for both House seats and the State Senate in
District 26.
Candidates are already lining up. Salette Latas, the only challenger announced in OV, is visible and carrying the spear for Oro Valley First in a continuation of the battle against Vestar and the new Wal-Mart even after OV voters supported granting sales tax revenues to a retail developer. The politics thicken when we recall that the three incumbents — Helen Dankwerth, Barry Gillaspie and Terry Parish — all went south on their original opposition to Vestar when elected four years ago. Something in the water at Town Hall. OV First and Latas claim, with some legitimacy, it was a “bait and switch” by Vestar who claimed “upscale shopping” would result. While “upscale” is in the eye of the beholder, no Wal-Mart PR flack in his wildest dreams ever considered that big a spin. OV First may be over-killing in sounding like John Edwards with its virulent attacks on Wal-Mart, but Vestar will be a big issue in the OV election. Could be in District 26 also. A bipartisan coalition did a late strike-all on a non-controversial hearing aid bill (HB 2515) at the end of the session and replaced it with one prohibiting future municipal sales tax incentives like Vestar. It passed the Senate 18-8 with support ranging from GOP Senate President Tim Bee to leftwing Tucsonan Paula Aboud. Opposition also indicated a partisan and ideological split. It passed the House and was signed by the governor, although it acquired an amendment leaving Pima County out and specifically Marana and Peoria —towns with plans beyond county boundaries. Heavy lobbying by some Chambers of Commerce and the Arizona League of Cities and Towns failed to score. District 26 showed interesting results, particularly for OV First and Vestar. In the House both Reps. Pete Hershberger, a Republican, and Lena Saradnik, a Democrat, voted no. In the Senate, Democrat Charlene Pesquiera didn’t vote, a trend she established much earlier in life. She may be the only 45-year-old ever elected to a state legislature who had never voted for anything or anyone, even by mail. The media (including me) and the GOP were guilty of malfeasance in not reporting that last time. Republicans will see a primary between Hershberger, term limited out of the House, and their 2006 Senate nominee, Al Melvin. Rumors that Pete will switch to Democrat are just that — his mother would never let him. Pesquiera may not seek re-election, as her interest in governance hasn’t been appreciably raised by holding office. Two Republicans. Marilyn Zerull and Trent Humphries, are both in the House race for the empty seat and Saradnik’s. Democrats are cocky enough that even with a ten point GOP registration lead they’re trying for the second seat with Don Jorgensen, no relation to Republican Dave Jorgenson who ran last time. The sale tax subsidy vote points out that Republicans usually land in one of two camps — low tax, less government types and big business water carriers. The former are often called “conservatives”. Democrats break into big labor/big government types and a modified form of big business water carrier. Biglab Democrats raise your taxes for social programs, Bigbiz R’s and D’s usually rip you off for concrete. Which gives OV First the chance to prove it isn’t, as some accuse, a Democrat front group when they endorse legislative candidates in District 26. Irony may be that Melvin and other conservatives could be closer to them on their primary issue than establishment liberals like Hershberger and Saradnik who rolled over for the Chamber and the League on preventing more deals like Vestar. Salette, you and Lena need to talk. |
BUT WATCH WHAT YOU SAY! |
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