The Do-Nothings

Posted on May 26, 2012 by Howard's Goodyear

Bill Stipp says he is “proud” of what he and the other seven dwarfs have done managing Goodyear’s budget. He’s bragging about it. Bill Stipp is either a consumate politician who does not want to be confused with the facts, or he simply does not know what he is talking about.

Interim GY City Manager Brian Dalke tells you in an opinion piece (that he had time to write for the Arizona Republic on your dime) that GY has had to make tough budget decisions but not to worry, things are looking up, and soon an improved economy (and more of your property tax revenues) will solve everything. In Brian’s 2013 GY budget, your property tax increase he says is, “only 54 cents per month”.  Brian tells you that it’s the state’s fault your property taxes are going up because they are shifting property tax burdens from commercial to residential.  Of course, Brian doesn’t supply any data to support these claims nor any of his other positions.  Dalke has said previously that he had to increase GY employee salaries this year by over $1 million dollars per year because of his fear of high turnover and losing good people. But did Brian provide any data to support an inordinate turnover rate in Goodyear (besides all the fired GY employees who are either suing or got big payoffs like Fishcbach)? Nope, once again, no data. It’s easy to flap your mouth with no data.

The facts are, as I demonstrate below, that since 2008 when the recession started, Goodyear has done absolutely nothing to soften the impact of the recession for it’s residents.

Budget, Budget, Budget

Budget, that’s all that Stipp and Dalke want to talk about. As I’ve told you before FORGET ABOUT BUDGETS. The fact that politicians only want to talk about budgets is your first clue that you should ignore them. Budgets are just estimates. Just like GY council is telling you that they plan to set aside $700,000 per year to pay down the ball park. That’s only a plan. What if Georgia wants another new $80,000 per year assistant next year?  What happens to the plan then?

If you want to predict future behavior, the best way is to look at past behavior.  In this case, look at actual historical SPENDING and actual historical REVENUES to determine if your elected officials have actually done anything worthwhile for you and if they have been good stewards of your money in Goodyear or anywhere else.

Here Are the Facts. An Historical Look at Goodyear’s ACTUAL Finances

Goodyear’s problems started in 2008 with the recession. That’s when your financial problems may have started too. When you had to tighten your belts at home.  Has Goodyear tightened its belt?

Refer to the table below and the raw data that I have included at the end of this article if you want to check any of my numbers.

Since 2008 through the currently proposed 2013 budget, Goodyear has;

  1. Seen General Fund revenues drop 17%.
  2. Increased Operating Department spending by 11%
  3. Reduced the General Fund Beginning Balance by 63%
  4. Increased water, waste water, and sanitary revenue fees by 44%

A good way to look at any complicated financial data is to use difference analysis. That is, look at each year of data and compare it to the previous or following year in order to see what ACTUAL changes have been made. If the stewards of your money have done their jobs and been responsive to the ebb and flow of revenues, then they’ve done something for you. Looking only at year over year differences removes any issues around whether or not the data is valid and omits any question of looking at apples to apples comparisons.

On the other hand, if someone trys to spin a complex financial issue into a cheap talking point like, “it will only cost you 54 cents per month”, watch out.

In a simple difference analysis like the table above, (and here it is if you want to see it in Excell GY Operating Analysis 08-13) you are just comparing what was reported historically from one year to the other. It looks at how ACTUAL Goodyear spending changed each year vs ACTUAL Goodyear revenue changes each year. And to keep it simple and to the point, in this analysis, I am completely ignoring capital spending and financing like going out and borrowing money in order to keep the ship afloat. I am only looking at operating expenditures and operating revenues.

As you can see from the table, in 2008, Goodyear had $12.8 million dollars more in General Fund revenue than it had operating expenses, or one could say GY ran a nearly $13 million surplus that year. In 2009, revenues dropped by over $18 million. What did expenses do? They went UP by nearly $8 million dollars. These are actual, real numbers, not budget estimates. That left Goodyear a net deficit in 2009 of more than $13 million, more than wiping out 2008′s surplus.

If you carry this same analysis out to the current proposed 2013 proposed budget, in the five year period starting in 2008, Goodyear has run a $33.23 million dollar net deficit over this time period (yellow highlighted). Revenues have dropped from over $82 million in 2008 to less than $60 million in 2011 and GY estimates revenues to be only $68.7 million next year. At the same time, operating departments expenses have increased from $69.7 million in 2008 to over $77 million in the 2013 budget. Does that look like belt tightening to you? Goodyear has failed to respond with spending reductions to balance changes in revenue and fallen behind on an operating basis by over $33.23 million dollars over the 5 year period since 2008.

If Goodyear has failed to respond to the precipitous drop in revenues by reducing spending, then where did GY get the money to keep operating in what Brian wants you to believe have been “balanced” budgets? The answer is first, they’ve raised your utilities bills and second, they’ve raided the cookie jar of General Fund surpluses that your tax dollars had built up by 2008. Again, looking at the table above you can see that over the same period, using actual historical data from Goodyear’s own budget book that;

  1. Water Utilities bills to residents have been increased by $3.62 million dollars.
  2. Waste water bills to residents have been increased by $4.32 million dollars.
  3. Sanitation bills to residents have been increased by $1.01 million dollars with a drop in service levels.
  4. For a total of increased billings to residents of $8.95 million dollars or 44%. (pink highlighted)
  5. And did I mention that $2.8 million of that is coming in the 2013 budget? Here is their own document showing $2.8 million in transfers from the three utilities to the General Fund. Transfers to GF0001

The rest of the cash has come from draining the General Fund Beginning Balance each year.  In 2008 the GF Begin Balance was nearly $56 million dollars.  Today it is just over $20 million dollars. (blue highlighted)

So what tough decisions have GY council made to steward your money? They’ve done nothing. Nothing but raise your taxes and fees over the past five years and drain the treasury.  This has allowed them to take junkets to DC, hire expensive assistants, make $450 per second videos, give tax breaks to foreign corporations, make bets with your tax money on emerging technology gambles, and increase city employee salaries and benefits.

Bill Stipp is “proud” of that.

*As usual, hgb includes links to all of the raw data for you to see and here they are;
Budget Book References 2013 Budget Documents from Cof GY0001

Filed under: 2012-13 Budget, About Bill Stipp, Dishonesty in Government | 7 Comments »

Georgia’s New $80,000 per Year Assistant

Posted on May 23, 2012 by Howard's Goodyear

Georgia just hired a guy named Rob Bohr to be her assistant. Georgia is a part time mayor who makes $23,000 per year as mayor, but now she has a nearly $80,000 per year* full time assistant. Hard for you to believe, eh? Me too. But as always, you need not believe anything I tell you below because I’ve included links to the raw data at the end of this article so you can see for yourself.

And what will Georgia’s new assistant do for her? Well, besides being a Sociology Major from U of Northern Iowa (does not include his GPA) and having his AZ Real Estate Sales License, one of his chief qualifications was to write columns for Glendale mayor Elaine Scruggs. Scruggs is the disgraced big spending politician-mayor of Glendale who has decided not to run again who, by the way, is leaving Glendale in financial tatters.

Bohr also says he’s good at drafting weekly bulletins, and speaking points for mayors. Not only that, but he also has experience attending meetings for the mayor of “local and regional organizations” as well as “assisting with the Mayor’s schedule”. (I’m not making this up, you can read his resume yourself, it is included below).

I guess Georgia can no longer fulfill all her mayoral duties herself anymore, even though she also has a vice-mayor, Joanne Osborne who also gets $23,000 per year. It must be a lot of work, all that flying off to DC to hob nob with Obama liberals, (Mrs. Lord Goes to Washington), keeping quiet interest from private prison companies to expand in Goodyear from residents, (Georgia Knew) giving away tax dollars to foreign companies, (Prop Tax Incr to Corps) writing letters to Jan Brewer to veto HB2826 because “part time residents will be disenfranchised” even though voters supported it, (Georgia’s Letter) making $450 per second videos that are already outdated, (Video) and of course writing a column in Goodyear’s own, In Focus magazine.

Who could do without Georgia’s In Focus comments anyhow? I guess she needs full time help it’s so demanding of her time. And someone has to keep her calendar straight.

Can $300 million in debt and no bonding ability for five years Goodyear afford this? (2012-13 Budget No Bonding Ability) Is that what you voted in a $56,000 per year total pay part time mayor and vice mayor to do? Hire a full time assistant? (Plus CM Dalke makes a hundred and seventy something and did you notice Bohr gets up to 35 days off each year as a GY employee?)

And remember Interim CM Brian Dahlke telling us that Goodyear employees needed raises in order to stay competitive? Bohr was making only $56,000 working for Scruggs, Goodyear decided to pay him $70,893 plus benefits to have him come to Goodyear.

Go figure. Here is how to run for city council in March. (How to Run for GY City Council)

Here is Bohr’s offer letter and salary history. Georgia asst offer and sal history0001
Here is his resume with sample Scruggs column he claims he wrote. Georgia asst resume0001

*salary of $70,893 and estimated $6,000 in benefits.

Filed under: 2012-13 Budget, Dishonesty in Government | 16 Comments »

Arizona Voters in Favor of HB2826

Posted on May 14, 2012 by Howard's Goodyear

Editor’s Note;
Looks like Georgia is on the wrong side of another issue again.  Just like the prison debacle, it will be interesting to observe how Georgia will attempt to deflect her mistake this time.  Of course, she could just do nothing at all, hope she gets re-elected if no more Goodyear voters turn out at the polls to vote, and continue to go about doing just whatever she and the other seven dwarfs on city council want to do.  Its up to you, Goodyear.

A recent poll shows that AZ voters favor HB2826 which would consolidate local elections in November of even years.  This is the same bill that is currently awaiting signature from Governor Brewer and which Goodyear Mayor Georgia Lord wrote Brewer to encourage Brewer to veto. Georgia Says Veto HB2826.

Well, like any poll, you have to look at who conducted it so that one can trust the results. And as always on hgb, I’ll give you the entire results below. However…

The AZ League of Cites and Towns (AZLCT) is AGAINST HB2826 and they say that their members are against it also.  In fact, Goodyear participates in the AZLCT and four Goodyear council members recently attended the AZLCT convention in DC at a taxpayer cost of nearly $10,000.  GY Council DC Junket.

Well guess who did the poll?  The AZLCT!!

According to both emails below, the AZLCT were still “considering” releasing poll until someone found out about it.  Shown below are two emails I received today, one from AZ Rep Michelle Ugenti, and the other by way of Wendy Freeman from Sal DiCiccio, of the Phoenix city council.  There are links in both emails to the poll results.

From: <michelle@michelleugenti.com>
Date: Mon, May 14, 2012 at 10:56 AM
Subject: Action Alert HB2826: Consolidated Elections ****New Polling****
To:

 Hello Everyone,
A poll conducted by the Arizona League of Cities and Towns shows that Arizonans support aligning elections. Republicans, Democrats and independents all overwhelmingly support consolidating elections, which would increase voter participation, save taxpayer money and reduce the influence of special interests in local elections.
My bill sitting on Governor Brewer’s desk, HB2826, would require all cities and towns and counties to align their candidate elections so they are held concurrently with state and national elections.
A rumor began that there was a poll out conducted by the Arizona League of Cities and Towns. There was no plan for releasing the information to the public, even though taxpayer money was used for it. Because enough people demanded this information be released, it finally was this morning. Attempting to withholding the results of this poll is a disservice to the public and they should be held accountable for it. The fact that they tried to conceal the poll results makes one wonder what other information is being kept from the public.
We are in the 11th hour… the Governor has 24 hours to either sign or veto this law. I urge you all to encourage the Governor to listen to the voters and sign HB2826 into law.
Here are the results: Maricopa and Pima counties support aligning elections. Arizona Republicans and Democrats favor consolidating elections by 14%, and independent voters favor consolidating elections by 12%. View the results here.
Citizen Smith says that all local election dates should be held in the fall of even-numbered years to coincide with other statewide elections. That will ensure that local governments cannot put things on the ballot when people aren’t paying attention and also will reduce the costs to conduct local elections.
Citizen Jones says that things should stay as they are now – allowing local cities and towns to have elections apart from state elections during the current designated spring and fall dates. Having elections at different times allows citizens to pay more attention to the candidates for mayor and council and focus on the local issues that are important to them.
Which viewpoint comes closer to your own- that of citizen smith who believes all local elections should be moved to coincide with state or that of citizen Jones who believe things should stay as they are.
Smith (Move to local elections): 51.4%
Jones (Keep as they are now): 38%
Other, don’t know: 6.2%
Neither: 4.4%
Maricopa: 59% Smith, 33% Jones
Pima: 45% Smith, 43% Jones
Rural: 41% Smith, 45% Jones
Republican: 50% Smith, 36% Jones
Democrat: 53% Smith, 39% Jones
Independent: 52% Smith, 40% Jones
your advocate,
Rep. Michelle Ugenti, District 23
From: Councilman Sal DiCiccio <council.district.6@phoenix.gov>
To: gop4life <gop4life@aol.com>
Sent: Mon, May 14, 2012 9:09 am
Subject: Poll results show voters favor consolidating elections

Follow me on FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/DiCiccioSal
Follow me on TWITTER: http://twitter.com/PhxDistrict6

A poll conducted by the Arizona League of Cities and Towns shows that Arizonans support aligning elections.  Republicans, Democrats and independents all overwhelmingly support consolidating elections, which would increase voter participation, save taxpayer money and reduce the influence of special interests in local elections
A bill sitting on Governor Brewer’s desk, HB2826, would require all cities and towns and counties to align their elections so they are held concurrently with state and national elections.
I heard a rumor that there was a poll out and contacted city staff this morning.  Staff confirmed there was a poll and results were in as of last week — and there was no plan for releasing the information to the public and the Council, even though taxpayer money was used for it. When I found out about this, I demanded this information be released by 9 this morning.  If information hadn’t been spread by word of mouth, I believe these results would have been withheld from you, the taxpayer, and Gov. Brewer until after she had taken action on this bill.
According to Phoenix Government Relations Director Karen Peters, Ken Strobeck, League executive director, was “thinking about” whether to release the poll.   It turns out that pressure to release this poll was strong enough to force the League to take action.

Here are the results: Maricopa and Pima counties support aligning elections.  Arizona  Republicans and Democrats favor consolidating elections by 14%, and independent voters favor consolidating elections by 12%.   View the results here.

My best to you and your family,Sal DiCiccio
City of Phoenix
Councilman, District 6
602-262-7491

Filed under: Dishonesty in Government, Goodyear Elections | 5 Comments »

Goodyear Increases Primary Property Tax Rate by 19.1%

Posted on May 11, 2012 by Howard's Goodyear

Goodyear city council plans to increase your primary property tax rate by nearly 20%. (AZR article)

Last year Goodyear city council increased your primary property tax rate by 23.7%.

According to Goodyear’s own definition, primary property tax is used to pay for general government, which is primarily the General Fund. So if Goodyear has been managing your money so well, why have they needed to increase the primary property tax rate?  Answer, to pay for more government.

They will tell you you won’t notice it because they’ve been doing it to “recover” property taxes due to the drop in property valuations over the past few years*. But if you check the budgeted primary property tax levy, or the total dollars budgeted to be collected from taxpayers since 2008 which is on page 244 of the most recent GY budget book, you will see that the total collected has risen by over 50%.  Here is page 244 ( pg 2440001  ) of last year’s budget book.

In 2008 the primary property tax levy was budgeted at $4.17 million and last year it was up to $6.3 million.  A whopping 51.1% increase! Goodyear city council doesn’t want to reduce their spending like you have had to do during these economic hard times so they just send you the bill.  That way they can continue spending and keep all of their “stakeholders” like union PACs, developers, foreign companies, and city employees happy.

And what do you think will happen when property values start to recover?  Do you think they’ll reduce the primary property tax rate like they have done with the “temporary” food tax? What planet have you been staying on?  When that happens your elected officials will start patting themselves on the back and tell you that, “our careful fiscal management policies have led us to the current surpluses which we have now realized and which we will now proceed to SPEND!”

From Your Pocket to Theirs

The new budget gives Goodyear employees a 2.5% salary increase or over $1 million of your money each year going forward. They’ve added new employees including an assistant to the mayor and council. And of course they’ll all have to take tens of thousands of dollar trips to DC to hob nob with other politicians.  Georgia Trip.  Council  Trips

And as a result of Goodyear city council awarding well over $5 million in corporate welfare over the past two years, there goes more of your property tax increase.  They’re even paying a developer $500,000 so he does not have to fund a new sewer pipe to Dick’s Sporting Goods. And the developer is the one benefiting most from Dick’s going in.
Here are my estimates of the corporate giveaways thus far;
Sub Zero             (Bakke Family Owned)      $780,000
SunTek                (Chinese)                               $665,000
Schoeller Arca  (Swedish)                               $600,000
Dick’s                                                                  $1,500,000
St. Gobain (French)                                          $700,000

* In principle, I don’t object to increasing property taxes to make up for valuation short falls to a point, but 20% year after year is way out of line.  Especially when Goodyear has never reduced their spending over this time. Not only that, this recession has been going on for several years now and many homeowners have not only lost their jobs but also their home equity and in many cases that means their planned next egg.

Filed under: 2012-13 Budget | 3 Comments »

Georgia to Jan Brewer; Veto HB 2826

Posted on May 8, 2012 by Howard's Goodyear

Here is Georgia’s letter to Jan Brewer of May 2, 2012 asking Brewer to veto HB 2826 which requires AZ cities to move their elections to even numbered years in November in order to increase voter turnout. Georgia to Brewer-Veto HB2826   In this letter, Georgia wants Brewer to veto this measure in order to assure that everyone who lives in AZ part time has a chance to vote in local elections.  I wonder why that would be?

But here is what Georgia wrote about this topic to concerned Goodyear citizens only six months ago, in an email that hgb reported to readers of this blog in March of this year;

“I feel the process is best left to our citizens at this time“

Follow this link to Georgia’s entire email in this March 1, 2012 hgb article.

Earth to Georgia, the process has been left to “our citizens” in the form of the duly elected representatives of the state, who were elected by “our citizens” who just passed HB 2826, the bill you are asking the governor to veto and thereby subvert the will of “our citizens”.  Similar to the prison debacle, once again Georgia is found guilty of being two faced on an issue important to Goodyear residents.

If You Are Registered to Vote in AZ, You Should Have Paid AZ Income Taxes

On a related topic, hgb has recently corresponded with the Arizona Department of Revenue (Arizona’s IRS) and asked them to compare local Arizona voter registrations (you must declare that you are a resident of Arizona in order to vote) with AZ Income Tax returns.  If you have registered to vote in AZ then you should have filed an AZ state income tax as a resident since by registering to vote, you are certifying that you are an AZ resident.

If you vote here, that means that 100% of your Federal Income Tax return should be fully taxed in Arizona.

For example, if you happen to be one of Georgia’s part time AZ residents that she wants to make sure they vote, and you just happen to be registered to vote in Goodyear, AZ so you regularly vote in the local March election when you are here on your winter vacation, but you are actually a tax resident of say, Minnesota, because your permanent home is there, and you file your state income tax in Minnesota, then you are either guilty of voter fraud or you are guilty of not paying what you owe in income taxes to the state of AZ.

Either way, the state of AZ is due some additional revenue from you either in the form of income taxes or fines for voter fraud.  Your choice.

More on this topic after I hear back from the AZ Dept of Revenue.

Filed under: Dishonesty in Government, Goodyear Elections | 4 Comments »

Email or Phone Jan Brewer TODAY About HB2826

Posted on May 4, 2012 by Howard's Goodyear

HB 2826, which has been passed by both houses of the AZ legislature and is sitting on governor Brewer’s desk for signature forces AZ municipalities to move their elections to November of even numbered years to coincide with state and federal general elections. The purpose of this legislation is to INCREASE voter turnout in local elections, thereby getting more citizen input to who local elected officials are. It may also save money by reducing the cost of voting for cities.

Who is opposed to it?

Most (especially small town) cities and their incumbent officials.

Arizona League of Cities which is made up of those same incumbent officials. They claim 40 of the 76 municipalities who would be affected have written letters asking Brewer to VETO the bill. I’ve submitted a records request to find out what Goodyear has done. Remember Georgia’s response to requests to change Goodyear to November? Georgia Won’t Lift a Finger Any gamblers out there willing to bet what I find out Goodyear’s position has been?

PACs. Groups who find it easier to influence elections when voter turnout is small.

Public employee unions. I guess they like the current status quo. Surprised?

What you can do.

Phone or email (OR DO BOTH) Jan Brewer’s office and encourage her to sign this bill. She has to either sign, veto, or do nothing (then it becomes law without her signature) by this Saturday.

Jan Brewer’s Office Phone; 602 542 4331 press 3, then press 1, bill number is HB2826.

Jan Brewer’s Office email; Use the form at the bottom of this link. Link to Brewer email.

Filed under: 2013 Election | 2 Comments »

West Valley View BLASTS Goodyear, Pizzillo

Posted on May 2, 2012 by Howard's Goodyear

OUCH!  Need I say more?

I’m considering re-starting delivery of the WVV to my home.  I’ll at least buy something this week from one of their advertisers.

Jim Painter! You go guy!

Pizzillo Commentary

WVV Response

Pizzillo’s commentary is an example of how a contemptuous, insulated, and single minded organization of elected officials who have lost touch with the community and whose actions have not been thoroughly dissected by the media behaves.  Let’s hope WVV has seen the light and continues with their recent good work for Goodyear citizens.

Goodyear will have a budget meeting for citizen comments tonight May 2 at 6 pm.

314 days and counting until Goodyear residents get to take back Goodyear city council from special interest groups like union PACs, developers, and other business PACs (Georgia’s Money) and start to return Goodyear to fiscal sanity. The terms of the three “creeker” incumbents, Campbell, Gelzer, and Lord, expire in 2013 as well as former GY employee Joe Pizzilo’s term.

Goodyear city council primary elections; March 12, 2013.

Deadline for petitions to run for council; December, 2012.

Goodyear needs FOUR honest, intelligent, candidates to run against these government cronies in city council and mayor. Who is going to step up?

Filed under: 2012-13 Budget, News Media | 1 Comment »

How to Run for Goodyear City Council

Posted on April 30, 2012 by Howard's Goodyear

Georgia, Pizzillo, Wally, and Gelzer seats will be up for Goodyear City Council election in March 2013.  That’s 4 out of 7 dwarfs.

We need some good candidates to run against the incumbents on Goodyear city council in March, 2013.  2013 seems a long way off but it’s really not.  I have attached the official 2013 Goodyear election handbook to this article. There are four spots on city council to be filled.  If we get four non incumbents elected, we can start changing things for the better in Goodyear right away.

Candidate packets will be available from the city clerk in August.

Candidates can file their at least 461 but not more than 922 signatures on your petition as soon as November 13, but not later than December 12.  Georgia has lots of money to spend on consultants, so plan to have all your signatures challenged by Georgia like she planned to do last time which means you have to go for all 922.

The election will be March 12, 2013.  Let’s not make the same mistake twice and have TOO MANY ALTERNATE CANDIDATES.  Announce early, get yourself endorsed by howardsgoodyearblog as a fiscal conservative, and start getting your message out there.

And if you are fortunate enough to win, behave yourself, follow through on your fiscally conservative campaign promises, and;

DON’T MAKE ME COME DOWN THERE! I’ll still be watching.

Here is the official election handbook. BasicElectionInfoHndbk

Filed under: 2013 Election | 1 Comment »

West Valley View Says Antonucci Had it Right

Posted on April 27, 2012 by Howard's Goodyear

Will miracles never cease?

Today, the WVV got something right.

Today’s WVV editorial is titled, “Goodyear Should Put Residents First.” They then come up with a real news flash, that GY city council is supposed to be working for residents, NOT city employees. What a concept. They then go on to say that before pay raises and tuition grants are given to Goodyear employees with “expected” money Goodyear “thinks” they will have, some of the food sales tax should be removed.

Wow, is the WVV just now realizing that when they endorsed, incumbent, GY city council people, who took campaign money from city employee PACS from cities besides Goodyear, and when the GY city council is made up of;

  1. two former city employees (Pizzillo, Stipp),
  2. a mayor and vice mayor who could not tell you the difference between depreciation and deficits (Georgia, Joanne),
  3. a perhaps well meaning super volunteer with lots of friends who will vote for her regardless of her qualifications (Wally),
  4. an appointed city official wanna be (Gelzer),
  5. and a busy attorney with her own practice and a full plate (Lauritano)

that GY city council would be in the tank for their campaign contributors and do just about whatever the city manager says? And guess what? The easiest thing for the city manager to do to make his life easier is to give stuff to city employees.

And finally, WVV quotes Bill Antonucci, who ran for council last time but was defeated (no thanks to the West Valley View who endorsed all the incumbents, mostly because they were, “incumbents”). About Antonucci, the WVV says;

“Bill Antonucci said it best during last year’s council election: “The entire country has experienced a downturn in their income. Everybody is losing money; people are losing their jobs and losing their homes. So what did we do? We made it more expensive for them to live by raising their sales tax…”

Maybe editor and publisher Painter and Freireich are finally waking up over there in Avondale. But will they remember any of this at election time in 2013?

319 days and counting until Goodyear residents get to take back Goodyear city council from special interest groups like union PACs, developers, and other business PACs (Georgia’s Money) and start to return Goodyear to fiscal sanity. The terms of the three “creeker” incumbents, Campbell, Gelzer, and Lord, expire in 2013 as well as former GY employee Joe Pizzilo’s term.

Goodyear city council primary elections; March 12, 2013.

Deadline for petitions to run for council; December, 2012.

Goodyear needs FOUR honest, intelligent, candidates to run against these government cronies in city council and mayor. Who is going to step up?

Filed under: 2012-13 Budget, News Media | Leave a Comment »

Some People

Posted on April 26, 2012 by Howard's Goodyear

Goodyear citizens will only get better management of their tax dollars if they take back responsible fiscal management of their city by voting out the “Georgia Lord” delegation of seven council people who have run our city into the ground. It won’t be easy, Goodyear. You are up against a group of hard core, “support Georgia et al” at any cost folks whose mantra appears to be, “don’t confuse me with the facts”.

Example

Let me show you just one example of the kind of blind faith following that these folks have in some parts of Goodyear. The email below from PebbleCreek resident Don Packnett shows you how some people will not only refuse to even consider changing their opinion about something, they won’t even consider new information in their decision making before they start bloviating about it.

Don apparently saw my most recent post regarding four of Goodyear’s council members spending over $9,000 on a tax payer paid for 5 day trip to Washington, DC in March through the PebbleCreek message board. Don’s email reaction?

“Did the entire council go? If so, sounds like a bargain to me!”

Don received my article but he obviously did not bother to read it. (Reminds me of the editor of the West Valley View). The article in question starts off by naming the four of seven Goodyear council members who took the trip. Yet Don asks, “Did the entire council go?”

And that is the problem all you other Goodyear voters have. You must overcome a relatively large (at least 4667, the number of votes Georgia got last time) constituent of voters who are either friends, relatives (Jule White, for example), or just plain uninformed residents (or snow birds who vote) who not only won’t change their opinions of the incumbent group, they don’t even want any input which might change their opinion. One might even use the adjective MILITANT to describe them.

I don’t know Don Packnett, and I don’t think I’ve ever met him. On state and federal issues, Don could be a solid fiscal conservative like a lot of PebbleCreek residents (I would guess most) are. But show him a criticism of his favorite local political friends spending money that the city of Goodyear obviously does not have, and Don just shuts down. He does not want to hear it, he apparently won’t even read it, and he has the audacity to dream up a reason he could just possibly be in favor of spending an unneeded $9,000 of his tax money and send it out as a taunt.

I repeat (as Georgia likes to say), he apparently didn’t even read it.

But that is what you are up against, Goodyear. An entrenched, militant, single minded group of voters with their eyes closed. With this kind of blind leading the blind mentality, you have a tough job ahead of you if you want to change city government.

Now here is Don’s email to me.

From: June and Don Packnett
Date: Wed, Apr 25, 2012 at 8:50 AM
Subject: Re: [pebblecreek] GY Council’s 5 Day, $9,000 DC Junket
To: mynewbrain

Did the entire Council go? If so, sounds like a bargain to me!
Don

—– Original Message —– From: “mynewbrain”
To: <pebblecreek@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Wednesday, April 25, 2012 8:13 AM
Subject: [pebblecreek] GY Council’s 5 Day, $9,000 DC Junket

http://howardsgoodyearblog.com/ Howard Brodbeck

Filed under: 2012-13 Budget | 2 Comments »

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