Let’s look at the upcoming Sept. 11th Elections being held here in Phoenix.

First of all I am eager to remind everyone that we could have cut in half the cost of printing these handy little sample ballots if we only printed them in English, thus saving tax dollars for something important like cleaning the environment up a bit…

Second, and I was thrilled to see this part on pages seven and ocho, it clearly describes what is needed to prove you’re a legal citizen and that you are legal to vote. However I think that allowing a utility bill or a bank card is to easy and it should be refined before the next election or require only those instruments issued by the state of federal government as I do not believe the bank or the utility companies are required to prove you are a legal member of our society prior to depositing your check or turning on your lights. I am a firm believer that the only things that should be accepted are the following: A valid Social Security Card (and these need to be revamped to allow for a slide into a computer to verify) a Valid Arizona Drivers License of state ID Card and or you Registration Card. Provisional ballots should not be issued under any situation.

PROP 1

This is the hire 600 cops and 100 fire fighters act. Great Idea, but don’t vote for it. Let’s get rid of the 500,000 illegal aliens in the state so the cops we have time and can concentrate on what they should be doing which is reducing crime on our streets committed by the legal pieces of crap in society. Then the fire fighters will no longer be responding to 911 calls during the illegal break-ins of illegal aliens by illegal aliens and they will have more time to fight fires. This will also decrease their reaction time to the fires they need to be ready for. This is a city issue, but why not ask the Gov. nicely to grant us some of that 1 billion dollar surplus from last year for this kind of stuff. The state doesn’t need it or it wouldn’t be called a surplus.

PROP 2

The let’s give them all a raise act. Let’s pay the Mayor $93,262 and the City Council $65,284.00 per year, a 5.82% increase over the last two years.

Sure, why not. I have no problem with this so long as they do not have another job. If they do they can sit on what they make. Remember, they are serving us, not getting into politics to make a killing or a little extra cash flow for the family. But that’s not how the Proposition is written, so what do you think? I say ok. Most of us got raises last year in our jobs based on doing a good job. Wait, did they do a good job? There in lies the rub. If you think they did, vote yes. If you think they suck, vote no.

PROP 3

Local Control. Sounds so very American. Can we trust the city to budget properly? Sure we can, just watch Phil Gordon go to town. Last thing we need is to be reverted back to the formula created in 1979 prior to the boom this town has seen and be forced into deficit spending. That’s one of the arguments for this. Except that it is currently estimated that 1 billion dollars (isn’t that money we are trying to increase the sales tax for that could be spent on 600 police and 100 fire fighters???) more is collected than we need.  We are spending what we bring in and not a penny more. But we are also bringing in 1 billion dollars more than we really need to effectively run this city. Wish the State and Feds could get on a program like this. Oh wait they have one already but the extra goes to waste. I say we reduce taxes by half a billion dollars and give the rest to the Police and Fire Fighters so they can increase their roles if they really need to and at the same time put $500 million dollars back into the local economy by letting home owners spend that money on the increased mortgage payments that their adjustable loans are about to ask for each month thus reducing the foreclosure rate in Phoenix and making it the one city in the country that will ride out what recession there might be in ease.

PROP 4

Filing times… Who cares? Take as much time as you need to get to know the folks and get the petitions signed for your run at public office.

PROP 5

Conduct of Elections. Ok, Gotcha. You want more time to get yourself together for office. No sweat.


PROP 6

Initiative Filing Deadlines. I agree with this one. We can’t have people bringing up petitions from three years ago after a problem may have been dealt with by some other law to suddenly try to screw with it. You got two years from the time the petition is given a number to get it signed. That’s plenty of time on a city of this many people. I can see it taking longer in a rural area like a country or even a state, but in the city limits, not a problem in getting the signatures when we are all right here.

Other than that you have the election of Major and you local Council Members. As I do not live in all the districts I will not be speaking to that part except to say that there are some good people out there and there are those living off their daddy’s name recognition. Get to know the good guys and send those representing La Raza back home.

As for Major, we have two choices: our current Major, Phil Gordon and Steve Lory. I’ve not been impressed by Mr. Gordon. Aside form the fact that he has clearly forgotten his promise from the last election like how crime will be a major focus and his financing of land development companies in this state (as if you can’t make money by developing land in this state) and his tireless work to make this a Sanctuary City by spiting in the face of Federal Law. I seriously doubt this man has Phoenix’s long term health as his first priority. Even the liberal New Times recently said he was clearly preparing for a run at the Governor’s Mansion.

But I know Steve Lory, not intimately but I have spoken with him several times. He seems to me to be a man of integrity. Honest in his assessments of what this city needs, direct in the steps he intends to take to deliver on those needs and interested enough to listen to even a lowly blogger like myself. Before the election which is just a under a month away I would urge you all to listen to the show Steve currently hosts called Phoenix Issues on 1100 AM KFNX on Saturday nights from 9-10 pm and if you miss that show he is on live again Sunday nights from 6-7pm. His website for the show is www.phoenixissues.com and his Candidate web site is www.stevelory2007.com.

Beyond this I would urge you all to take five and look into the people running for your local Council seats. Hell just Google their names, it take five minutes to do so. If you don’t have time to do that then I would equally urge you not to vote. If you can’t do so in an educated way you shouldn’t participate.

But what would I know; I’m just an Average American.