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>> DISCUSSING THE ISSUES THAT
MAKE PHOENIX A WORLD-CLASS
CITY...
NOW, "ON THE ISSUES."
>> HI, THIS IS PHOENIX CITY
COUNCILMAN SAL DiCICCIO.
AS YOU'RE AWARE, IN THE PAST,
I'VE BEEN DOING A LOT OF WORK AT
EXPOSING THINGS THAT ARE GOING
ON IN GOVERNMENT, WHERE YOUR
MONEY GOES.
WELL, AS YOU HAVE SEEN YOUR
SENIOR CENTERS CUT, YOU'VE SEEN
LIBRARY HOURS CUT, POOLS
SHUTTERED, AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMS
FOR CHILDREN HAVE SEVERE CUTS IN
THE LAST FEW YEARS, AND A FOOD
TAX IMPOSED ON YOU AND YOUR
FAMILY AND HAVING TO CARRY THIS
BURDEN, WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO
SHOW WHERE MILLIONS OF YOUR
DOLLARS ARE GOING.
NOW, I HOPE YOU'RE SITTING DOWN,
BECAUSE IF YOU'RE NOT SITTING
DOWN, YOU'RE GOING TO WANT TO
SIT DOWN, BECAUSE WHAT WE'RE
GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT TODAY
IS WHERE MILLIONS OF YOUR
DOLLARS ARE GOING, BUT I WANT TO
INTRODUCE TO YOU TWO OF MY
GUESTS TODAY, AND YOU PROBABLY
HAVE BEEN READING ABOUT THEM.
THEY COME FROM THE NATIONAL AND
INTERNATIONAL GOLDWATER
INSTITUTE WHERE THEY'VE DONE A
LOT OF RESEARCH ON ITEMS LIKE
THIS, AND THEY LOOK AT
GOVERNMENT WASTE, AND THEY LOOK
AT THINGS THAT IMPACT YOU AND
YOUR POCKETBOOK, AND THEY'RE OUT
THERE PROTECTING YOU AS A
TAXPAYER.
I'VE GOT CLINT BOLICK.
I'M SURE YOU'VE READ ABOUT HIM
IN THE NEWSPAPER MULTIPLE TIMES.
CLINT, THANK YOU FOR COMING.
>> GOOD TO BE WITH YOU, SAL.
>> AND YOU'RE THE CHIEF
LITIGATOR, BASICALLY, FOR THE
GOLDWATER INSTITUTE?
>> THAT IS RIGHT.
>> AND MARK FLATTEN, WHO I'VE
KNOWN FOR QUITE A FEW YEARS.
HE'S BEEN AN INVESTIGATIVE
JOURNALIST, DONE A TON OF
WORKED, RECEIVED NUMEROUS
AWARDS, NATIONAL AND STATEWIDE
AWARDS, ON YOUR INVESTIGATIVE
JOURNALISM.
>> I HAVE MORE THAN 25 YEARS AS
A NEWSPAPER REPORTER, AND I'VE
BEEN AT THE GOLDWATER INSTITUTE
NOW AS AN INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER
FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS.
>> YOU'VE BEEN WORKING FOR THE
LAST TWO MONTHS OR MORE LOOKING
AT CERTAIN FUNCTIONS OF THE CITY
OF PHOENIX WHERE MONIES ARE
GOING, AND REMEMBER WHAT I SAID
I HOPE YOU'RE SITTING DOWN, WHY
DON'T YOU TELL US WHERE $3.7
MILLION A YEAR OF TAXPAYER
MONEY, NOT DUES MONEY, IS GOING
PER YEAR.
>> WELL, THE CITY OF PHOENIX HAS
SEVEN LABOR ORGANIZATIONS THAT
THEY HAVE CONTRACTS WITH.
THEY REPRESENT EVERYBODY FROM
POLICE TO FIREFIGHTERS TO OFFICE
SECRETARIES TO GROUNDS KEEPERS.
SEVEN DIFFERENT UNIONS.
IF YOU LOOK WITHIN THESE
INDIVIDUAL UNION CONTRACTS,
YOU'LL FIND PROVISIONS FOR WHAT
ARE CALLED RELEASE TIME, AND
WHAT RELEASE TIME IS IS THESE
PEOPLE WHO ARE CITY EMPLOYEES
CONTINUE TO DRAW FULL PAY AND
BENEFITS FROM THE CITY AND YET
THEY'RE RELEASED FROM THEIR
GOVERNMENT JOBS TO WORK
EXCLUSIVELY ON UNION BUSINESS.
FOR INSTANCE, THE POLICE UNION,
THE TOP SIX POSITIONS IN THE
POLICE UNION ARE ALL CITY
EMPLOYEES WHO ARE RELEASED
FULL-TIME FROM THEIR JOBS.
THE CITY CONTINUES TO PAY FULL
PAY AND BENEFITS FOR THESE
FOLKS, AND YET THEY DO NO WORK
FOR THE CITY.
EXTEND THAT ACROSS ALL SEVEN
UNIONS AND YOU WIND UP WITH WELL
OVER 73,000 HOURS EVERY YEAR.
JUST IN PAY AND BENEFITS ALONE
THAT ADDS UP TO ABOUT $3.7
MILLION A YEAR.
>> SO, AS WE ARE MAKING CUTS IN
OUR BUDGET, WE'VE GOT CITY PAID
EMPLOYEES SPECIFICALLY DOING
UNION ACTIVITY AND PAID FOR BY
THE TAXPAYER?
>> EXACTLY.
>> AND WITH ALL THE UNIONS
TOGETHER, IT'S ABOUT 73,000 MAN
HOURS.
>> IT'S ACTUALLY MORE THAN
73,000 MAN HOURS.
>> OKAY.
>> IT'S OVER 73,000 IN SORT OF
DEFINED HOURS WHERE THEY SAY
THIS PERSON IS RELEASED FROM HIS
DUTIES FOR A FULL YEAR, WHICH IS
2080 HOURS.
SO THERE ARE A NUMBER OF
SPECIFIC PROVISIONS WHERE TOP
UNION OFFICIALS ARE RELEASED
FROM THEIR CITY DUTIES FOR A
FULL YEAR.
MOST OF THEM ALSO HAVE A
PROVISION THAT QUALIFIES THEM
FOR AUTOMATIC OVERTIME.
YOU ALSO HAVE WHAT THEY CALL
BANKS OF HOURS, WHICH ARE, IN
ADDITION TO THESE FULL-TIME
RELEASE POSITIONS, EACH OF THESE
UNIONS ALSO GET A BANK OF HOURS
THAT THEY CAN USE TO PULL OTHER
WORKERS OFF THEIR CITY JOBS TO
GO IN AND DO EXCLUSIVELY UNION
WORK.
ONE OF THE LABOR ORGANIZATIONS,
IT'S 5500 HOURS.
MOST OF THEM ARE IN THE FOUR TO
5,000 HOUR PER YEAR RANGE.
AND THESE ARE, AS I SAY,
THESE ARE IN ADDITION TO
THE FULL-TIME RELEASE POSITIONS.
AND THEN ALL OF THE CONTRACTS
ALSO HAVE SORT OF NEBULOUS
PROVISIONS WHERE THEY SAY, UNION
OFFICIALS DOING THIS SORT OF
WORK, YOU KNOW, EXPLAINING THE
NEW CONTRACTS TO THE UNION
STEWARDS, THINGS LIKE THAT, MOST
OF THE CONTRACTS ALLOW THEM TO
BE RELEASED FROM THEIR DUTIES TO
DO THAT, AND YET IT EITHER DOES
NOT DEFINE WHETHER THAT COUNTS
AGAINST THAT BANK OF HOURS, OR
IN, I THINK, THE MAJORITY OF
CASES, IT SAYS THAT THEY DO NOT
COUNT AGAINST THE BANKS OF
HOURS.
SO YOU'VE GOT FULL-TIME RELEASE
POSITIONS, ALL BUT TWO OF THEM
HAVE AT LEAST THREE FULL-TIME
RELEASE POSITIONS WHERE THEY DO
ABSOLUTELY EXCLUSIVELY NOTHING
BUT WORK FOR THE UNION.
THE FIREFIGHTERS AND THE POLICE
SUPERVISORS UNION HAVE TWO
FULL-TIME RELEASE POSITIONS.
THE PHOENIX POLICE, THE RANK
AND FILE POLICE UNION, HAS SIX
FULL-TIME RELEASE POSITIONS.
THE OTHER INTERESTING LITTLE
QUIRK IS BOTH THE PHOENIX LAW
ENFORCEMENT ASSOCIATION, WHICH
REPRESENTS FRONT-LINE OFFICERS,
AND THE FIREFIGHTERS ASSOCIATION
GET 500 HOURS EACH FOR A
LOBBYIST, EVEN THOUGH THE
CITY -- THE CITY ALREADY HAS 25
REGISTERED LOBBYISTS, MOST OF
THEM ARE CITY EMPLOYEES, BUT THE
CITY ALSO SPENDS ABOUT $300,000
A YEAR, JUST SHORT OF THAT, FOR
PRIVATE OUTSIDE LOBBYING FIRMS
TO REPRESENT THE CITY'S
INTERESTS, PLUS ANOTHER 400,000,
ROUGHLY, I THINK, FOR FEDERAL
LOBBYING.
SO IN ADDITION TO ALL OF THAT,
THEY'RE ALSO ALLOWING BOTH THE
POLICE AND THE FIRE UNIONS 500
HOURS FOR LOBBYING.
>> WELL, ONE OF THE THINGS I
FOUND INTERESTING WAS THE FACT
THAT, YOU KNOW, THESE GROUPS,
TAXPAYER PAID LOBBYISTS,
REPRESENTING THEMSELVES AND
THEIR UNION ACTIVITY AT THE
LEGISLATURE.
ONE OF THE THINGS I FOUND
INTERESTING, TOO, AND I DIDN'T
SEE IT IN THE REPORT, BUT I DO
KNOW ABOUT IT, IS THAT THE
FIREFIGHTER UNION HAS A
POLITICAL DIRECTOR.
SO ESSENTIALLY THEY'RE BEING
PAID BY TAXPAYERS TO DO
POLITICS, WHETHER IT'S IN --
THEY'RE LEGALLY NOT ALLOWED TO
BE INVOLVED IN PHOENIX POLITICS,
BUT THEY GET INVOLVED IN
POLITICS ALL AROUND THE STATE OF
ARIZONA.
NOW, ONE OF THE THINGS I WANT TO
BRING CLINT IN ON THIS PART OF
IT, IT JUST SEEMS TO ME THAT
THAT'S JUST NOT -- OTHER THAN I
THINK THE PEOPLE LISTENING TO
THIS ARE PROBABLY THINKING,
"HUH?
YOU MEAN, YOU CUT MY LIBRARY
HOURS, YOU CUT MY POOL, YOU CUT
THE PROGRAMS FOR MY KIDS, AND
THEN YOU'RE TAXING ME MORE WITH
THIS NEW FOOD TAX THAT THE CITY
HAS IMPOSED, AND YOU RAISE MY
WATER RATES."
THAT'S KIND OF A PERFECT STORM
THERE ON ITS OWN.
"AND NOW YOU'RE TELLING ME THAT
YOU'RE SPENDING $3.7 MILLION ON
UNION ACTIVITY?"
NOW, CLINT, DOESN'T THAT GO
AGAINST OUR CONSTITUTIONAL --
OUR CONSTITUTION IN THE STATE OF
ARIZONA?
>> IT EMPHATICALLY DOES, SAL.
FORTUNATELY, IN THE ARIZONA
CONSTITUTION, WE HAVE A
PROVISION CALLED THE GIFT
CLAUSE, AND IT FORBIDS
GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS FROM GIVING
GIFTS BY SUBSIDY OR OTHERWISE TO
PRIVATE INDIVIDUALS OR TO GROUPS
AND BUSINESSES.
AND THE GOLDWATER INSTITUTE,
MANY OF YOUR VIEWERS AND
CONSTITUENTS SURELY KNOW THAT WE
TOOK ON A $100 MILLION SUBSIDY
THAT THE --
>> A GIVEAWAY.
>> -- THAT THE CITY OF PHOENIX
USED TO PAY A CHICAGO DEVELOPER
TO BUILD THE CITY NORTH SHOPPING
MALL.
BUT THIS IS EVEN MORE BRAZEN
THAN THAT.
THIS IS BASICALLY A GIVEAWAY TO
A PRIVATE ENTITY, THE UNIONS, TO
DO ALL UNION ALL THE TIME.
THERE IS NO PUBLIC BENEFIT FOR
THIS, THERE ARE NO REQUIREMENTS
THAT ARE IMPOSED ON THE UNIONS
THAT THEY HAVE TO DO WORK FOR
THE CITY, AND THIS OUGHT TO BE
SCANDALOUS, BUT, I'LL TELL YOU,
IT IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL.
>> AND THEN, MARK, WHEN YOU WERE
LOOKING AT DOING THE RESEARCH ON
THIS, AND, YOU KNOW, I KNOW
YOU'VE DONE MONTHS OF IT, WHAT
KIND OF PROMPTED YOU TO TAKE A
LOOK AT SOME OF THIS?
>> WELL, LAST YEAR I DID A
LONG-TERM INVESTIGATIVE PROJECT
ON ESSENTIALLY DISCIPLINARY
RULES, WHAT ARE THE DISCIPLINARY
RULES, WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO GET
RID OF A BAD PUBLIC EMPLOYEE?
>> TELL US WHAT YOU FOUND.
GET RIGHT TO THE BOTTOM LINE.
>> LET ME PUT IT THIS WAY: AFTER
DALE HAUSNER, THE SERIAL
SHOOTER, WAS CONVICTED OF, I
BELIEVE IT WAS SEVEN COUNTS OF
FIRST-DEGREE *** AND
SENTENCED TO DEATH ROW, HE WAS
STILL -- HIS APPEAL OF HIS
TERMINATION FROM THE CITY OF
PHOENIX WAS STILL ON APPEAL.
SO THAT TELLS YOU HOW HARD IT IS
TO FIRE A PUBLIC EMPLOYEE.
SO HE'S BEING SENT TO DEATH ROW
AND HE STILL HAS AN ACTIVE
APPEAL ON BEING FIRED FROM THE
CITY OF PHOENIX.
SO THAT PRETTY WELL DESCRIBES
THE PROCEDURES YOU HAVE TO GO
THROUGH.
BUT GETTING BACK TO THIS STORY,
WHAT PROMPTED ME TO START
LOOKING INTO THIS IS WHEN I WAS
WORKING ON THAT STORY ON THE
DISCIPLINARY FILES, ONE OF THE
THINGS I HAD TO DO WAS SEE WHAT
THE UNION CONTRACTS ARE FOR THE
CITY OF PHOENIX, AND I WAS
READING THEM, I WAS READING EACH
OF THE INDIVIDUAL CONTRACTS, AND
I KEPT COMING ACROSS THESE
PROVISIONS ON RELEASE TIME, AND
AT THE TIME IT STRUCK ME AS ODD.
I THOUGHT, I MUST BE READING
THAT WRONG, BECAUSE I JUST -- IT
JUST DID NOT SEEM TO MAKE SENSE
TO ME, BUT THAT REALLY HAD
NOTHING TO DO WITH THE ISSUE I
WAS RESEARCHING AT THE TIME, SO
I JUST KIND OF KEPT GOING AND
THOUGHT, WELL, I'LL COME BACK
TO THAT LATER.
AND I WAS ABLE TO COME BACK TO
THAT LATER, AND IT TURNS OUT
THAT, YES, INDEED, WHEN IT SAYS
THAT A TOP UNION OFFICIAL IS
RELEASED FOR 2080 HOURS, THAT
MEANS THAT THEY WILL CONTINUE TO
DRAW THEIR FULL PAY AND BENEFITS
FROM THE CITY EVEN THOUGH
THEY'RE BEING RELEASED
EXCLUSIVELY TO DO WORK FOR THE
UNIONS.
>> WELL, I'VE GOT TO TELL YOU,
FROM A PUBLIC OFFICIAL PART OF
IT, I MEAN, I BELIEVE THAT THE
MANAGEMENT TEAM HERE HAS AN
OBLIGATION TO LET THE PUBLIC
KNOW AND THE COUNCIL KNOW ALL
THE DETAILS THAT ARE IN THERE,
AND THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN.
WHEN THESE AGREEMENTS CAME
FORWARD TO THE COUNCIL, THEY
WERE GIVEN LESS THAN A WEEK TO
LOOK AT THEM, MAKE A
DETERMINATION -- YOU TOOK A
COUPLE MONTHS TO KIND OF DIG
INTO IT.
AND WHEN YOU HAVE A SYSTEM
THAT'S SET UP LIKE THAT, YOU
LITERALLY HAVE A SYSTEM DESIGNED
TO HIDE INFORMATION FROM THE
PUBLIC.
IT'S A LACK OF TRANSPARENCY AND
THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT
I'VE BEEN WORKING HARD AT IS,
YOU KNOW, GETTING ALL THIS
INFORMATION OUT TO THE PUBLIC.
NOW, I KNOW IT MAKES A LOT OF
PEOPLE A LITTLE BIT UPSET, AND
IT SEEMS LIKE EVERY WEEK WE'RE
COMING UP WITH SOMETHING NEW,
BUT YOU WOULD THINK AFTER TIME
THAT THE PUBLIC WOULD JUST --
EVEN THE STAFF HERE WOULD
UNDERSTAND WE'VE GOT TO GET THIS
INFORMATION OUT.
>> WELL, AND THIS WOULD BE AN
AWFULLY EASY WAY TO MAKE CUTS,
BECAUSE IT WOULDN'T AFFECT CITY
SERVICES AT ALL EXCEPT TO
IMPROVE THEM.
>> EXACTLY.
>> BECAUSE INSTEAD OF THESE
PEOPLE DOING UNION STAFF,
PRESUMABLY, FOR EXAMPLE, THE
POLICE OFFICERS WOULD BE BACK ON
THE BEAT INSTEAD OF DOING UNION
WORK.
AND I THINK WHERE THE CONFUSION
COMES IN IS IF YOU LOOK AT A
CONTRACT AND IT'S GOT SOMETHING
CALLED A RELEASE TIME, YOU WOULD
THINK PEOPLE ARE JUST BEING
RELEASED FROM THEIR DUTIES TO DO
SOMETHING ELSE.
WELL, THEY'RE BEING RELEASED
FROM THEIR DUTIES, ALL RIGHT,
BUT THEY'RE NOT BEING RELEASED
FROM THEIR PAYCHECKS.
>> THAT'S EXACTLY IT.
>> WHEN MARK POINTS OUT THAT
THEY'RE GETTING OVERTIME, WHEN
THEY'RE NOT GIVING THE CITY ANY
TIME IN THE FIRST PLACE.
SO THIS IS -- THIS IS -- THIS IS
REALLY OBSCENE.
>> WELL, THE EGREGIOUS PART
REALLY IS ALL OF IT, BUT THE
OVERTIME PART IN PARTICULAR IS
SOMETHING THAT GOT MY ATTENTION
ON IT.
YOU KNOW, IT'S INTERESTING, THE
LANGUAGE THAT'S USED HERE IS
USED WHERE THE COMMON GUY ON THE
STREET DOESN'T UNDERSTAND IT.
IT'S LITERALLY DESIGNED THAT
WAY.
WHEN YOU SEE THE WORD RELEASED,
YOU THINK, WELL, THEY'RE
RELEASED FROM THEIR OPERATION.
WELL, NO, IT MEANS THEY'RE
GETTING PAID.
>> I GOT TO TELL YOU, TOO, SAL,
THAT PHOENIX ISN'T ALONE.
ONE OF THE THINGS I DID WAS
LOOKED AT THE SURROUNDING
CITIES.
NOW, THE CITY OF SCOTTSDALE DOES
NOT DO COLLECTIVE BARGAINING
AGREEMENTS WITH LABOR
ORGANIZATIONS AND WHAT THEY TELL
ME IS THEY HAVE NO PROVISION FOR
RELEASE TIME.
TEMPE, I BELIEVE, HAS FOUR
UNIONS.
CHANDLER HAS SEVERAL.
MESA HAS ONE AND THEY'RE GETTING
READY TO FINALIZE A SECOND ONE.
GLENDALE HAS SEVERAL.
EACH OF THESE CONTRACTS ALLOWS
THESE UNIONS THOUSANDS OF HOURS
OF RELEASE TIME.
SO IT'S -- I TOLD SOMEBODY, IT
STRIKES ME AS THE BEST KEPT
SECRET THAT EVERYBODY SEEMS TO
KNOW ABOUT, IS -- IT HAS BECOME
A STANDARD PROVISION IN THESE
COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS
BETWEEN MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES
AND THEIR EMPLOYERS.
>> WELL, EVERYONE THAT KNOWS
ABOUT IT IS IN GOVERNMENT.
>> EXACTLY.
>> THE ONES WHO DON'T KNOW ABOUT
IT ARE THE PUBLIC.
BECAUSE IT'S JUST TOO DIFFICULT
FOR PEOPLE TO GET THAT
INFORMATION.
>> OBVIOUSLY I THINK MOST PEOPLE
ASSUME WHEN THEY SEE A PUBLIC
EMPLOYEE UNION REPRESENTATIVE
THAT THEY'RE BEING PAID FROM
UNION DUES.
I MEAN, I SPENT MY ENTIRE CAREER
COVERING GOVERNMENT, AND THAT'S
WHAT I ALWAYS ASSUMED.
BECAUSE UNLESS YOU ACTUALLY GO
IN AND READ THOSE CONTRACTS, YOU
REALLY DON'T HAVE ANY WAY OF
KNOWING, BECAUSE IT'S JUST NOT
SOMETHING PEOPLE TALK ABOUT VERY
MUCH.
>> WELL, WE'RE GOING TO WRAP
THIS PART OF THE SHOW UP, AND
I'M GOING TO HIGHLY RECOMMEND
THAT YOU STAY TUNED TO THE
SECOND HALF.
I'VE GOT WITH ME CLINT BOLICK,
THE LEAD ATTORNEY FOR THE
GOLDWATER INSTITUTE, AND THEN
MARK FLATTEN, THE INVESTIGATIVE
ATTORNEY, WHO HAS DONE AN
EXTENSIVE MONTHS' LONG
INVESTIGATION INTO WHAT I
BELIEVE TO BE TAXPAYER ABUSE AT
THE CITY OF PHOENIX.
AND I WANT TO THANK YOU RIGHT
OFF THE BAT.
I DO WANT TO THANK YOU FOR ALL
THE WORK THAT YOU DID ON THIS,
BECAUSE IT WAS A LOT OF WORK,
AND THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT
THE PUBLIC WILL BE SEEING THIS,
AND SO -- WHEN WE COME BACK,
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THEM BACK
ON, WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT
OTHER SYMPTOMS, OTHER ISSUES
THAT ARE GOING ON AT CITY HALL,
AND WHY YOU NEED TO GET
INVOLVED.
PRETTY SOON THERE'S GOING TO BE
AN ELECTION, COMING RIGHT AROUND
THE CORNER.
YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A CHOICE TO
MAKE.
YOU CAN MAKE A CHOICE OF SITTING
DOWN ON YOUR CHAIR AND DOING
NOTHING OR YOU'RE GOING TO SIT
THERE AND SAY, "I, THE TAXPAYER,
THE BOSS, I AM THE VOTER, I NEED
TO GET OUT THERE AND VOTE."
I AM GOING TO HIGHLY ENCOURAGE
YOU TO VOTE FOR THE CANDIDATE
THAT YOU BELIEVE THAT'S GOING TO
REPRESENT YOURSELF.
STAY TUNED.
WE'RE GOING TO START THE SECOND
HALF REAL SOON.
THANK YOU.
>> WE ARE DIFFERENT.
SOCIETY SHOULD ASPIRE TO BE MORE
LIKE US.
>> BE PART OF THE FIRST CLASS.
>> WHOO-HOO!
>> GET ENERGIZED!
GET OUTSIDE.
>> HOLD ON, GUYS.
IT'S GOING TO GET BUMPY.
>> AND GET MOVING!
EXPERIENCE THE POWER OF PHYSICAL
ACTIVITY!
>> WHEW!
>> JOIN THE MOVEMENT AT
ACTIONHEROALLIANCE.COM.
>> HI, THIS IS PHOENIX CITY
COUNCILMAN.
THANK YOU FOR COMING BACK TO THE
PROGRAM.
AS I'VE TOLD YOU AT THE
BEGINNING OF THE PROGRAM, I'M
HOPING YOU'RE SITTING DOWN,
BECAUSE AS YOU'VE SEEN YOUR
PROGRAMS CUT FOR SENIORS,
PROGRAMS FOR AFTER SCHOOL,
PROGRAMS FOR KIDS, LIBRARIES'
HOURS BEING CUT, POOLS BEING
SHUTTERED, TAXES BEING IMPOSED
ON YOU, A HIGHER WATER RATE
INCREASE, THE HIGHEST WATER RATE
INCREASE -- YOU'RE PAYING MORE
FOR YOUR WATER, ALMOST 200% MORE
TODAY THAN YOU DID 10 YEARS AGO,
YOU DESERVE TO KNOW WHERE YOUR
MONEY IS GOING.
AND WITH ME TODAY I'VE GOT CLINT
BOLICK WITH THE GOLDWATER
INSTITUTE AND MARK FLATTEN WITH
THE GOLDWATER INSTITUTE AND
THEY'VE DONE AN EXTENSIVE
INVESTIGATION INTO WHERE SOME OF
YOUR MONIES ARE GOING,
$3.7 MILLION GOING TO UNION
ACTIVITY,
NOT DUES, BUT UNION ACTIVITY.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS WE WERE
TALKING ABOUT AT THE BREAK IS
THE INABILITY TO GET INFORMATION
HERE.
IT'S VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE.
I HAD TO FILE A PUBLIC RECORDS
REQUEST TO GET INFORMATION ON
THE FOOD TAX.
I WANTED TO GET A DIRECT ANSWER.
AND AFTER MONTHS, LITERALLY
MONTHS OF ASKING THE SAME
QUESTION OVER AND OVER AGAIN TO
THE CITY ATTORNEY, HE FINALLY
SAID, WELL, YES, THIS ONE
DOCUMENT DOES EXIST, AND YOU
HAVE IT.
AND FOR A CITY COUNCILMAN TO GET
THIS INFORMATION, AND DELAYED
INFORMATION, MOST PEOPLE WOULD
THINK, WELL, HOW DOES THAT WORK?
WELL, IF I HAVE DIFFICULTY
GETTING INFORMATION, WHAT DO YOU
THINK THE OPPORTUNITY IS AND THE
ABILITY FOR THE PEOPLE IN THE
PRIVATE SECTOR TO GET
INFORMATION?
AND IF YOU LOOK AT WHAT'S BEEN
HAPPENING HERE THE LAST FEW
YEARS, IT LITERALLY HAS BEEN TO
CLAMP DOWN AND PREVENT
INFORMATION FROM GETTING OUT.
WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE UNION
CONTRACT, AND THE UNION
CONTRACTS WERE GIVEN TO THE
COUNCIL WITH BASICALLY ONE
WEEK'S WORTH OF NOTICE.
I MEAN, THAT WAS IT.
HERE'S THE UNION CONTRACT.
YOU WOULD THINK YOUR STAFF WOULD
OUTLINE SPECIFICALLY ALL THOSE
THINGS THAT ARE IN THERE.
AND THE ENTIRE COUNCIL,
INCLUDING MYSELF, VOTED FOR IT.
AND I ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR
IT.
I JUST DO.
I MEAN -- YOU KNOW, I'VE HAD
EVEN PEOPLE ON THE COUNCIL SAY,
"WELL, YOU VOTED FOR THAT!
HOW COME YOU'RE EXPOSING IT?"
I SAID, "WELL, BECAUSE, YOU
KNOW, I MADE A MISTAKE."
YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S OKAY TO
SAY THAT.
BUT ALSO I BELIEVE THAT STAFF
HAS A RESPONSIBILITY TO GET THIS
INFORMATION OUT NOT ONLY TO THE
COUNCIL BUT TO THE PUBLIC.
ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS I'VE
PUT OUT -- THERE ARE TWO
SIGNIFICANT RECOMMENDATIONS.
ONE, NO CONTRACT LABOR
AGREEMENT GETS APPROVED WITHOUT
THE PUBLIC'S KNOWLEDGE AND VIEW
OF THE CONTRACT FOR AT LEAST 30
DAYS.
THE SECOND THING IS I BELIEVE
THAT THE NEGOTIATIONS -- NOW,
REMEMBER, THE NEGOTIATIONS YOU
HAVE CITY STAFF NEGOTIATING
AGAINST THEMSELVES.
SO WHATEVER THEY NEGOTIATE ON
THE OTHER END IS WHAT THEY'RE
GOING TO GET.
I THINK THAT'S AN INHERENT
CONFLICT OF INTEREST AND THAT
SHOULD BE DONE ON THE OUTSIDE,
BUT THOSE NEED TO BE TAPED SO
THAT THE PUBLIC AFTER THE
AGREEMENTS ARE DONE, THE PUBLIC
CAN VIEW HOW THOSE NEGOTIATIONS
REALLY WENT.
I BELIEVE THERE SHOULD BE FULL
DISCLOSURE OF HOW THOSE
NEGOTIATIONS ACTUALLY OCCURRED.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS WE WERE
GOING TO TALK ABOUT WAS
THE GIFT CLAUSE.
I WANT TO GO A LITTLE BIT DEEPER
INTO THAT, AND THE WORK THAT
YOU'VE DONE IN THE PAST, WHICH
HAS BEEN, YOU KNOW, NATIONWIDE,
AND YOUR FEELING ON THE GIFT
CLAUSE, AND I WANT TO GO THROUGH
SOME NUMBERS TO SHOW WHY I
BELIEVE THE CITY OF PHOENIX IS
REALLY WITHHOLDING A LOT OF THIS
INFORMATION.
>> WELL, SAL, I THINK THAT THESE
UNION CONTRACTS WITH THE CITY
TAXPAYERS PAYING PUBLIC
EMPLOYEES TO DO EXCLUSIVELY
UNION WORK FOR THE BENEFIT OF
THE UNION, INCLUDING LOBBYING
AND POLITICAL ACTIVITIES, IS A
BLATANT VIOLATION OF THE GIFT
CLAUSE, AND THE GIFT CLAUSE
PROTECTS ARIZONA TAXPAYERS
AGAINST HAVING THEIR MONEY GIVEN
TO PRIVATE ENTITIES OR PRIVATE
INDIVIDUALS AS A GIFT.
AND THE WAY YOU FIGURE OUT
WHETHER IT'S A GIFT, WELL, MY --
THE WAY I DO IT IS, IS THIS
SOMETHING YOU WOULD LIKE TO FIND
UNDER YOUR CHRISTMAS TREE?
WELL, HECK, THE UNIONS OUGHT TO
BE ECSTATIC THAT THEY'RE GETTING
ALL OF THIS MONEY TO DO UNION
WORK FOR FREE.
SO IT MEETS THAT TEST.
THE COURTS HAVE A SLIGHTLY
DIFFERENT TEST, AND THAT IS,
IS THERE A QUID PRO QUO?
IS THERE AN EXCHANGE OF VALUE
FOR VALUE?
JUST LIKE ANY TIME YOU HAVE A
CONTRACT, YOU HAVE TO AGREE TO
DO SOMETHING FOR ME, AND I HAVE
TO DO SOMETHING FOR YOU.
AND IT HAS TO BE OF ROUGHLY
EQUAL VALUE.
AND THIS, WHEN MARK GAVE ME
THESE CONTRACTS TO LOOK AT,
TO ASK FOR MY LEGAL OPINION,
I SAID, MARK, THERE MUST BE
SOMETHING MISSING, BECAUSE I
DON'T SEE ANY OBLIGATIONS
ON THE PART OF THE UNION.
THIS IS SIMPLY MONEY THAT'S
BEING GIVEN TO THE UNION.
HE SAID, NOPE, THESE ARE
THE ENTIRE DOCUMENTS.
AND ANYONE, ANYONE READING THEM,
NOT A LAWYER, JUST -- I MEAN,
ANY PERSON READING THESE THINGS
WOULD SAY, THERE IS NOT A
BARGAIN GOING ON HERE.
THIS IS A ONE-SIDED DEAL.
THE TAXPAYERS ARE PAYING.
THE UNIONS ARE GETTING.
AND THAT MAKES IT AN INVALID
DEAL.
AND WE ARE LOOKING VERY HARD AT
THE POSSIBILITY OF CHALLENGING
THESE.
>> WELL, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT
WE FOUND INTERESTING AS WE WERE
LOOKING INTO IT, TOO -- I MEAN,
LITERALLY, IT TAKES MONTHS TO
READ THESE THINGS BECAUSE
THEY'RE WRITTEN IN A LANGUAGE
THAT ATTORNEYS LIKE YOURSELF
WOULD BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND,
OR INVESTIGATIVE REPORTERS,
BUT EVEN THAT TAKES TIME.
>> RIGHT.
>> BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE
FOUND INTERESTING, WE ASKED,
WELL, WE'D LIKE TO HAVE AN
AUDIT.
WELL, WE WERE TOLD SPECIFICALLY,
WELL, WE WILL NOT AUDIT ANY
OF THESE DOLLARS THAT ARE GOING
TO THESE UNION CONTRACTS.
AND AS A TAXPAYER, THAT BOTHERED
ME.
>> IT GOES BEYOND -- THERE ARE
PROVISIONS IN THERE WHERE THE
CITY ACTUALLY GIVES SOME OF
THESE LABOR ORGANIZATIONS CASH.
THERE ARE TWO THAT GET $14,000
FOR TRAINING.
ONE GETS A $2,000 PARKING
ALLOWANCE.
THERE ARE SOME PROVISIONS LIKE
THAT.
NOT ONLY DOES THE CITY NOT AUDIT
THAT MONEY, THE LABOR
ORGANIZATIONS DO NOT HAVE TO
ACCOUNT REALLY FOR HOW THEY
SPEND THEIR RELEASE TIME.
THEY ARE SUPPOSED -- IF THEY'RE
CALLED IN SICK OR IF THEY TAKE
VACATION, THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO
REPORT THAT, BUT THEY DON'T HAVE
TO REPORT TO THE CITY "I SPENT
THIS MANY HOURS DOING THIS
TASK."
SO IT'S ESSENTIALLY SORT OF A
WIDE-OPEN CHECK FOR THEM.
THE OTHER THING YOU MENTIONED
BEFORE ON THE WAY THESE
CONTRACTS ARE PRESENTED TO THE
COUNCIL AND THE WAY THEY'RE
NEGOTIATED, IT DOESN'T APPEAR
THAT AT EACH -- THESE ARE
TWO-YEAR CONTRACTS.
IT DOESN'T APPEAR THAT THEY GO
BACK AND SIT DOWN WITH A BLANK
SHEET OF PAPER AND SAY, OKAY,
LET'S START TALKING ABOUT WHAT
WE WANT.
THEY ESSENTIALLY TAKE THE OLD
CONTRACT AND ESSENTIALLY WEDGE
IN A FEW NEW PARAGRAPHS.
SO ONCE IT'S IN THAT CONTRACT,
IT'S NOT SOMETHING THEY SIT DOWN
AND TALK ABOUT AND HAGGLE BACK
AND FORTH ON WHEN IT COMES UP
FOR RENEWAL.
IT'S ESSENTIALLY CAST IN STONE
AT THAT POINT UNLESS A
COUNCILMAN CHOOSES TO CALL THEM
OUT ON IT, WHICH I PROBABLY
WOULD BE WILLING TO WAGER AT
LEAST ONE WILL.
BUT, AGAIN, THERE'S NO "LET'S GO
BACK FROM THE BEGINNING,
LET'S START AT THE BEGINNING AND
FIGURE OUT WHAT IS THE
APPROPRIATE AGREEMENT."
IT'S, "OKAY, HERE'S WHAT WE HAD
LAST YEAR -- OR LAST TWO YEARS,
WHAT DO WE WANT TO ADD?"
KIND OF THING.
>> WELL, WHAT'S INTERESTING,
TOO, IT'S GOES BACK TO WHAT
THE PUBLIC KNEW AND WHAT
INFORMATION WAS REALLY GIVEN
TO THEM.
AND WE WENT THROUGH THIS DEBATE
BACK AND FORTH ON THE FOOD TAX,
AND THE PAY RAISES, AND, YOU
KNOW, THAT FOOD TAX FOR PAY
RAISE SCANDAL, AND THE REASON
THAT THAT CAME ABOUT WAS
BECAUSE, IF YOU LISTEN TO STAFF,
THE MANAGEMENT TEAM, THEY SAID,
"WELL, WE'VE ALWAYS DONE THIS.
WE'VE GIVEN PAY RAISES EVERY
SINGLE YEAR."
AS A MATTER OF FACT, I HAD ONE,
THE CITY MANAGER, SAY,
"WELL, THAT'S THE HOLY GRAIL.
YOU HAVE TO DO THAT."
WELL, REALLY?
YOU'VE GOT INDIVIDUALS IN THE
PRIVATE SECTOR THAT HAVE LOST
THEIR JOBS, LOST THEIR HOMES.
THEY'RE BARELY MAKING IT DAY BY
DAY, AND THE CITY HAS IMPOSED
HIGHER FEES ON SMALL BUSINESS
OWNERS BARELY MAKING IT.
THEY'RE COFFEE CUP AWAY
FROM LOSING THEIR BUSINESS.
WE'VE IMPOSED HIGHER FEES ON
THEM.
WE RAISED -- THE CITY OF PHOENIX
HAS RAISED THEIR WATER RATES,
THEIR FOOD TAX, ALL THOSE THINGS
HAVE GONE ON, BUT THEY CAN NOT
TOUCH CONTRACTS THAT HAVE
ALREADY BEEN DONE IN YEARS PAST,
EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE UP FOR
RENEWALS.
IT JUST DOESN'T SEEM FAIR.
I FOUND THAT INTERESTING THAT
YOU BRING THAT UP, BECAUSE THAT
IS A DILEMMA THAT WE KEEP
GOING BACK TO.
"WELL, WE'VE ALWAYS DONE THIS."
WELL, DID THE PUBLIC KNOW ABOUT
IT?
AND HOW WAS IT COMMUNICATED TO
THE PUBLIC?
WHEN WE WENT THROUGH THE FOOD
TAX DEBATE, IF YOU LOOK AT HOW
THE FOOD TAX GOT PUT TOGETHER,
IT WAS DONE -- A VOTE WAS DONE
WITHIN LESS THAN 24 HOURS'
NOTICE, AND IT PASSED THE NEXT
DAY, BUT THEN THE PUBLIC WAS
TOLD, WELL, IT'S GOING FOR
POLICE AND FIRE.
WELL, WHEN, IN FACT, THEY WERE
NEVER TOLD THAT PAY RAISES WERE
PART OF THE NEGOTIATED
AGREEMENTS.
THE PUBLIC WASN'T GIVEN THE FULL
INFORMATION OF THE FINANCIAL
IMPACT OF THE PAY RAISES UNTIL
AFTER THE FOOD TAX PASSED, UNTIL
THE LABOR AGREEMENTS GOT PASSED,
AND THEN THE BUDGET GOT PASSED.
AND THEN LITERALLY ABOUT ONE
MONTH AFTERWARDS THE PUBLIC WAS
GIVEN THE INFORMATION,
"WELL, HERE'S THE VALUE OF
THE PAY RAISES."
IT WAS ONLY BECAUSE WE HAD ASKED
FOR INFORMATION ON THAT.
THEY SAID, "NO ONE'S EVER ASKED
THAT BEFORE."
IT'S BEEN HIDDEN.
>> WELL, SAL, THE FACT THAT IT'S
BEEN DONE THIS WAY FOR A LONG
TIME CERTAINLY DOESN'T MAKE IT
RIGHT, AND IT CERTAINLY DOESN'T
MAKE IT LEGAL.
WHEN WE WENT TO THE ARIZONA
SUPREME COURT ON THE CITY NORTH
SUBSIDY, THE CITY OF PHOENIX
SAID, "HEY, EVERY CITY
IN ARIZONA DOES THIS,
YOU KNOW, AND WE'VE
GOT TO GIVE MONEY TO DEVELOPERS,
OTHERWISE, YOU KNOW, THIS MALL
MIGHT LOCATE IN SCOTTSDALE
INSTEAD OF PHOENIX."
AND THE ARIZONA SUPREME COURT
SAID, "THAT MAY BE WELL AND
TRUE, BUT GOING FORWARD,
THIS WILL NOT HAPPEN AGAIN."
AND I SUSPECT THAT'S EXACTLY
WHAT THE COURTS WILL SAY WHEN
THEY SEE THESE CONTRACTS.
>> WELL, WITH SOME OF THOSE
AGREEMENTS IN THE PAST, IF YOU
LOOK AT THEM, IT'S CRONY
CAPITALISM, IS WHAT IT IS, AND
IT'S THE BIG TERM EVERYONE HAS
USED, BUT REALLY IT IS.
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
>> IT'S BASICALLY GIVING OUT
TAXPAYER MONEY TO INDIVIDUALS
WHO CAN PRETTY MUCH AFFORD IT
THEMSELVES --
>> AND I GUESS THIS WOULD BE
CRONY UNIONISM.
>> CRONY UNIONISM.
IT GOES BOTH WAYS.
>> YES, IT DOES.
>> NOT ONLY DOES IT GO WITH THE
UNIONS, BUT IT ALSO GOES WITH
DOLLARS GOING TO PEOPLE THAT CAN
AFFORD IT.
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
AND WHAT YOU WERE SAYING ABOUT
THE PUBLIC RECORDS, OF COURSE,
THE PUBLIC HAS A RIGHT TO ACCESS
THE RECORDS.
IF YOU HAVE TO FILE A PUBLIC
RECORDS REQUEST TO GET
INFORMATION, THAT JUST SHOWS HOW
HARD IT IS FOR THE AVERAGE
CITIZEN.
WE'VE HAD TO SUE PHOENIX IN THE
PAST TO GET THE DETAILS OF DEALS
BETWEEN THE CITY AND PRIVATE
DEVELOPERS, AND THAT'S MONEY
THAT'S -- AND TIME THAT'S BEING
WASTED, AND WE MAY HAVE THE
RESOURCES TO FILE A PUBLIC
RECORDS LAWSUIT AND YOU MAY, BUT
THE AVERAGE CITIZEN DOESN'T.
>> AND THEN THEY GET LANGUAGE,
ALSO, THAT DOESN'T ANSWER THEIR
QUESTION.
IT'S BEEN AN INTERNAL STRUGGLE
HERE, LET ME PUT IT THAT WAY,
TRYING TO GET INFORMATION.
I MEAN, WHEN YOU HAVE A CITY
ATTORNEY WHO'S SUPPOSED TO BE
REPRESENTING THE TAXPAYERS
LITERALLY REFUSING TO GIVE YOU
INFORMATION, AND A CITY MANAGER
PURPOSELY KEEPING INFORMATION
AWAY FROM THE PUBLIC UNTIL
ALL THE DECISIONS ARE MADE,
YOU GOT PROBLEMS, AND THAT
TELLS YOU WHY WE'RE HERE TODAY.
>> YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY WHEN I
WAS WORKING AT NEWSPAPERS, I
USED TO TELL GOVERNMENT ENTITIES
THAT WERE MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO
GET PUBLIC RECORDS, I WOULD TELL
THEM, I'LL GUARANTEE YOU THERE'S
NOTHING IN THOSE RECORDS THAT'S
GOING TO MAKE YOU LOOK AS BAD AS
THE FACT THAT YOU'RE COVERING
THEM UP.
>> YEAH.
>> AND SOMETIMES THAT WORKS.
SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T.
BUT THAT GOES TO THE POINT OF
A TRANSPARENCY AND OPENNESS.
GOVERNMENT IS SUPPOSED TO BE
TRANSPARENT.
IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE OPEN.
IT IS, AFTER ALL, THE PEOPLE'S
BUSINESS.
AND IF IT'S NOT BEING OPEN AND
TRANSPARENT, THEN THAT MAKES YOU
STOP AND THINK, "WELL, WHAT IS
IT THEY DON'T WANT THE PUBLIC TO
KNOW?"
>> IT'S INTERESTING THAT YOU SAY
THAT.
MY STAFF AND I WERE JUST TALKING
ABOUT THAT TODAY, THIS FOOD TAX
FOR PAY RAISE SCANDAL.
IT TOOK LITERALLY TWO TO THREE
MONTHS JUST TO GET THEM TO
ACKNOWLEDGE ONE DOCUMENT, JUST
ONE, BUT WHAT THEY DID IS WE
ASKED FOR A DOCUMENT, AND THEN
THEY SENT US 100 PAGES.
AND WE SAID, "WELL, YOU DIDN'T
ANSWER THE QUESTION.
WHERE IS THE DOCUMENT?"
THEN THEY SENT US ANOTHER --
FIRST THEY SENT US 45, 47 PAGES.
THEN THEY SENT US ANOTHER
HUNDRED PAGES.
WE'RE THINKING, WHERE IS THIS
DOCUMENT THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR?
AND THEY WOULDN'T ANSWER IT.
>> THEY EVEN GIVE YOU NOTHING
OR THEY FLOOD YOU WITH PAPER.
>> WELL, THEY KILLED,
WE ESTIMATED, ABOUT FOUR
TREES TO GIVE US THAT.
BUT BEFORE WE HAVE WRAP UP,
WE'RE ABOUT TO WRAP UP, I DO
WANT TO THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR
WORK.
I WANT THE PUBLIC TO KNOW, AND
THIS IS THE BOARD THAT CREATES A
LOT OF CONTROVERSY, BUT I WANT
THE PUBLIC TO SEE THESE NUMBERS,
AND THESE NUMBERS IMPACT YOU,
AND I WANT YOU TO KNOW WHERE
YOUR MONEY IS GOING.
THE AVERAGE COST PER EMPLOYEE AT
THE CITY OF PHOENIX IS $100,000
A YEAR, AND THE LAST 18 MONTHS
THE CITY OF PHOENIX HAS RAISED
YOUR FEES, YOUR TAXES, WATER
RATE INCREASE, FOOD TAX INCREASE
AND PROPERTY RATES AND TAXES TO
A GENERAL FAMILY OF $130 MILLION
A YEAR.
THE AVERAGE COMPENSATION THAT
YOU AND YOUR FAMILY MAKE IN THE
PRIVATE SECTOR... $57,000 A
YEAR.
YOU CAN SEE THE GAP HERE.
AND THEN WE HAVE 15,000
EMPLOYEES.
THE AVERAGE EMPLOYEE AT THE CITY
OF PHOENIX IS MAKING $17,000
MORE A YEAR TODAY THAN THEY DID
FIVE YEARS AGO AT THE SAME TIME
YOU TOOK PROBABLY ANYWHERE
BETWEEN A 15 AND 25% CUT IN YOUR
COMPENSATION.
AND THAT COST TO YOU, THAT COST
TO YOU, IS $270 MILLION MORE A
YEAR TODAY THAN IT DID FIVE
YEARS AGO.
AND REMEMBER WHERE THE CITY
COMES OUT AND SAYS, WELL, WE'VE
GONE THROUGH ALL THESE MASSIVE
LAYOFFS, WE'VE LET PEOPLE GO.
WELL, THE ACTUAL NUMBER LET GO
IN TWO YEARS?
15.
BUT THAT'S JUST THE COST SIDE OF
IT.
THE BENEFITS SIDE OF IT GETS A
LITTLE BIT WORSE.
A FIRST-YEAR EMPLOYEE AT THE
CITY OF PHOENIX, WHICH IS A
CLERK, BOTTOM RUNG, LOWEST LEVEL
THAT WE HAVE, GETS 40.5 DAYS OFF
THEIR FIRST YEAR,
GREAT BENEFITS, EDUCATION
BENEFIT OF $8,000 A YEAR,
FREE BUS AND RAIL,
WHILE EVERYBODY ELSE IN
THE PRIVATE SECTOR HAS TO PAY
FOR IT,
POST-EMPLOYMENT HEALTHPLAN.
WHEN THAT INDIVIDUAL RETIRES,
THEY GET TO WALK AWAY WITH
AROUND $76,000 TO TAKE CARE OF
THEIR HEALTH IN THEIR
RETIREMENT.
AND MOST OF THEM GET TO RETIRE
IN THEIR 50s.
SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT REFORM AND
CHANGE, THE PUBLIC, YOU THE
PUBLIC, HAVE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY
TO DECIDE WHERE YOU WANT YOUR
MONIES TO GO.
WE'RE GOING TO BE HAVING AN
ELECTION REAL SOON.
IF YOU DECIDE TO SIT ON YOUR
SOFA AND WATCH TV AND WATCH THAT
GAME, WHICH I THINK IS A GREAT
THING, BUT I WOULD HIGHLY
RECOMMEND YOU PICK UP A PEN,
FILL OUT YOUR BALLOT, TURN IT
IN, AND VOTE, BECAUSE THAT IS
THE ONLY THING THAT YOU CAN DO
TO MAKE THE CHANGES NECESSARY
HERE.
I'M GOING TO DO EVERYTHING I CAN
TO KEEP EXPOSING WHAT'S GOING ON
AND STOP THIS NONSENSE AND ALL
THE SHENANIGANS GOING ON AT CITY
HALL, AND IT'S BECAUSE OF THE
HELP OF MARK AND CLINT AND
PEOPLE LIKE THAT THAT ARE ALSO
HELPING, BUT ONLY YOU HAVE THE
POWER TO STOP THE SHENANIGANS.
I'M SAL DiCICCIO, AND I
APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT I HAVE
THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE YOU,
AND HAVE A GREAT DAY AND A GREAT
WEEK.
THANK YOU.
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