With the election less than a week away, I’m still getting some good questions from voters trying to make the right choice. I appreciate their efforts. Here’s the latest:
Dears sirs,
I can’t tell the difference between you in the candidate information pamphlet. Who is for limited spending, regulation, taxes, and payoffs to government employees and their pensions?
Thanks
HH
Thanks for the question!
It certainly can be difficult to tell the difference between candidates at election time. Suddenly, everyone is a budget hawk, everyone is resident friendly, and everyone is a protector of the neighborhoods. However, the real difference is what we’ve done (if anything) PRIOR to beginning our campaigns.
No one has fought harder and more publicly than I have against frivolous spending and taxpayer subsidies to private businesses. There was a good article in the Republic recently in which some of my budget concerns were discussed.
These subsidies also include no-bid city contracts, and no-bid sales of taxpayer-owned city property. One example of the latter is the sale of the old downtown senior center to Scottsdale Health Care for 1/3 of its assessed value. SHC may be be “non-profit” for tax purposes and it is a community asset, but it is a private business and the CEO makes over a million dollars a year.
You can hear my comments on the SHC property issue as I delivered them at the City Council meeting this week.
With regard to pensions, Scottsdale is part of the Arizona State Retirement System. The council and mayor don’t have authority over the ASRS.
However, they did have direct approval authority over the recent retirement incentive program that turned into a platinum parachute for some folks who really didn’t deserve it.
I think it is important to be competitive in compensation, but no one should expect to get rich from civil service.
In summary, I am the only one of the three candidates who has walked the walk. Just Google, “John Washington,” and, “site:scottsdaleaz.gov” to see for yourself!
Thanks again for your interest. Call me anytime.