Political games cost taxpayers money

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Marty Hermanson, Chairman of the Pinal County Republican Party, states that elected officials in Pinal County are playing games with taxpayers’ money.

Pinal County has often been infected with corruption, and usually because of the existence of thug political figures. “We all remember Laura Dean Lytle hiring a close family friend, a convicted felon and illicit-drug-user, who had access to sensitive information from county residents that led to the arrest of Albert Ray Robbs for identity theft and check writing fraud, which was an abuse of power and public trust by the County Recorder,” said Hermanson.

Now, we have reckless spending by hiring a lawyer, Bruce Adelson, to do everything he can to block HB2101 being approved by the Department of Justice (DOJ). There is no mystery what Rios and Snider want to have happen. This is about waiting until after the 2010 census to form new districts and no longer use the existing districting plan used by Central Arizona College. They are using public funds to oppose what will be fair representation of Pinal County residents by trying to block the two additional districts, which were signed into law by Governor Brewer.

In 2002, both the House and Senate voted for Pinal County to have five county supervisors, based on the 2000 Census. When the bill went to then Governor Janet Napolitano for her signature, she vetoed the bill, and, because of that, Pinal County had to stay with three county supervisors. There was partisan politics played back in 2002, and now we are there again six years later.

There are six plaintiffs suing the Pinal County Board of Supervisors, claiming this is unconstitutional. Joseph Robison, chairman of the Pinal County Democratic Party, Robert Mitchell, former mayor of Casa Grande, and Ken Edwards, president of the Maricopa Democrats Club, are among the six plaintiffs suing the Board of Supervisors. This might as well have been the Democrat Party in Pinal County suing. The only thing missing here is ACORN. By the way, who is paying for the six plaintiffs’ suit against the Board of Supervisors? Once again there is the smell of corruption in Pinal County.

Supervisor Snider and Supervisor Rios snuck the contract for a lawyer on HB2101 at a retainer fee of $14,500 and $300 per hour through and squelched any discussion on the matter. That is their attempt to crush opposition and avoid transparency. The motion to hire the lawyer was approved 2-1, with Supervisor Martyn opposing. David Snider said, “Inasmuch as the Arizona Attorney General had already forwarded HB 2101 to the U.S. Department of Justice at the time we approved the contract for Mr. Adelson, the county’s need for his expertise in assisting us in determining how best to meet the anticipated questions of the department is even more relevant. Mr. Adelson, a former high level employee of the DOJ, has experience and knowledge of the process and nuances far in excess of anyone in the County Attorney’s Office.”

Supervisor Rios put forward that the specialized lawyer would be just “assisting” the DOJ in its review, yet in an article at InMaricopa.com, Pete Rios said, “He hopes that the hiring of the lawyer will lead to the bill being ‘shot down'” It is about a fifty-fifty chance,” Rios said. Which one is true, Mr. Rios?

It has become well past the time that we are permitted to expand to five supervisor districts once and for all. I believe the citizens will be better served, and I think we get better decisions from five supervisors vs. three. It has been my experience that with less geography brings better and more focus, and more focus leads to better results.

Moving to five supervisor districts will become more manageable and bring better decision-making and better government to the citizens of Pinal County, which we all expect of our elected officials. Once and for all, put the citizens’ best interests ahead of personal gains.

Marty Hermanson is the chairman of the Pinal County Republican Party. He can be contacted at (480) 440-4050 or via email at [email protected].

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