Date: Wed, 11 Sep 2002 21:43:10 -0700 From: weavermt@YAHOO.COM (Tim Weaver) Subject: Referendum filed in Glendale on Cardinals Stadium To: AZRKBA@asu.edu
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 11, 2002
Contact: Tim Weaver Chairman Of the People, By the People, For the People No Bonds for Bidwell 602-402-7385
Referendum filed in Glendale on Cardinals Stadium
Glendale, Arizona -- With last year's events fresh in the minds of America, a local group filed a referendum seeking to challenge Glendale's resolutions approving the Cardinals stadium.
Tim Weaver, a mayoral candidate in the 2002 Glendale city elections, filed paperwork to refer the city's resolutions authorizing the Cardinals stadium to the voters.
"Scottsdale residents got to vote on it. Mesa residents just handily rejected it. Why does Glendale consistently refuse to allow the public to voice their opinion?"
Weaver indicates that the city plans to create a new layer of government, one that is unelected and unaccountable to thepublic.
"Glendale is going to create a new level of government, the boundaries of which we don't even know yet, and the city doesn't want to allow residents a chance to indicate whether they even WANT this new level of government."
"This is exactly what the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors did when they created the stadium district for Bank One Ballpark. Glendale is doing the same thing, and NOT giving residents a chance to voice whether they even WANT a new level of government. Glendale is stifling any debate on the matter."
Weaver, with the help of the Western Libertarian Alliance, hopes the referendum will prevent the city from issuing bonds to pay for a private sports facility and to stop the creation of this "insulation layer" of government.
"And just like the Board of Supervisors, the City Council will head up the stadium district."
"What I want people to understand is this: once this facilities district is created, that's it. There is NO way to get rid of it short of a statewide initiative creatingnew laws. And we know how much Glendale likes citizen initiatives."
Weaver said that residents in the district will be in for a big surprise.
"People living within the district, once it's formed, are toast. If the district passes a tax, too bad. Nothing the district does can be undone by initiative or referendum. That's why it is so important to stop it now."
Weaver gave an example of what's to come once this happens.
"A city official said 'contracts are an agreement between two parties and don't involve the will of the people.' This has to be the fascist quote of the month, maybe the whole year. The arrogance of the people running Glendale apparently knows no bounds. I hope to change that before the council orders their jackboots and brown shirts."
"The Glendale City Council is completely and utterly willing to use the power government force to bypass the people. This is exactly what they did for the Coyotes arena and exactly what the County Board of Supervisors did with the Bank One Ballpar. And we know how popular that decision was."
Weaver indicated that, yes, there was significance in filing these referendum applications today.
"Since September 11, we've all been focused on how great it is to be an American. Today I submit this referendum to demonstrate again how great it is to be an American, because we see in a City Council's action the willingness to prevent the people's right to stand up and be counted on the spending millions of taxpayer dollarsinstead, stealing the fruit of abor from individuals who have worked thousands of hours, giving every ounce of their brain matter, their thought, their time, in order to put food on the table."
"A government of the people, by the people and for the people. That's all I ask."
Those wanting to help can contact Mr. Weaver at 602-402-7385 or http://www.freeglendale.com (in a day or so).