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NEWS
GILBERT SUN NEWS AN EDITION OF THE SUNDAY EAST VALLEY TRIBUNE | AUGUST 11, 2019
EV lawmaker steps into Bullhead City battle BY KEVIN REAGAN GSN Staff Writer
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tate Rep. Jeff Weninger’s district — which covers part of Gilbert — is hundreds of miles away from Bullhead City, but the Republican lawmaker has parachuted into a controversy involving that municipality’s effort to take over a private water utility. Weninger is accusing Bullhead City officials of using public resources to advocate in favor of a proposition that would permit them to spend $130 million to buy EPCOR Water, which services the area. Weninger filed a complaint with the state Attorney General, alleging city officials acted unlawfully by publicly endorsing Proposition 415. The Bullhead City Council recently approved a November ballot initiative that asks local voters to authorize the purchase. While he doesn’t represent the residents of Bullhead City, Weninger said he’s concerned the city’s actions were so “egregious” that it could snowball into more municipalities taking positions in future elections. “I worry about how that’s gonna affect other campaigns all over the state,” Weninger said. “Just because it’s up there doesn’t mean it doesn’t set a precedent for what can happen statewide, including my district.” Arizona law prohibits cities, school districts and other public entities from using their telecommunications, computer hardware, software, web pages, or personnel for the purpose of influencing an election. While government entities can provide facts about a proposition, the law requires them to be neutral when it
private showdown with each side dispersing their own facts about the issue. The video was posted on a city webpage that included links to a page of “Water Facts” that explains why the city wants to buy EPCOR. “City residents and businesses have been complaining for years about EPCOR’s water rate increases and consolidation efforts,” the city’s website states. “The City has tried repeatedly to work with EPCOR and to make State Rep. Jeff Weninger of Chandler, whose district includes part of Gilbert, things better, but nothhas complained to the state Attorney General about a proposition fight in ing has changed.” Bullhead City (GSN file photo) Weninger thinks the comes to telling citizens how to vote. city’s language is too biased and advoIn his complaint, Weninger notes cates for passage of the proposition. a video of Bullhead City Mayor Tom He further accused Bullhead of using Brady calling EPCOR “greedy” was a land contract to obtain digital billposted on the city’s official website. board advertisements that supported “I hope that the voters will see the ballot initiative. through all of EPCOR’s propaganda and “It’s pretty clear cut they can’t use ofgreed and allow us to move forward ficial resources to try to attain a ‘Yes’ with this acquisition,” the mayor was vote from a citizen,” Weninger said. recorded saying in a speech the day the Brady said officials still have the right City Council voted to put the proposi- to “speak the truth,” but admitted there tion on the ballot. are grey areas in the law and thinks the EPCOR is fighting the proposition by city’s decision to post his speech online forming a political action committee was “questionable.” called Taxpayers Against City Takeover “I think that might be a little over the to campaign against it. top,” the mayor said about the video. Bullhead argues that water is becom- “I don’t think the city should post that, ing unaffordable because of rate hikes, but the city’s position is that this is a but TACT calls the city’s effort’s an ex- factual thing that happened.” treme example of government overThis is a matter for the courts and reach. attorney general to decide, the mayor It’s all leading to a public-versus- added, and the city will comply with
whatever orders are given. He’s not exactly sure why a lawmaker from another district would file complaint against Bullhead City. “We have no idea why Mr. Weninger got involved,” Brady said. Weninger said multiple people, whom he did not identify, informed him of the dispute in Bullhead City — possibly because he’s known for not favoring eminent domain, the legal process of the government taking private property. Before Weninger was elected to represent District 17, he served on the Chandler City Council for two terms. In 2009, he was the only member of the council to vote against buying property through eminent domain for Chandler’s new City Hall. Taxpayers Against City Takeover, the political committee formed by EPCOR last year, filed its own complaint Bullhead City with the attorney general, alleging many of the same accusations as Weninger. Both complaints are marked with the same date of July 24. Weninger insists he had no connection to the utility company. “I don’t know anybody who works for EPCOR that I know of,” Weninger said. He’s not the first lawmaker to file complaints for matters happening outside their district. State Rep. Vince Leach, a Republican who represents parts of Pinal and Pima counties, recently filed a complaint against the city of Tempe for passing an ordinance that might conflict with Arizona law. A spokesman for the Attorney General’s Office says the complaints against Bullhead City are being reviewed and it could take up to two months for the matter to be resolved.
resource officers. “I definitely think more needs to be done.’’ That “more’’ is Ducey’s proposal to allow judges to issue a Severe Threat Order of Protection, requiring people to submit to mental evaluations. It even would permit, under certain circumstances, for courts to order police to immediately pick up that person and, with a court order, have them held for up to 14 days. “We think the STOP order is a good idea,’’ the governor said. Ducey made his remarks several days
ence, he said, is that there is clear notice to the person. And Heller said if a court finds the person to be a danger, that ruling, by itself, means they cannot have any weapons. More concerning, he said, is the ex parte nature of STOP orders — meaning the person isn’t even notified about the initial hearing — and what could happen when police, armed with a STOP order, show up at someone’s door.
Trump echoes Ducey’s gun-control measure BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services
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alling it the best way to prevent mass shootings, Gov. Doug Ducey is renewing his bid to allow judges to take away guns of people believed to be a danger to themselves or others and have them held for mental examination. “I’m disappointed we haven’t gotten more done on school safety,’’ the governor told Capitol Media Services, citing additional funding for counselors and school
before two mass killings in less than 24 hours took 31 lives on Aug. 3 and before President Trump suggested on Aug. 5 that a review of mental health laws include something resemblying the STOP process. Charles Heller, spokesman for the Arizona Citizens Defense League, called the proposal both unnecessary and dangerous. Heller said existing provisions in the mental health code allow a court to order an evaluation of someone determined to be a danger to self or others. The differ-
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