ARIZONA GIVES DAY IS APRIL 5, PAGE 23
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Avondale at center of polling place chaos Public officials say voters deserve answers about primary election problems by Glenn Gullickson staff writer
DRAMA QUEEN 49th annual Melodrama set for Saturday in Buckeye — Page 10.
EYE ON THE BALL Sports coverage starts on Page 11. View photo by Ray Thomas
DAILY UPDATES! News Updates and fresh Classified ads posted Monday - Friday at 4:30 p.m. online at www.westvalleyview.com Volume 30, No. 87 28 Pages 1 Section Circulation: 72,853 INDEX Classifieds .................... 24 Editorials & Letters .......... 6 Obituaries ...................... 21 Sports ........................... 11 Briefcase ......................... 9 Pet of the Week ............. 20 9 Days a Week............... 19 Recycle this paper
JONATHAN TUCKER of Avondale paints the trim around a toilet paper dispenser March 12 at the Goodyear Skate Park. The Troop 90 Boy Scout painted the skate park bathrooms as part of his Eagle Scout project.
An Avondale City Councilman and the Maricopa County supervisor who represents the area said voters in the Southwest Valley’s largest city deserve an explanation for why there wasn’t a polling place with an Avondale address in last week’s Presidential Preference Election. County Supervisor Steve Gallardo said the decision to reduce the number of polling places was part of what made the March 22 election what he called “probably the worst election conducted in the state of Arizona” that had some voters waiting in line for hours to cast ballots. The election that Avondale City Councilman Lorenzo Sierra called “the biggest fiasco” caused him to request the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate whether Avondale voters were “systematically disenfranchised” in what’s a step in selecting delegates to this summer’s national political conventions. “Avondale voters took the brunt of Maricopa County’s historic election malpractice,” Sierra said in his letter to U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch. Sierra said he doesn’t want to suggest that locations for polling places were determined based on demographics until there’s an investigation, but his letter notes the racial diversity of the city’s population of about 85,000. “Avondale represents the demographic and economic trajectory of the United States,” Sierra wrote to Lynch, noting that a Hispanic population of more than 50 percent makes it Arizona’s second largest Hispanic majority city. The city’s black population is more than 9 percent, nearly double the state’s percentage, Sierra noted. “Avondale being the community that it is, I (See Polling on Page 5)
F-35 making Avondale, Tolleson to begin Home Rule process air show debut Approval would allow cities to spend revenue already collected
at Luke AFB
by Glenn Gullickson and Emily Toepfer
Free event to run Sat., Sun.
staff writer and assistant editor
Avondale and Tolleson are taking steps to ask voters to continue their authority to spend the revenues they collect, a measure the mayors say is essential to fund existing city services. The authority known as the alternative local expenditure limitation or Home Rule is expected to be on the cities’ ballots in the Aug. 30 election. It’s a measure that must be put to voters every four years. Public hearings on the measure will be held during the meeting of the Avondale City Council at 7 p.m. April 4 at the Council Chambers at City Hall, 11465 W. Civic Center Drive, Avondale,
and the Tolleson City Council at 7 p.m. April 12 at the Tolleson City Hall Complex, 9555 W. Van Buren St., Tolleson. Without voter approval of Home Rule, city officials warn that residents would see significant cuts in programs, services and improvement projects. “There’s a huge amount at stake,” Avondale Mayor Kenn Weise said. “It would really cut a huge portion out of our budget if it didn’t pass. As a council, how do you decide what will be cut back?” Without Home Rule, the Arizona Constitution (See Home Rule on Page 4)
by Emily Toepfer assistant editor
Luke Air Force Base is celebrating its diamond anniversary, and everyone’s invited. The Glendale base is hosting a free air show Saturday and Sunday titled “75 Years of Airpower,” which marks Luke’s 75th year of operation. Gates open at 9 a.m. with a full flight line of static aircraft to view and vendors open for sale. Aerial acts are scheduled to run from 11 a.m. to (See Air show on Page 5)