Glendale political candidates weigh in on Coyotes deal

July 02, 2012

Several candidates running for the Glendale City Council say they oppose the city’s Jobing.com arena management agreement with the Phoenix Coyotes. On Monday, the group submitted a letter to city officials asking them to stop the deal.  From Phoenix, KJZZ’s Nadine Arroyo Rodriguez reports.

NADINE ARROYO RODRIGUEZ: The letter was hand-delivered to Glendale City Manager Horatio Skeete. Candidates Walt Opaska and Jerry Weiers are running for mayor. They along with five candidates for city council are asking to delay the signing of a $324 million lease agreement with the Phoenix Coyotes.  The conservative candidates says they’re concerned there isn’t enough money to support the 20 year project.  Diane Douglas is a candidate for the Sahuaro District seat, and one of the members who signed and delivered the letter.
 
DIANE DOUGLAS: It’s a long term commitment going into effect at a point in time when four of the majority of the council could likely change in through an election there’s also current councils aren’t suppose to obligate councils into the future.
 
ARROYO RODRIGUEZ: Douglas is referring to the two potential ballot measures that could stop the agreement from going through.  One group is gathering signatures to send the Coyote’s deal to the November ballot.  Another is calling for reversing the 2.9 percent city- sales tax-increase and requiring residents to vote on any future tax hikes. Glendale spokesperson Julie Frisoni says the deal will go through.
 
JULIE FRISONI: We gave gone through a, an incredible budget process this year that is taken about six or seven months to complete where we’ve allocated  the money for this and we’ve show the individuals where the money will be coming from.
 
ARROYO RODRIGUEZ: By next week city leaders will know if either or both measures have enough signatures to be on the ballot.