FC: "Tax hating" Arizonan fights tax-funded stadium via open records law

From: Declan McCullagh (declanat_private)
Date: Sat Jan 05 2002 - 15:26:01 PST

  • Next message: Declan McCullagh: "FC: Bernie Shifman, accused spammer, threatens to sue those who complain"

    Background on taxpayer-funded stadium controversy:
    http://www.endzonemarketing.com/football_dick_looking.html
    
    Arizona open records law:
    http://www.azleg.state.az.us/ars/39/00121-01.htm
    
    Arizona Tourism and Sports Authority, created by the state legislature:
    http://www.az-tsa.com/aboutus.htm
    
    Below message was forwarded to cypherpunks by Matthew Gaylor. As a
    courtesy, I've copied the board members of the Arizona Tourism and
    Sports Authority.
    
    -Declan
    
    ---
    
    Date: Fri, 04 Jan 2002 18:57:38 -0700 (MST)
    From: snailat_private (MIKE ROSS)
    Subject: email addresses of TSA board members - please distribute to everyone
    To: freemattat_private, snailat_private
    
    As a tax hating Arizonan i figured I would like
    to e-mail the TSA (Tourism Stadium Authority) board
    members and tell them I think the new stadium
    for Bill Bidwell and his stinking football team
    should be built in St Louis, Mo using whatever
    tax dollars the citizens of St Louis feel free
    to spend on it. certainly not in Phoenix or Tempe
    where the Arizona government goons want to build
    it using MY tax dollars.
    
    So I emailed Kim Monroe kmonroe@az-tsa.com at
    the TSA and asked her for the email addresses
    of the TSA board members.
    
    She came back and said the email addresses were
    secret and I couldn't have them.
    
    I asked John Wilde for some legal advice on the
    matter and he told me to get the information
    requesting them as public records per
    
              A.R.S. Section 39-121
    
    I wrote the TSA back and demanded for them to give
    me the information under the public records
    laws of A.R.S. 39-121 and told them I would sue
    if they didn't give it to me.
    
    I also emailed a press release to about 1500
    Arizona media outlets asking if they could
    write a story about how the TSA is refusing
    to give out public information.
    
    Last I sent a press release out to all of
    the Arizona state senators and house members,
    and most elected city and county officials
    in Maricopa county complaining that the TSA
    was refusing to give out public information
    and asking for their help.
    
    looks like something i did worked. i got this
    email today listing the email addresses of
    the TSA board members. I think it's from the
    law firm that represents the TSA.
    
    Please give it out to as many libertarians
    and tax haters as you can so other people
    can tell the TSA board members what they
    think about Bill Bidwells stadium.
    
    mike
    
    ------------------------------------------------------
    
    Date: Fri, 4 Jan 2002 16:50:45 -0700
    From: CSKINNERat_private
    Subject: Tourism and Sports Authority - Response to Public Record Request
    To: snailat_private, jhuppentat_private
    Cc: tferris@az-tsa.com, kmonroe@az-tsa.com, LSTEINat_private
    
    Dear Mr. Ross and Representative Huppenthal,
    
    We represent the Tourism and Sports Authority and have been copied on the
    exchange of correspondence between Mr. Ross, Representative Huppenthal and
    Ms. Monroe of the Authority concerning Mr. Ross's public record request for
    the email addresses of the Authority's Board members.  Please find below a
    list of the requested addresses:
    
    Mr. Roc Arnett:         rarnett@az-tsa.com
    
    Mr. John Benton:                jbenton@az-tsa.com
    
    Mr. Jim Grogan:         jgrogan@az-tsa.com
    
    Mr. C.A. Howlett:               chowlett@az-tsa.com
    
    Ms. Valarie Miceli:     vmiceli@az-tsa.com
    
    Mr. Herman Orcutt:      horcutt@az-tsa.com
    
    Mr. William Peltier:    wpeltier@az-tsa.com
    
    Mr. Rod Williams:               rwilliams@az-tsa.com
    
    In addition to contacting Authority Board members via email, correspondence
    to Board members may, of course, be directed to the Board by mailing such
    correspondence to any or all Board members directly c/o the Tourism and
    Sports Authority, 14500 North Northsight Boulevard, Suite 312, Scottsdale,
    Arizona 85260.  Also, phone messages for Board members may be left with Ms.
    Debbie Kivin, Authority Receptionist, at (480) 505-0533.
    
    Additionally, please be aware that the Authority, like most public entities,
    has a policy requiring those requesting public records to complete a Public
    Record Request Form prior to disclosure of the records.  In the interest of
    expediency, I am forwarding the above records despite the lack of a
    completed Public Record Request Form.  However, we would appreciate Mr. Ross
    completing this form and returning it to the Authority as soon as possible.
    A copy of the Public Record Request Form is available on the Authority's web
    site located at www.az-tsa.com.
    
    If you have any questions or comments regarding the foregoing, please
    contact me at your convenience.
    
    Sincerely,
    
    Christopher Skinner
    Associate
    Fennemore Craig, P.C.
    
    
    The information contained in this e-mail message is attorney privileged and
    confidential information, intended only for the us of the individual or
    entity named above. If the reader of this message is not the intended
    recipient, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution, or
    copy of this communication is strictly prohibited. If you have received this
    communication in error, please notify us immediately by telephone (602)
    916-5000 or reply by e-mail and delete or discard the message. Although this
    e-mail and any attachments are believed to be free of any virus or other
    defect that might affect any computer system into which it is received and
    opened, it is the responsibility of the recipient to ensure that it is virus
    free and no responsibility is accepted by Fennemore Craig, P.C. for any loss
    or damage arising in any way from its use. Thank you.
    
    
    
    
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    POLITECH -- Declan McCullagh's politics and technology mailing list
    You may redistribute this message freely if you include this notice.
    Declan McCullagh's photographs are at http://www.mccullagh.org/
    To subscribe to Politech: http://www.politechbot.com/info/subscribe.html
    This message is archived at http://www.politechbot.com/
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    



    This archive was generated by hypermail 2b30 : Sat Jan 05 2002 - 15:32:52 PST