Sedona AZ (July 19, 2018) – What is the difference between civic dialogue and disinformation?
That’s the question the city manager of Sedona is asking in the midst of a small-community debate that mirrors a national discussion about fake news and alternative facts, and a federal investigation into international interference in American democracy.
“While civic discourse is instrumental to ensuring that government is responsive to its citizens, disinformation is disheartening,” says City Manager Justin Clifton. “In a rural community of 10,000 people, citizens are being targeted with a political stunt that relies on false news to try to influence an election.”
Disinformation, often called “fake news,” is everywhere but – thus far – seems to have been confined largely to national politics or attempts to target national brands such as Pepsi and Starbucks. Fake news, and its cousin false news, is information that is deliberately fabricated, or news that begins with a kernel of truth that is twisted, with a goal to influence public opinion about a targeted person or issue.
In the case of Sedona, the target is an Aug. 28 election that includes city council candidates and a home rule proposal that has sparked debate on the city’s contract with the Sedona Chamber of Commerce, the area’s tourism management organization, for visitor services and marketing.
The latest volley is a complaint to the state attorney general’s office – two weeks before early voting begins – challenging a city contract with the chamber entered into four years ago, and now involving the state legislature.
On July 17 the Office of the Arizona Attorney General delivered a Notice of Submission of Legislator Request for Investigation Pursuant to A.R.S. 41-194.01, more commonly referred to as a “1487 complaint.” The latter designation references Arizona Senate Bill 1487, which created the right for individual state legislators to demand that the Attorney General investigate alleged violations of state law by local jurisdictions.
In the July 17 complaint, Senator Judy Burges (R-Dist 22), whose legislative district includes the cities of Glendale, Peoria and Surprise, alleges: (1) that the City of Sedona’s bed tax ordinance violates the Arizona Constitution’s gift clause, AZ Const. Art. 9 sec. 7, because 55% of the revenues are distributed to the Sedona Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Bureau (Chamber); (2) that the City’s Tourism Promotion & Visitor Services Agreement with the Sedona Chamber violates the gift clause due to a lack of adequate consideration given to the City; and (3) that the acquisition of the property located at 401 Jordan Rd. was gratuitous to the Chamber, also in violation of the gift clause.
Sedona City Attorney Robert Pickels says while tourism is a hot-button issue in Sedona, “I find the timing of this complaint in relation to the impending election very curious and suspect. Having said that, we at the city respect the process that has been imposed upon us by SB 1487 and we will fully cooperate with the Attorney General’s Office.”
Under SB 1487, the investigation can be triggered solely on the basis of a request by a single state lawmaker. By law, the attorney general’s investigation must be completed and a report issued no later than August 12. The investigation will include consideration of a formal written response from the city.
Sedona Mayor Sandy Moriarty, who is running for reelection on Aug. 28, says she is equally suspicious of the timing of the complaint.
“The city has had a contract with the Sedona Chamber of Commerce for visitor management since the early 1990s and entered into this contract – in a public and fully transparent manner – in 2014, and there has been not a peep since then,” she says. “And, suddenly, this. False news has finally slithered into small town America, into our beautiful town.”
Chamber and tourism opponents have also targeted the city with public records requests: In the 47 days between June 1 to July 17, the city has received 49 public records requests compared to four that were received during a similar period (June 23-July 17) in the 2016 election cycle.
Assistant City Manager Karen Osburn says disinformation isn’t entirely new to Sedona, but the people who use it appear to have been emboldened, perhaps because of the tactic’s success in the national election.
“The same group that used these tactics in a local bond election last year has progressed from cherry bombs to grenades,” she says. “These unprincipled tactics have done real damage to our small town and are damaging to democracy. Anyone who thinks it can’t happen to their town is wrong, if we don’t stand up for the truth.”
The city of Sedona will conduct its 2018 primary election Tuesday, Aug. 28 and the general election, if necessary, Tuesday, Nov. 6.
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7 Comments
Interesting comments.
“Fake News”? “False News”? There is nothing “Fake” or “False” about an official legal document from the Arizona Attorney General opening up an investigation as to certain activities of the City and a private entity. It would seem that Mr. Pickels is the one serious adult in the room in this “press” release.
I take exception to the off hand comments of one Assistant City Manager, Karen Osburn of some “tactic” in a Federal Election last year when we defeated the Fire Bond in 2017 saving taxpayers millions of dollars. A program that we were not only proud of but intend to pursue by running for the Fire Board positions this November.
But what is really troubling about Ms. Osburn’s comments and some of the other “powers to be” that insinuated that we, or Arizona Liberty, or Arizona Liberty PAC had anything to do with this investigation.
You are living in a bubble if you think that our organization is the only one in the Village or Sedona that is really upset with the way Sedona is being managed. That is not a wise assumption to make. Problems that have been festering and IGNORED for years effect the whole area are at a boiling point. People who came here are disillusioned and have had it.
My recommendation is that the management of Sedona seriously think before you sit down and start typing on a keyboard.
Mike Schroeder
http://www.arizonaliberty.us
I agree with this article 100% It’s about time someone called out the dirty tricks of this group. Shortly after this article was published, an outraged and typically accusatory hue and cry went up from the perpetrators trying to suggest this “investigation” is real.
No, it isn’t. The tricksters simply went to a state legislator who has zero relation to Sedona who did them a favor and filed a complaint two weeks before mail in voting without seeking ANY information from the city about the contract. The reason: So the trickers can claim the attorney general is “investigating” Sedona.
Fellow residents, you are free to vote any way you like. But please don’t vote based on dirty tricks and political stunts, and hokey cartoon villain videos. Or name calling or crazy, made-up statements that have no basis in reality.
Please, please do your own research and vote for decent people who tell the truth and engage in honest, sincere debate that is based in reality and facts. Our beautiful, beautiful home deserves so much more than a decision influenced by cheap tricks, made up “facts,” smidgens of truth that are twisted into lies, and name calling.
I did not vote for the last fire district bond because I did not think the district made a good case for it. But I was also disgusted by the cheap trickster tactics used by the same group that is using dirty tricks in this election.
I am voting for the candidates who are honest and speak about other people with kindness and decency, and debate their positions with facts, not meanness and twisted pieces of facts.
And I am voting YES on Home Rule because I DO want parks, and the library, and the humane society and the St. Patricks parade, and, yes, I want traffic to get better, too. It is ridiculous to imply that gutting city spending will fix the traffic problem.
People, we need to think much deeper than that. And we deserve so much more than demagogues and meanies.
So much for “fake of false news” This looks serious with no twisted facts. Read the 15-page Request 18-004 and pay close attention to Page 4 @ AG’s website: https://www.azag.gov/complaints/sb1487-investigations
Sedona City Attorney Robert Pickels says while tourism is a hot-button issue in Sedona, “I find the timing of this complaint in relation to the impending election very curious and suspect.
Having said that, we at the city respect the process that has been imposed upon us by SB 1487 and we will fully cooperate with the Attorney General’s Office.”
Under SB 1487, the investigation can be triggered solely on the basis of a request by a single state lawmaker. By law, the attorney general’s investigation must be completed and a report issued no later than August 12. The investigation will include consideration of a formal written response from the city.
Not Fake News
I filed an SB1487 Request against the City and the Chamber in January 2017 with Rep Brenda Barton. I spoke to her assistant, Andrea Allen monthly for the next six months. Rep Barton did not take action, it is my understand Rep Barton did attend an event in Sedona.
I have recently spoken to others who unsuccessfully filed SB1487 reports with state legislators prior to me.
It is possible one of the other legislators finally took action. The fact it was not convenient for the City or Chamber is just bad Karma.
I have filed against the Sedona Chamber of Commerce with the IRS in January 2018, the IRS has the Chamber under investigation. Being the IRS, they will not tell me the status other than “under investigation”. Perhaps bad timing for the Chamber will strike again with the IRS.
No bid contracts and a non profit acting like a for profit ad agency tend to irritate a few folks.
We have city staff staying at a Ritz Carlton. The most excessive example is someone charged :
Meridien Hotel (5 star hotel ) $914.76
Renaissance Palm Springs( 4 star hotel) $486.91
Cartwrights Team Building dinner $603.73
All charged 12/31/2017 New years EVE ??????
Accounts payable page 267
The city is out of control. No on Home Rule.
Our non-inclusive City government won’t be changing under Home Rule. The horrendous traffic problems won’t get fixed either. Take a look at the City Planning and Zoning Commission’s web pages. Under development are the 88 room Marriott Residence Inn, the Village at Saddlerock Crossing (Oxford Hotel – 126 rooms and other structures) and the Ambiente Hotel (40 rooms). Meanwhile, Sedona’s roadway infrastructure cannot handle the current number of cars and traffic congestion, and there’s been no maintenance of strong reserves to ensure long-term financial stability. People need to think about the madness. Overdue is a moratorium on building new hotels in Sedona first and foremost.
By the way, support for 5 of 9 GOVERNANCE ratings in the NCS “Sedona, AZ Community Livability Report 2017” lagged behind the national average, as follows:
Overall direction, 31%
Confidence in City government, 35%
Acting in the best interest of Sedona, 34%
Being honest, 40%
Treating all residents fairly, 42%
VOTE NO ON HOME RULE. VOTE AGAINST ALL INCUMBENTS.
Vi,
Some good thought out comments. I will think about what you said and later this evening lay out the procedure and timeline that brought us to this point that I think you will understand when you see the whole process.
It is not complicated but there is a string of events that had to happen to bring us to this point.
And as far as the complaint is concerned, Arizona Liberty, or any of the officers of our PAC had nothing to do with this filing. We were aware of it, but then this same issue has been in the works by others in this town for several years but for whatever reason could not be brought to this conclusion. We have enough on our plate with the Fire Board which 3 of us are running for in November, Home Rule and certain candidates we are supporting.
Mike
Vi,
I wanted to respond to your comment. I can write a long explanation here but it is much better served for you and your friends to attend one of our forums if possible on Tuesday where you can ask questions after the 30 minute run through. We are also available to any private group that wants to get together for a more intimate discussion.
We did all the work and handed the council on a silver platter on June 26th the process to protect the city from having to deal with a $24.3 million cap when Home Rule fails. The city could have started the process of a safety net on April 10th – but it was REJECTED by the majority of the council.. For some reason the majority of the council had brain fade, or have not bothered to review the audited financial statements over the last 5 years to understand that the number we had the Auditor General approve was more than enough to run the city as it has been run, WITH programmed increases. The majority of the council failed AGAIN on June 26th when we had done all the work for them and offered them the insurance policy that the voters will approve in November. So we did it.
This is NOT rocket science. Vote NO on Home Rule on the 28th, vote YES on November 6th for the Permanent Base Adjustment (PBA). No 501C3 charity organizations or other community associations that currently get financial assistance from the city lose a dime. Before we supported the Vote NO effort, we made sure the voters had the opportunity to maintain status quo funding. That’s why we worked hard to put it on the November ballot. And now the voters do. Since council took no action, we did.
All this negative stuff about our charities and community organizations not being supported by the city are a desperate attempt by people who want maximum spending whether it is needed or not. We live here also, and support these groups.
We tell the “Rest of the Story”. Click on “Town Hall Schedule” in the link below.
http://www.arizonaliberty.us/Home_Rule_Home.html