An Open Letter to Phoenix Councilman Sal DiCiccio

Mr. DiCiccio,

I understand that being the pockets of businesses is par for the course in American politics.  In fact, its a time honored tradition.  But the latest move by you is the worst form of corporate ass kissing I have seen in a long time.  I am speaking of course about your attempt to end run the Phoenix city council by going to the Arizona Legislature to force the city to privatize most of its services and to dictate what the city can offer for wages and benefits to its public employees.  That's pretty bold for someone who wasn't even elected to the city council, but was appointed.

I understand that you believe that privatization is the most efficient way for the City of Phoenix to deliver services, but I believe privatization to be nothing more than a diversion of limited city resources and corporate welfare of the highest order.  Currently, out of an operating budget of $3.5 billion, $425 million is paid to corporations to operate certain city services such as public transit.

I am sure that you have a lot of friends who are investors, company heads or owners that would like the majority of the city's budget paid out to them.  But you have been rebuffed by the seven others sitting on the city council.  You can't help your corporate friends if your city council members won't play ball, right?  So what's a person who doesn't play with others do?  He finds the biggest bully around and gets them to do his dirty work for him, the Arizona Republican controlled Legislature.  That is what you have done and its rather shameful, because I have no doubt they will do the dirty work for you.  Too bad its the residents of Phoenix who get screwed by this deal.

Its too bad that you don't actually care about the people of Phoenix, only your corporate buddies.

Sincerely,

Phoenix Justice