In classic doublespeak, Frank Antenori said “Rio Nuevo is Dead.” Then he went on to explain just why 250 million dollars of public bond money should be released directly to developers to fund several of the Rio Nuevo ventures, including a large downtown hotel-convention hall complex.   

 Stop this nonsense. Stop it now. 

 Ask yourselves this simple question:

IF, in light of the severe economic down turn, the erosion of state tax revenues, the need of greater border security to stem the tide of violence consequent to Mexican Drug and Human Trafficking and the present budget crisis which requires deep cuts in education and other core public services,  AND Rio Nuevo was a brand new project presented for your consideration at this time, would you fund it now? 

The answer has to be a resounding, NO. 

Paton, Antenori and Melvin are no more than energetic shills for local Pima County politicians and developers. They are merely advancing the interests of the Southern Arizona Home Builders Association ( SA HBA), and the Pima County Good Old Boys who want to continue to line their pockets at the public’s expense.

As all Arizona State Legislators know by now, the Rio Nuevo Project is rife with corruption, malfeasance, mismanagement, cost overruns, etc.  If you continue funding at this time, and a future investigation brings to clear public view Rio Nuevo’s astonishing history of corruption, how are you going to tell your constituents you put more of their good money down a rat hole? 

Stop Rio Nuevo. Repair and re-invigorate Arizona ’s core public assets and services. Represent ALL Arizona citizens, not just the fat-cats and special interests who want to gorge at the public’s expense. 

If any of the Rio Nuevo Projects have any viability, they can be resurrected at some future time, when tax revenues are up and Arizona is once again back on a firm financial basis.

Stop the nonsense! Pull the plug on Rio Nuevo NOW!!