Eric Frederick: “Thelda Williams is ‘Politics as Usual’ at Phoenix’s City Hall”

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 21, 2011
CONTACT: Eric Frederick

Councilwoman Williams Admits To Not Knowing the Facts

Phoenix – The Goldwater Institute today, released their investigation entitled ‘Money for Nothing’. This investigation uncovered union negotiations, approved by the city council, that allows union members to not only perform union activities on the clock, but also provides salaries to the top Union officials with taxpayer dollars. The fact that union members are able to write these provisions into contracts, without the council members comprehending the agreement, shows how politics as usual is playing out in City Hall.

Thelda Williams, the incumbent Vice Mayor and Councilwoman from District 1 voted for the contracts. In the Goldwater Institute article, she stated that she was “unaware of the provisions.” However, as an elected official it is her duty and obligation to know what is in the contracts before they are voted upon.

Eric Frederick commented on this information by saying, “This is the 2nd time in less than a week that Councilwoman Williams has admitted to voting on something that she didn’t understand. Residents of District 1 and all Phoenicians need to have a representative that can study the information, ask the pertinent questions to make sure we have good policy and then make an informed vote.”

Councilwoman Williams also told the Goldwater Institute that the “concessions the city has made to the unions when the economy was booming need to be re-examined when the contracts come up for renewal next year.” In March of 2010, when the provisions were approved, the economy was already deeply in a recession. Her career politician status in City Hall has blinded her to the struggles of the residents. Her position that the contracts were signed when the “economy was booming” shows how out of touch she is.

Eric Frederick continued his statements by saying, “At a time when the City is raising taxes and fees on the general public while simultaneously reducing services, it is simply unacceptable that these perks continued. Thankfully the Goldwater Institute has uncovered this misuse of taxpayer dollars, but this discovery should have been made by the elected officials we trust to represent us.”

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