Former CNN anchor Lou Waters has become the subject of a recall election in Oro Valley, a small suburb just north of Tucson, Arizona. After becoming one of the original anchors of CNN in 1980, Waters returned to Arizona, where he got his start in broadcasting, and became Vice-Mayor of the wealthy enclave.
This week recall petitions were approved by the Pima County Recorder’s office giving the green light to a recall election this November. Pursuant to A.R.S. 19-208 and 19-209, Waters, Council members Joe Hornat and Mary Snider have five business days during which they may choose to resign. If a resignation is not tendered, the order calling a special recall election shall be issued within 15 days.
An item has been added to the June 17, 2015, Council Meeting Agenda to call the election for November 3, 2015, according to a statement released by the Town.
Waters left CNN in September 2001, after getting his start as a disc jockey in Tucson.
At issue in the recall, is the fact that Waters, Hornat, Snider, and Oro Valley Mayor Satish Hiremath received campaign contributions totaling approximately $15,000 from a company from whom the Town later bought an aging country club and golf course. The purchase, according to residents, was not only unpopular, but was done to make the purchase of the posh Hilton El Conquistador Resort by campaign donor Humberto Lopez and HSL Properties economically viable.
To afford the extravagance, Waters, Hiremath and the two Council members then voted to increase the Town sales tax.
The leader of the OVCOG (Oro Valley Citizens for Open Government) campaign, Ryan Hartung was notified that while the group only needed 2,200 signatures, the County Recorder validated over 2,800 signatures on the petitions.
Hartung, with a Ph.D. in organic chemistry, works as a chemist in Oro Valley. He discussed the recall campaign on the James T. Harris radio show this week. He explained that it was the secretive actions of Waters, and the others to proceed with the purchase despite the fact that the aging facility is not ADA compliant and will require expensive upgrades, that drove the recall effort.
Hartung has been recruited by Oro Valley residents, who appreciated his leadership during the recall effort, to run for one of the expected openings on the Council. Steve Didio is also expected to run for one of the spots.
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