City Council Candidate Becky Jackson responds to critics

As reported here earlier, among the many Letters to the Editor appearing in this past weekend's edition of the San Tan Sun was one from Chandler City Council Candidate Becky Jackson. In her letter, Jackson authored a fiery response to her critics on a few key issues.

Because this blog has already endorsed candidate Trinity Donovan and because candidate Jeff Weninger has received significant attention on this blog (some negative) and has responded with his defenses, it seems only fair to provide candidate Jackson's response here, as well. Furthermore, it contains information directly related to the Pentz affair and so is germane to another issue occupying The Precinct 134 Blog lately.

Thus, I give you candidate Jackson's letter, in full:

Jackson: In Nobody’s Pocket

It’s no secret that I’m new to the political arena and it is also apparent that I still have a few things to learn. I may be new but I’m not naïve. In the corporate world, most of the sniping occurs in private. It’s not uncommon for someone to compete with you but he or she will usually undermine you quietly and stab you in the back when you’re not looking.

In politics, it seems they blast you openly in the newspaper as much as possible to get their point across. My husband told me something he learned in the police academy 32 years ago. If you can’t dazzle ‘em with brilliance, baffle ‘em with b.s. In other words, if you proclaim something loud enough and often enough, people will eventually believe it.

That is why I can no longer remain silent while people are making a political issue out of the recent separation agreement with our City Manager. Councilman Caccamo and others have asserted that because I am endorsed by current members of the Council who voted for his ouster, I am in their pocket for some reason and incapable of deciding on my own. I find it interesting that Mr. Caccamo and his detractors have chosen to ignore the fact that Trinity Donovon is endorsed by these very same council members.

Nothing could be further from the truth. Mr. Caccamo has a right to his opinion but when he expresses it in public it should be based on fact, not conjecture. The most obvious fact is that Mark Pentz was fired by the current City Council. I had nothing to do with it and will not shoulder any blame for their actions. To insinuate I would vote only the way someone who endorses me would vote is not only wrong, it is insulting.

I attended the entire 11 hour proceeding to hear what I could first-hand. I learned how the Council should handle sensitive matters, and unfortunately how they shouldn’t. If I was in somebody’s pocket I could have stayed home and then told later what my position was.

It is also fact that prior to the hearing I was asked by a current member of the Council to speak on behalf of the Chamber of Commerce to support his or her position. I politely but firmly refused. This was a matter for the current City Council to decide, not the Chamber of Commerce or Becky Jackson and my Board of Directors agreed. I made a promise when I entered the race that I would never use my position with the Chamber to promote a personal agenda. That also means I won’t let anyone else use it either.

Now I’m being criticized because I won’t publicly promise to re-hire Mr. Pentz if I’m elected. I did not say I would not re-hire him, but to commit to that now in an attempt to garner votes would be totally irresponsible.

If I am elected I am quite sure I will not be issued a crystal ball. I cannot know what issues will arise between now and then and I don’t know who else will apply for the position. I am puzzled as to how Mr. Caccamo and others know how I will vote when I haven’t made up my mind yet. The time to make that decision will come when the hiring process is done and I know all the facts with input from the entire Council, not just a chosen few. If Mark Pentz is part of that process and emerges as the best candidate, I assure you he will get my vote. If there is a better choice, he will not. That should be the reason a person is voted into office, to make the right decision to the best of one’s ability.

This is a little out of character for me. I would much rather resolve conflict in person than go back and forth in the paper. It is also fact, however, that I called Councilman Caccamo after the March 14th primary election to congratulate him on his re-election and attempted to meet with him in order to address his concerns.

Instead, I read about his concerns in the paper. I doubt he would appreciate being accused of voting on issues only the way any of his endorsers would want him to. I am not going to do that. His record of public service speaks for itself and I would agree he should be applauded.

All I ask for is the same consideration. I think the voters in Chandler are smarter than some would give them credit. I will stack my business background and commitment to public service up against anyone’s. If I am fortunate enough to gain a seat on the Council I will represent all Chandler residents to the best of my ability, including my detractors.

When I served as a volunteer on the Chandler/Gilbert YMCA Board of Directors I did not work for just the kids from Chandler or from Gilbert. I made decisions based on what was best for all children. As a member of the Council I cannot concern myself with a citizen’s race, faith, political party or any other descriptor.

I am reminded of a line by Michael Douglas in the movie, “The American President.” To paraphrase it, “This community faces serious problems and its going to take serious people to solve them.” How to deal with loss of future revenue from build-out, decreasing police and fire response times and acceleration of transportation projects are just a few.

I am serious about finding the answers. I don’t have all of them now, but I know how to work as a team with anyone on the Council to find them. I’m part of the solution, not the problem.

If elected I will be open to the public and responsible for my own actions. I am in nobody’s pocket, and will answer only to the residents of our great city and I am totally committed to maintain and improve our quality of life. The stakes are high and the Chandler community holds the key with the right to vote for professionalism and integrity. The people of Chandler deserve nothing less.

Becky Jackson, Santorini Shores