Civility for thee, but not for the rest of Tempe?

Abobe Stock

OPINION — Re: Tempe council member pushes civility in government at annual government conference: It is comical that Doreen Garlid and Corey Woods speak of civility when Woods specifically (with Garlid present) spoke derogatorily of their own citizens in a secret, illegal meeting in December 2022.

They were discussing the city money spent to spy on residents online to determine whether there was backlash against the Coyotes arena. For the record, the arena was defeated in a public vote by more than 2 to 1, and the city spent over $60,000 to hire consultants to spy on their own residents.

The city is currently in a budget deficit, by the way. No wonder the deficit when the city, headed by Woods and Garlid, believe spending money on spying on citizens is an appropriate use of city funds.

They have never once acknowledged or apologized for what Woods said (and Garlid never once spoke up to say they shouldn’t speak negatively of citizens, which suggests such comments were hardly new but the secret meeting was accidentally recorded and thus why it was brought to light) but they are the victims of the lack of civility from the citizens and thus believe they have the moral high ground to speak as such? Give me a break.

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