Glen Canyon Vista Neighborhood Association

PROSTITUTION & CRIME IS OUR OWN FAULT, SAYS STATE LIQUOR BOARD

Dec 26, 2002

I attended and testified at the hearing before the State Liquor Board for a new liquor license in our neighborhood on November 7, 2002 at 3pm.
At the Hearing, the Phoenix Police Department, the Phoenix City Council, and the vast majority of the surrounding neighbors were all against granting another liquor license at the intersection of 27th Avenue and Glendale. Despite this, the 6-member board was split 3 &3. We won as a 60% majority was needed to grant the new license; our efforts were pivotal.
Board members Kate Kenyon and John Teefy supported the neighborhood and voted to deny the license. Kenyon and Teefy seemed familiar with our area and the struggles we face. Mr. Teefy commented that my testimony had hit the nail on the head without even knowing it, and went further to state that ,?”the city of Phoenix zoning cannot even properly enforce their rules about no razor wire. I therefore have no confidence in their ability to enforce anything else... The enforcement side from the city of Phoenix is terrible?”.
Liquor Board member Burton Kruglick voted against us (in favor of the license) and had the audacity to state during his vote that it was the neighborhood?’s own fault for allowing crime in our neighborhood. Mr. Kruglick said, and this is a quote from a tape of the hearing, ?”I think that the neighborhood associations are at great fault for allowing prostitution and migrants in their neighborhood. Why have you not banded together against your councilman to join with you to see what can be done to clean up your neighborhood? I tell you that having been involved in politics, so think about that YOUR?’E AT FAULT FOR LETTING THAT CONTINUE.?”
These comments were made after hearing testimony from both myself and Officer Icela Brown that our community has been working consistently to combat crime in our area, and was awarded a ?“Fight Back Grant?” from our Councilman, Vice Mayor Claude Maddox. Many of us present took time off of work to testify on behalf of our neighborhood. Like most of us, I can?’t afford to shell out $20 for a babysitter, pay for downtown parking, and take unpaid time off of work. So I brought my three and five year-old with me, my husband got off work to pick up our older kids from school, and I had to get a substitute for my work that afternoon.
Mr. Kruglick?’s accusation stings. We work long and hard to improve our neighborhood, and his casual criticism was a slap in our face. I had no chance to rebuke him, nor to provide examples of our good work. It took me 3 years of constantly calling the police, logging license plate numbers, and working just about every day to get the drug house next door to my house closed down. Many people in our neighborhood could testify to just how much time we spend doing everything we can to improve our neighborhood.
My point is: we are not lazy. Kruglick?’s allegation is categorically Bull. Perhaps it is perversely comforting for someone in a privileged, appointed position to allege that we are lazy citizens, and deserve what we get. I intend to prove him wrong.
Liquor Board members are appointed by the Governor. Let?’s make friends with the Governor elect and purge the anti-neighborhood element out of office. Let?’s unite, support and VOTE for the people who help our neighborhood. You and I can?’t do it alone, but together we have the political clout it takes to clean up our neighborhood.

See you at the next meeting.

Lisa Stoutenburg