By Joseph Flaherty | Phoenix New Times
The city of Phoenix paid more than $68,000 for the head of the firefighters’ association to work on a medical marijuana dispensary tax intended to fund police and fire while he served as chief of staff to interim Mayor Thelda Williams, Phoenix New Times has learned.
A proposal to fund police and fire ended up being led by the head of the Professional Fire Fighters of Arizona from within the mayor’s office. Professional Fire Fighters of Arizona President Bryan Jeffries worked in the mayor’s office for less than five months, but the city paid him a salary that was close to the pay ceiling for the position.
Jeffries resigned as chief of staff just a few weeks after the proposed medical marijuana tax failed unanimously in a vote of the Phoenix City Council on October 2.
