Introduction to the Role of Maricopa County Board of Supervisors
- John Hook: “Could you give us a quick thumbnail [on the Board of Supervisors]?”
- Thomas Galvin: “Absolutely… we are in control of your property taxes, but we’re also in control of many other things that cover the entire County, including elections, air quality, transportation. We control the budget — it’s a $4 billion budget, the second-largest in Arizona… Half of our budget is dedicated to public safety.”
Fiscal Responsibility in Maricopa County
- Thomas Galvin: “We’ve cut property tax rates four years in a row. We’re the largest governmental body in America without debt and have tremendous reserves in case of a crash in the economy… We’re a model for conservative policy and fiscal responsibility.”
Economic Development and Professional Sports
Diamondbacks and Chase Field
- John Hook: “Why is professional sports a priority for you?”
- Thomas Galvin: “Pro sports is an economic development issue. We host Super Bowls, NASCAR races, Final Fours… My first priority is a resolution regarding Chase Field with the Diamondbacks. Chase Field is the best venue going forward for the Dbacks.”
- On taxpayer funding: “Personally, as a Conservative Republican, I don’t think taxpayers should foot the bill for private enterprises like professional sports.”
Coyotes and Hockey in Arizona
- Thomas Galvin: “I hated seeing the Coyotes’ demise… I directly called NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and said, ‘I want to lead the effort to bring professional hockey back to Arizona.’”
- On future steps: “I’m forming an advisory committee of political, business, and sports leaders. We need a good owner and a great location. If we go step by step, I think we can get there.”
- Possibility of keeping the Coyotes’ name: “It belongs to us. The name, logo, and statistics belong to the valley.”
Election Reforms and Ballot Processing
- John Hook: “Do you think we’re going to address getting early ballots in earlier?”
- Thomas Galvin: “We should… Last year’s elections were phenomenal, but we had 350,000 ballots dropped off on Election Day. Counting those over two weeks creates a perception problem… The governor, Secretary of State, and legislature need to collaborate to improve the system. We have a good system; let’s make it better.”
