If the Tusayan Council Elections were about Local Control, how come the current council had no local contributors
March 24, 2011
After learning that two members of the Tusayan Town Council got "Bonus Checks" from the Stilo-backed pro-incorporation push, we got to wondering who bankrolled the campaigns of the current Tusayan Town Council Members?
The results are not surprising. Aside from the candidates contributing some of their own funds, not one campaign contribution came from anyone who lives in Tusayan, or even Coconino County. The money came from the out-of towners who are pushing for zoning changes to help a real estate company (Stilo) make a killing on the land it owns in Tusayan.
The people who wrote checks include Elling Halvorson, Stilo's business partner, and the staff at Policy Development Group. That's the organization hired by Stilo to push the real estate company's development plans in Tusayan. Another Contributor was Mike Fox. Although he doesn't list an address or occupation on the campaign finance reports we obtained, there is a Mike Fox who was part of the failed Western Discovery Museum backed in part by Stilo. The candidates also got cash from a Phoenix attorney at a law firm that worked with Policy Development Group and Stilo on incorporation. Here are links to the campaign finance reports:
Each candidate raised between between one and two thousand dollars. The lion's share of the money raised went to Policy Development Group to run the campaigns.
So let's summarize. The candidates got their money from a Stilo business partner, and employees of an organization hired by Stilo to push incorporation. Most of the money went back to the same organization (Policy Development Group) to run the campaigns. Stilo is now asking the Town Council it bankrolled to change zoning on critical properties so Stilo can make a killing on its real estate holdings. And in case you need reminding, three of the council members work for Stilo's partner, Elling Halvorson.
