Tucson Celebrates Independence from King George on July 4…but what about King Jonathan?
Dear Editor,
On July 4th, 1776, Thomas Jefferson wrote some of the greatest most powerful words in all of history: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
On this day in 1776, the founders declared America’s independence from Britain and 57 signers of the Declaration of Independence risked their liberty, their property, and their very lives with their courageous signatures to this Declaration – this vision for the greatest constitutional republic in history. Each new State joined the Union as an equal, its citizens never subjects, its people always free. There is no story close to it in the history of man.
Our Declaration of Independence issues a proclamation of universal truth that essentially means no one may rightly govern another except by his consent. It means that the purpose of government – federal, state, city OR county is to “secure these rights”: “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” NOT take them away!
There are three principles stated clearly in our Declaration of Independence:
The first is Representation. The king is said to have interfered with the representatives of the people in their attempt to pass laws “most wholesome and necessary for the public good.” The Declaration recognizes that human beings are made to live under law, and they have a right for those laws to be passed by people who represent them. This right is not to be interfered with by any force. Any force doing so interferes with the consent of the governed and cannot rightfully claim obedience. Violation of the representative principle is, by itself, cause for revolution.
Perhaps you don’t recall the specific event of King George’s Stamp Act that was the final blow with massive taxes and no way for the colonists to have a voice in the taking of their money and property by an out of control King far away in England.
Everybody knows that the 4th of July is the birthday of our Nation and the birth of freedom and representative government for these United States of America. So on July 4th, we tend to focus on the past, and celebrate the courage and vision of those who founded our nation.
But did you know that we are facing the same type of “King George” moment right here, right now, in Tucson in 2012? Just as the colonists were “taxed without representation” in new laws passed in Parliament as summer began in 1776, right here in Pima County we are facing the same kind of taxation without representation and destruction of individual property values by people in the City of Tucson who are operating as if they are the King’s Council of Tucson, not its elected representatives.
In effect, the Annexation and Planned Area Development agreement, signed between the City of Tucson and a private developer, will result in new taxes on people in Pima County who have no voice and no elected representatives to turn to for help. And it is all being rushed through on an “emergency resolution” by the local “King” and his Council during the summer when most property owners are away for vacation.
Mayor Jonathan Rothschild ran on a campaign of annexing areas of Pima County to bring in revenue for his City, but does he have the right to run roughshod over communities who have no say in his higher taxes and his taking their property value? That is NOT what America stands for and what we celebrate on July 4th each year.
The second principle in our Declaration of Independence is separation of powers. At the outset of the American Revolution, the king and his governors were the executive branch. By interfering with the legislature, the king violated not only the right of the people to representative government but also the necessity for separation of powers. He violated this necessity also by making “judges dependent on his will alone for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.” Under our Judeo-Christian founding principles, no man or small group of men may rightly combine in their own hands all the powers of government. That degree of power is for God alone.
Yet here in Tucson, King/Mayor has decided that Annexation is his goal, and so City Staff – who normally “judge” such matters under Tucson rules of law, are now being pressured to waive usual and long standing City rules so that the King can have his land and money taken from Pima County property and taxes.
The third principle in our Declaration of Independence calls for a limited government. The king was taxing America’s forefathers without their consent, and he was using the money, among other things, to pay for a hired army to oppress them. He sent many officials to make sure that his will was followed on all occasions, whatever the commoners may wish. The Declaration charges him with erecting “a multitude of new offices, and [sending] hither swarms of officers to harass our people and eat out their substance.” In other words, the king offended against the principle of limited government.
Our modern day City of Tucson has another “King” out of control, reproducing many of the features that led our Founders to rebel and gave shape to the Constitution of the United States, which follows these three basic principles in its entire structure. But the King’s Council and minions in Tucson are pushing forward their own agenda, and helping the King’s cronies, to the detriment of taxpayers and property owners in Pima County who have no voice, and whose protests have been totally ignored by the Zoning Examiner, the Mayor, the City Manager and members of City Council.
Some suggest that long time City employee(s) are helping their crony developer-friend by rushing this Annexation through, and have taken advantage of a new City Mayor, a new City Manager and a new Zoning Examiner –all of whom may be too busy admiring their new roles to properly follow long standing City of Tucson rules.
Those of us in Pima County have no say in what is happening to our taxes and our property values because the City of Tucson King and his minions are running rampant, hell-bent on an Annexation that destroys other people’s property values, creates dangers to the public safety, and imposes new taxes on Pima County people who cannot defend themselves against this taking of property that violates the 5th Amendment of the US Constitution.
Only 5% of the entire civilized world throughout history has ever lived with the kind of freedoms we enjoy here in America. That 5% share a frightening commonality: when they lose their freedom, that’s it. They never get it back. We in Pima County are losing our freedom, our money, our property rights to an out of control City of Tucson “King and Council.” Are you willing to stay “asleep at the wheel” and let this happen?
This Fourth of July, we might well remind ourselves of the greatness of our Constitution and the principles in our Declaration of Independence. Celebrate that. Hold it dear. Continue the fight to defend our freedom.
Then remember, this modern day crime against the people of Pima County is equally as egregious as the Stamp Act levied by King George. It is time for Pima County residents to have their voices and wishes respected by Tucson’s King and Council.
Pat W.
Pima County resident
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$11 budget is reckless
Dear Editor,
The news that the new Rio Nuevo Board is planning on having an $11 mil operating budget is reckless. The numbers don’t add up. End the Ponzi scheme now.
Randy M.
Tucson
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Kudos to Barber
Dear Editor,
The new border patrol policy only makes sense for our protection. Kudos to Ron Barber for supporting that vote. Matt Heinz says “The bill actually pushes ideology but fails to solve any problem.” Protecting our sovereignty is now an ideology? The Fourth of July is coming. I plan to send him a U. S. Constitution. This is a good time for him to read our Declaration of Independence.
Michael E.
Tucson