Conspiracy Theory

I read with amusement, and more than a little surprise, "Late Additions and Scratches" (The Skinny, June 6), which posited the theory that John Kromko had me pretend that I was running for the state Senate, only to drop out the last minute to give him an advantage and make it more difficult for anyone else to qualify for the ballot.

This alleged conspiracy might make sense if I bailed out of the race to help Kromko, and then ran for re-election to the Arizona House of Representatives instead. We both would have benefited from this scenario.

The fictional scenario posed as fact in the Skinny doesn't benefit me, nor does it help Mr. Kromko, who will face a contested primary instead of a coronation. I only wish the reporter who wrote this story had contacted me first before his wild speculation was presented as fact.

For the record, I decided to pull out of the District 27 Senate race on May 31 for only one reason: to devote my full-time energies to helping Elaine Richardson win her bid for Congress.

After agonizing for quite some time about staying in the race, spending eight to 10 hours a day campaigning and having very little time to help Sen. Richardson, I decided that the only way I could assist her as much as I would like was to give up my candidacy to concentrate on her campaign.

Elaine Richardson and I have a long history together; I was her campaign manager when she first ran for the Legislature in 1992. I am very proud to support Sen. Richardson because she is a tireless advocate for environmental protection, as reflected in the highest ratings that she received two weeks ago in the Legislative report cards compiled by the Sierra Club and the League of Conservation Voters. Both report cards noted that she consistently received top ratings during her legislative career.

I also support her because she is a strong advocate on behalf of accessible and affordable health care for all Arizonans, consumer protection, rural communities, funding for education, human rights, animal protection and many other issues.

Elaine Richardson will make a great congresswoman because she is intelligent, hardworking, compassionate, always accessible, she listens to her constituents and she is an effective legislator.

In the long run, I know I can best serve my constituents, and all of southwest Arizona, by helping her with the 7th Congressional District. That's why I decided not to run for the Senate.

--Carmine Cardamone
State Representative

Police Action

Chris Limberis "Cop Chop" (June 6), regarding the shift of the Tucson police bike patrols from neighborhoods to downtown, is an accurate description of the concern neighborhoods have regarding this development. I second the remarks attributed to Ed Davenport from the Miracle Manor Neighborhood Association that this will hurt neighborhoods, however, he was speaking as the past president of the association.

In addition, the remark by Police Chief Richard Miranda regarding the temporary nature of those bike patrols for neighborhoods seems odd. Bike Patrols in the Miracle Manor neighborhood are very important, yet we know we have to share them with other neighborhoods throughout the city. They have been as much a permanent part of neighborhood policing as patrol cars. The bike patrols should remain a neighborhood policing asset. Our neighborhood knows that it needs all the help it can get.

--William B. DeVinney, president
Miracle Manor Neighborhood Association

Straight Talk

Unlike letter writer James Lumsden (Mailbag, June 6), I believe what your newspaper (as well as our country) needs is as much candor--such as Connie Tuttle's "Memorial Slay" (May 23)--as it can get. We get more than enough "nuance" from the spindoctors on TV. If we're going to solve the problems we're facing, we're going to have to toughen up and take some straight talk. We're in a mess and this is not a time for flag-waving romanticism.

--Gretchen Nielsen