Fact Check: Star calls B.S. on Jennifer Rawson campaign flier

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Seriously? After weeks of false and misleading campaign fliers produced by the GOP's specialist on voter suppression, Nathan Sproul of Tempe-based Lincoln Strategy, and "Swift Boat" attack ads on television produced by the D.C. firm Stevens, Reed Curcio and Potholm, the firm responsible for the "Swift Boat" attack ads against Sen. John Kerry in 2004, all of which was paid for by one of the Arizona Daily Star's largest advertising clients, GOP bundler Jim Click, the Star today published its first and presumably only Fact Check piece of this campaign (because the Star's blackout window of political coverage is in effect today). Why does the Star even pretend to care at this point?

That being said, the Star today calls bullshit on one of Nathan Sproul's fliers produced for Tea-Publican city council candidate Jennifer Rawson. You're shocked, I'm sure. Flier misrepresents Cunningham's role in 911 controversy:

The ad: A flier by the Arizona Republican Party criticizing incumbent Ward 2 Councilman Paul Cunningham and advocating for the slate of Republican candidates.

The text: "On June 7, Paul Cunningham voted to cut 911 funding and give pay raises to his political cronies." The to-do list, aside from a reminder to buy milk and attend the City Council meeting, adds, "Cut 911 budget so there aren't enough operators to take our calls" and "give pay raises to political cronies."

The facts: The budget that council members passed, which cut the general fund by $18 million to $425 million, relied on a target of a 15 percent cut to most departments. While police and fire were recommended to have 10 percent cuts, the council in December agreed to cap public-safety cuts at 7.5 percent for police and 6.7 percent for fire.

The 911 system landed in the headlines because of a rough transition to a new system, compounded by understaffing and high turnover. Of 56 public-safety dispatcher positions authorized in the budget, about 42 were filled at the time of the transition. The council took steps subsequently to reduce the furloughs for the 911 employees and to improve staffing.

The raises were actually approved by then-City Manager Mike Letcher in July. They never came to the council for a vote. Cunningham joined the rest of the council in September in firing Letcher.

In fact, the council largely has to stay out of employee decisions, except for the staffers who work directly for them or the top tier of staffers, such as the city manager, the city attorney and the city clerk.