It is nothing new for various groups to attempt to influence voters as an election date approaches, whether it be for candidates or issues.

The current vote on a Fountain Hills Unified School District bond is no different as the Nov. 7 election day approaches.

The Town of Fountain Hills did toss a bit of a curve ball into the mix for this election as it relates to campaign signs lining the streets.

State law specifically preempts any local ordinance related to political signs, basically allowing them anywhere prior to elections. However, Town officials noted that the state statute is specific to primary and general elections, which the school bond is not. The same would hold true to any other bond type or governing district election.

While enforcement of this has had the effect of keeping streets within the Town boundary relatively clear of political signs, for or against the bond, outside the Town lines is a somewhat different story. On Shea Boulevard between the Beeline Highway and the boundary numerous signs line both sides of the roadway, and the same is true heading west into Scottsdale, the signs have popped up outside the Town.

Looking closely at the signs one will find, in compliance with state law, information on the committee sponsoring the message. There are four different entities identified on the signs, two of which are well-known in Fountain Hills; the other two, not so much.

AZ Taxpayers United may be a state entity tied to a national Taxpayers United organization. The national website indicates it is a non-profit but does not specifically identify as a political action committee. Another, Democracy for Tempe PAC, appears to be related to the election in Tempe last year to consider allowing construction of a hockey arena for the Arizona Coyotes and an accompanying business district. That ballot measure was defeated, and it is uncertain whether the PAC is still active on other issues or leftover signs somehow found their way to Fountain Hills for this election.

Neither of these organizations appear to be registered with Maricopa County or the Arizona Secretary of State’s Office to participate in this election. It is possible they do not need to.

Two other groups, One FH, which supports the bond as “Yes for FH Students,” and Reclaim Our Town (ROT), which is opposed to the bond. One FH is currently chaired by Al Lorenz and has a number of volunteers working for the campaign. ROT is chaired by Crystal Cavanagh, and Larry Meyers is treasurer of the group. They were active in the 2022 Town Council election cycle and are registered with the Town as a PAC.

Some are questioning the validity of ROT’s participation in the bond election. The group does not appear on the county website as a committee, but it is unclear why. Fountain Hills Town Clerk Linda Mendenhall said she was asked by Meyers whether they should register with the county, and she said she advised him to do so. Meyers told The Times Independent he pulled together a package of material including information he had filed with the Town and sent it to the county elections department.

“We never heard back so we presumed we were good to go,” Meyers said. He does not know why the group is not listed with the county. He still expects to hear from the elections department.

At the same time Meyers said the committee has collected and spent so little money on this campaign it would not be required to register as a PAC with the county.

Campaign finance filing information with the Arizona Secretary of State’s Office states a group must file if “the entity knowingly receives contributions or makes expenditures (in any combination) in excess of the current threshold financial level. The current threshold (2021 – 2022 election year) is $1,300. For example, receiving a $650 individual contribution check while spending $650 on campaign supplies will trigger the registration requirement.”

A group that meets these criteria must register as a PAC within 10 days.

“We didn’t raise, or spend enough money during the election cycle; we are not required to (register with Maricopa County Elections),” Meyers said.

The effort has been primarily the campaign signs. They have purchased no newspaper advertising. The ROT campaign finance report filed with the Town of Fountain Hills Clerk’s Office on July 12, 2023, indicates that for the period between April 1, 2023, and June 30, 2023 (Quarter 2 report) the committee received $650 in contributions, all of which were individual donations of less than $100 each. The report states ROT spent nothing during that period and the balance at the end of that reporting period was $1,847.

Meyers said members of ROT have kids who went to school in Fountain Hills, including himself. He said they do not hate the school district or the employees. He cites an audit recently released regarding the district’s financial position. He simply does not believe the district has appropriate personnel to oversee a $25 million loan.

“No financial institution would lend these people money without financial controls in place,” Meyers said. He said he believes supporters of the bond are stealing signs (he said he was filing a police report regarding five missing signs along Shea Boulevard) and filing complaints against ROT in desperation. “The facts don’t support giving the district money at this time.”