Michael Johnson Calls Fellow Councilman Sal DiCiccio a Hypocrite

As the Phoenix City Council’s most vocal and perhaps controversial personality, Sal DiCiccio recently has picked public fights with Mayor Phil Gordon, city management and employee unions.

He’s continued to beat the drum in public meetings, TV and radio interviews, even on Facebook, highlighting figures that show the average cost of a Phoenix employee, including salaries and benefits, is nearly $100,000 a year. And DiCiccio has talked relentlessly about outsourcing print shop, auto mechanics and other city jobs to pare back the payroll.
One colleague has heard enough.

Councilman Michael Johnson, a staunch union supporter, this week called DiCiccio a “major hypocrite” for developing tribal land that would return no sales-tax revenue to Phoenix coffers.

Johnson cited a recent Arizona Republic story that focused on DiCiccio’s business deals along the planned South Mountain Freeway. One 75-acre development at 40th Street and Pecos Road would sit just across the Ahwatukee Foothills border on the Gila River Indian Community.
If the project is built, Phoenix would not collect any permit fees or tax revenue, dollars the city depends on to pay for services, Johnson said.

“It amazes me that he is so quick to get rid of city employees and departments, and at the same time he’s working to build a mall through the Indian reservation,” Johnson said. "That will suck revenue out of the city and cut money for fire, police, parks and recreation.

“His personal benefit and gain is much greater than any benefit of the city and would further deepen the city’s budget hole.”

DiCiccio dismissed Johnson’s logic, saying it’s too early to know what exactly will be built at the 40th and Pecos property..

At one point, a massive retail center had been planned for the parcel, but DiCiccio said the project has stalled due to the dismal economy and commercial real-estate market.

“We don’t know what’s going to be there,” DiCiccio said. “We don’t know if it will be medical or retail or if it will even get built in the future.”