Atty. Gen. Goddard Outlines Serious Problems Facing Arizona
By Karen Schickedanz
Identity theft and methamphetamine top the list of problems facing the state’s attorney general’s office, said Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard in a Community Update sponsored by the SaddleBrooke Democratic Club.
About 150 residents of SaddleBrooke and other communities in Pinal County attended the update, held January 14 at MountainView Clubhouse. In addition to ID theft and meth crimes, Goddard discussed illegal price gouging, criminal activity in the fundamentalist Mormon community of Colorado City, illegal immigration, and electronic voting issues.
“Arizona is number one in the nation for stolen identities (per capita),” Goddard said. He said that of those who commit identity theft, one-third are relatives of the victim and another third are caregivers. Many of these crimes are hard to prosecute because people don’t complain about family members, he said.
He also urged people to be especially suspicious of unsolicited contacts by phone or e-mail. “If an e-mail message you don’t recognize asks you to open an attached document or click on a link, it’s probably an invitation to ID theft or disaster,” he said. Goddard also recommended that people invest in a paper shredder to thwart “dumpster divers” seeking random information they can use for identity fraud.
Meth Abuse Goddard said the proposed legislation is similar to that adopted in Oklahoma, where there was a 70 percent reduction in the number of illegal meth labs in the first month the law was enacted. Because Arizona lawmakers didn’t pass the legislation last session, many of the state’s municipalities, including Tucson, are passing their own regulations. Goddard also was asked about issues that may arise with increased use of electronic voting machines. “I think we have placed unjustified faith in electronic tallying,” he said. “In a close election when there is an automatic recount required, you can’t do one if it’s all in the computer. We need a system that is verifiable, with a paper trail if it’s challenged.”
Turning to the widespread problem of methamphetamine use, Goddard said no community in Arizona is exempt and that it is the number one law enforcement problem in the state. “It is a killer, and these (meth) labs are community killers,” he said. He urged residents to contact state legislators to ask them to pass a law restricting the ability to purchase over-the-counter cold medications used in the manufacture of meth.
Goddard also touched on steps being taken by the attorney general’s office to protect citizens against price gouging in times of emergencies and urgent scarcities. Citing the most recent example of gasoline price increases after Hurricane Katrina, Goddard said prices spiked “in anticipation” of a scarcity and then oil company profits tripled.Arizona law enforcement officials are continuing to try to root out the leaders of the fundamentalist Mormon sect living in Colorado City in the northwest corner of Arizona. Warren Jeffs, the Taliban-style leader of the polygamist community, has been a fugitive for six months and is on the FBI’s most-wanted list, Goddard said. Asked in the question-and-answer session about what is being done to stop illegal immigration, Goddard said that it is fundamentally a federal issue. But he said the attorney general’s office is focusing on catching the “venal and violent coyotes” who use wire transfers and stolen cars to transport illegal immigrants into the state.
The Community Update took the place of the SaddleBrooke Democratic Club’s regular January meeting. SBDC’s regular monthly meetings will resume February 11 with a 3 p.m. social time at the SaddleBrooke Activities Center and a meeting start of 3:30 p.m. This month’s topic will be a presentation on the proposed statewide vote-by-mail initiative.Following the tradition begun last year, meetings are followed by a potluck supper beginning at 5:30 p.m. at the home of a member. February’s potluck will be at the home of Kate and Ray Frank, 65405 E. Canyon Drive. Contact the Franks at 825-2063 if you plan to attend.
For further information regarding SBDC, contact Membership Chair Irma Bonilla at 818-1884 or club Chair Gary Hammond at 825-0746.