An attorney announced Monday Opaska said he will make a that he intends to run for formal announcement Monday mayor in Glendale in 2012. evening at the Legislative Walt Opaska, 36, filed District 4 Republican Party organizational papers Monday, meeting at Union Hills which allow him to start Country Club. He expects to raising campaign funds. meet with the Glendale Tea Candidates can pick up Party Patriots later this nomination packets next month. Monday, according to the City Opaska said the "tea party" Clerk. group did not prompt him to Elaine Scruggs, who has run, although he knows served as mayor the past 18 several members and will seek years, has not announced the group's support. whether she will seek re- This would be Opaska's first election in the August 2012 run for public office. He has Primary. never served on a city board Opaska said under Scruggs' or commission. He said he co- leadership, the city has cut chaired a grassroots campaign services to residents while that opposed a sales-tax giving away "millions of increase for public safety, taxpayers' dollars for which voters approved in 2007. corporate welfare projects Mayoral candidates must like pro-sports stadiums and collect 931 signatures to strip malls." appear on the ballot. During the lean economy, Candidates can submit Glendale has curtailed some nominating signatures in service, such as library April. The deadline is May 31. hours and youth sports Along with the mayor's post, programs, raised fees and put three council seats will be employees on furlough. on the ballot. They include In the past two years, the Joyce Clark in the Yucca city has pledged $50 million District, Phil Lieberman in to the National Hockey League the Cactus District and Steve to manage the Phoenix Coyotes Frate in Sahuaro District. until a buyer can be secured. Clark is the only incumbent Scruggs has said Glendale to confirm she will seek re- needs to keep the hockey team election. as an anchor tenant at the Ian Hugh has filed a city-owned Jobing.com Arena statement of organization to to help pay off the $180 seek election in the Cactus million facility. District. "I've been talking to a lot Hugh served as a councilman of people in Glendale and from 1986-1991. He resigned people are upset with the in his second term when direction of Glendale," unsuccessfully ran for mayor. Opaska said. Hugh is currently president He said he would work to cut of the Glendale Union High taxes, put more police School District Governing officers on the streets and Board. He is an auto-repair restore city services, such shop owner in downtown as library hours. Glendale.
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