A change of tune in Fountain Hills, now that the shoe is on the other foot

In a letter published Dec. 2, 2024, Nancy Plencner wrote “Democrats see government as a political and financial steppingstone, Republicans consider it an honor to serve.” However, Republicans are not always the paragons of virtue that Mrs. Plencner claims they are. Here are some examples.

Disgraced former Republican Congressman George Santos admitted he filed fraudulent Federal Election Commission reports, embezzled funds from campaign donors, charged credit cards without authorization, stole identities and obtained unemployment benefits through fraud. Santos pleaded guilty to committing wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. “An honor to serve,” indeed.

Locally, two Republicans on the Town Council do apparently see their current positions as a political steppingstone, since both have sights on higher positions. In separate letters less than two months ago, Mrs. Plencner wrote about the aspirations of both of those individuals. Did Mrs. Plencner forget what she wrote on Dec. 2, 2024?

In her letter of April 21, Mrs. Plencner wrote “If the opinion writers who regularly beat up on duly elected council members in print and in person at council meetings have any respect for our political process, they would settle down and allow their fellow citizens to govern.” Mrs. Plencner didn’t express any concerns about “respect for our political process” during the last three years, when citizens criticized the duly elected mayor and councils, in print and at council meetings. But now that Republicans have the majority on the council, speaking out somehow disrespects our political process and prevents the current mayor and council from governing? How does a letter prevent them from governing?

When Mrs. Plencner penned her letter of April 21, she must have been wearing shoes of different sizes, for the one on the other foot seems to be uncomfortably tight now.

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