Planning commissioner rakes in cash

Architect John Glenn is a first-time candidate for the Arizona Legislature

For a first-time candidate for the Arizona Legislature, John Glenn excels at fundraising.

Glenn has raked in more cash than the six other candidates running for Arizona House in the Aug. 28 Democratic primary for Legislative District 24, which spans central Phoenix and south Scottsdale.

The only candidate with more money, Amish Shah, an emergency-room doctor, is heavily self-funded.

So how did Glenn gather such a fundraising haul? Mostly from architects, developers, zoning attorneys and realestate investors.

Glenn, an architect, is a member of the Phoenix Planning Commission, a volunteer city board that wields significant power in recommending building projects and zoning changes.

That juxtaposition has led some of Glenn’s primary opponents to question if he should return or donate money he’s received from individuals with business before the commission because it could create the appearance of a conflict.

Of the roughly $68,000 Glenn raised through the June 30 reporting deadline, more than $45,000 came from people who work in the development and realestate industries. Other candidates haven’t raised nearly as much from that group.

Many of Glenn’s largest contributions have come from people who’ve had projects before the commission. They include developer Joseph Risi, who contributed $2,000; and zoning attorney Nick Wood, who gave $1,000.

Glenn said the contributions have never affected how he votes.

“I’m very proud of my fierce impartiality during my tenure,” Glenn said. “My opponent is trying to throw my name under the bus. There is a political motivation there.”

Glenn declined to say which opponent he specifically believes has raised concerns about his donations.

But the issue has caused a stir in recent weeks among Democrats in District 24, a solidly progressive area, where the political influence of developers has been an issue in many city zoning cases.

Glenn is far from alone in raising money from developers and zoning attorneys with business at City Hall.

It’s not unusual for Phoenix City Council members and the mayor, who have the ultimate say in planning decisions, to rake in large sums of cash from people with development projects at the city.

State Rep. Ken Clark, D-Phoenix, an incumbent running in the House race, said Glenn’s voting record shows he makes decisions on merit alone and isn’t afraid to buck developers.

He said it shouldn’t be surprising that Glenn, an architect, would garner strong support from people in the same industry.

“Don’t be fooled,” Clark said of questions about Glenn’s contributions. “John makes decisions based on the evidence in front of him, not based on who’s given him a check.”

Glenn, Clark and Rep. Lela Alston, DPhoenix, are running as a slate in the District 24 primary.

The two men are vying for House seats (In Arizona, each legislative district elects two House members and one Senator.)

Alston, meanwhile, is switching chambers to run for the Senate seat held by Sen. Katie Hobbs, D-Phoenix, who’s running for secretary of state.

Clark said he blames rumblings about Glenn’s fundraising, which have circulated in Democratic circles in recent weeks, on challenger Jennifer Longdon, another primary candidate for the House.

“She’s not getting any traction in this campaign,” Clark said, adding that a supporter of hers raised the issue in a party meeting recently.

Longdon, an activist and writer, originally declined to talk about the issue when contacted by The Arizona Republic last week. She responded Friday when asked about Clark’s criticism.

“Let me start by telling you categorically, emphatically, I’m running out of adjectives here, that it’s untrue that I’m shopping this story around,” she said. “I have no idea because I didn’t do it. I wish we could just focus on issues.”

However, Longdon said that since Glenn’s contributions have caused a stir, he might as well give back any money from contributors who’ve had business before the commission.

Another candidate running in the primary, activist and Navy veteran Marcus Ferrell, also questioned if any money should be returned.