What makes the vote for the Arizona Bar’s Maricopa County board of governors representatives so important is the chance to get fresh leadership on the board’s executive committee. The executive committee effectively runs the bar. And Alex Vakula and Lisa Loo are the two incumbents on the executive committee running for another term. Indeed, as current second vice president, if reelected, Ms. Loo ascends to the state bar presidency in 2016.
Ironically, the latter committee incumbent is highlighting the board’s vote to increase dues — but conveniently omits her key role in getting it passed. But make no mistake, both executive committee incumbents voted in lockstep and raised dues when it wasn’t necessary. If they get re-elected, it is fair to expect more of the same: a high-cost, tone-deaf, smug and insular board of governors and an ever-expanding state bar bureaucracy.
And as we now know, despite the bar’s already bloated $14.6 million budget currently 125% of comparably sized state bar budgets, there will be almost $4 million dollars in surplus funds by 2019 thanks to the unwarranted increase!
And as you may further recall, the board’s original goal at its October 2013 meeting had been to hike dues by 22% or $100.00. At that time, the bar president and its executive committee characterized the $100.00 increase as a de facto ultimatum: raise dues or make significant cuts.
But incredibly, when the opportunity evaporated to quietly increase dues via an under-the-radar vote 12 days before Christmas, the board reversed course. Thanks to the complaints of restive members, it tabled the vote until its following meeting, February 27, 2014.
However, that was when the executive committee came up with its gambit. Unexpectedly recalibrating its prior desperate plea for a supposedly much-needed $100.00 increase, it suddenly came up with ‘only’ a $60.00 increase! What was once a hotly defended and supposedly dire need for a $100.00, miraculously transformed into a rationale for a smaller dues hike.
But there was an invidious amendment to the now 13% increase. It was tied to a historically unprecedented annual automatic Consumer Price Index (CPI) cost-of-living escalator.
Thankfully, the board negated the executive committee’s gambit and nixed the automatic escalator. But thanks to the persistent high-handedness of the bar’s president who broke an 11-11 tied vote, the board of governors passed the increase, anyway. And the executive committee was critical to the entire process.
In sum, 33 lawyers are running for 9 seats to represent Maricopa County this election. Let me suggest that there are better choices — than voting for executive committee incumbents who supported an unnecessary dues increase. Re-electing Alex Vakula and Lisa Loo will mean business as usual and more of the same.
Time to declare ‘thumbs down’ on the status quo. Vote instead to transform the bar in favor of fairness, accountability, cost-consciousness, and transparency. With your votes, it will happen.
Photo Credits: “Pete thumbs down,” by imadonut at Flickr via Creative Commons-license requiring attribution;”/disapprove”by Tobvias sudoneighm Flickr via Creative Commons-license requiring attribution.
Transform the Bar: 2014 ARIZONA BAR BOARD OF GOVERNORS Election 