Outgoing Maricopa County Treasurer Royce Flora resigned early Wednesday, citing a “toxic environment” in the county government.
Flora, who has been treasurer since 2016, said in his resignation letter that his last day would be Thursday.
Flora was due to step down in mid-January, but said he could not end his term in part because “the political environment in the county has become so toxic that I don’t want to endure further abuse.”
Rep. John Allen defeated Flora in the Republican primary and won the general election in November.
While new terms of office usually begin on January 1, Allen announced on Thursday that the district attorney had informed him that, under state law, he could only take up his office as treasurer after his legislative term had expired on January 11, so that Flora’s term of office would run until then would not end.
The county board of supervisors voted in an emergency meeting Thursday to accept Flora’s resignation and appoint Shelby Scharbach, an assistant county manager and chief financial officer, as interim treasurer through Jan. 11.
Russell Pearce, a former state lawmaker who served as Flora’s deputy treasurer, has retired, according to county officials.
Toxic environment is “left with Royce”
Flora and the supervisors had a strained relationship and last clashed when Flora tried to make changes to his office and Flora said he had not been given adequate legal representation.
Clint Hickman, chairman of the board of directors, said Thursday that he doesn’t know what Flora is talking about when he says there is a toxic environment in the county government.
“Maricopa County is a great place to work,” said Hickman. “Filled with hardworking people serving the needs of the fastest growing county in the United States.”
Hickman said managers look forward to welcoming and working with everyone.
Allen said Thursday that Flora’s statements on her resignation were not surprising, as Allen said Flora’s tenure focused on making political points rather than serving the public.
“I ran because I thought the county deserved it better,” said Allen.
Allen said Flora has isolated herself within the county government and Allen looks forward to working with regulators.
“The toxicity will go away with Royce,” said Allen.
Flora plans to join efforts to call supervisors back
Flora is a far-right Republican, and some conservatives in this camp have put pressure on the regulators involved in overseeing the state elections to conduct another independent review of the election results.
The county has already conducted several general election reviews which found that the votes were accurately counted.
Flora said in his letter that another reason for his resignation is so he can join the emerging effort to recall four out of five regulators, possibly related to the push for an audit.
Earlier this month, the Arizona Senate issued two regulatory subpoenas demanding copies of ballot papers, voter information, and other election material for the Senate to conduct its own investigation.
Regulators voted 4: 1 earlier this month to file a lawsuit asking the court to decide whether regulators had to respond to subpoenas rather than responding to subpoenas by the Senate deadline. Supervisor Steve Chucri rejected the measure.
A group called “We The People AZ Alliance” filed Wednesday with the Maricopa County Electoral Office for recall requests for the four regulators who supported the lawsuit: Steve Gallardo, Bill Gates, Clint Hickman and Jack Sellers.
Shelby Busch, the District 19 Republican chairman who ran as a candidate to represent the state, is listed as the chairman of the potential recall initiative. Busch did not immediately return a call for comment on the effort.
Flora said in his letter that he intends to participate in “the recall” of the regulators, which “puts me in direct conflict with the district government”.
The four requests for recall claims that the aforementioned regulators have violated their oath of office and “violated the fundamental rights of Arizona citizens granted by our constitution to the United States and the state of Arizona,” but do not provide additional details.
According to Diana Solario, a spokeswoman for the Maricopa County Electoral Department, petitioners would have to collect between 50,000 and 100,000 valid signatures for each supervisor within 120 days, depending on the district, in order to receive a recall initiative to vote.
Flora quotes achievements
The Treasury sends out property tax invoices and collects and distributes the district’s tax revenue.
Flora referred to his accomplishments in his resignation letter, including creating guidelines to protect property rights, increasing revenue from the Treasurer’s Office portfolio investments, and making changes to the Office’s property tax invoices online payment system.
He said the superiors did not recognize his achievements.
With COVID-19 continuing to affect the county’s economy, Flora in his letter called on Governor Doug Ducey and lawmakers to convene a special session to address tax issues, including extending the 2019 property tax deadline.
“The sad and disappointing thing is that people are dying, businesses are closing, wages are being lost, families are trying to put food on the table, and yet my request fell on deaf ears,” wrote Flora.
Reach the reporter at jen.fifield@azcentral.com or at 602-444-8763. Follow her on Twitter @JenAFifield.
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