Rep. Steve Montenegro wants the Arizona Attorney General’s Office to investigate several issues that led Tempe to set a special election for a proposed entertainment district, which would include an arena for the Arizona Coyotes.

The election is three weeks away, and early ballots have been mailed to registered voters.

Montenegro, a Republican whose district includes parts of Phoenix and Surprise, is questioning Tempe’s “ordinances, resolution and development agreement connected to” the May 16 election, according to a release.

Montenegro is asking Attorney General Kris Mayes “whether the Arizona Constitution and state law allow a private developer, Bluebird Development LLC – who stands to benefit from the City’s Special Election and appears to be acting at the City’s direction – to spend private money by referring the measures to the voters and paying for costs, expenses and fees associated” with the election, according to the release.

“[T]he Arizona Constitution does not allow the City to directly refer measures to the ballot, but the development agreement with Bluebird appears to be an indirect and unconstitutional attempt to do so,” Montenegro wrote in his request. 

“The City’s agreements with Bluebird also appear to violate A.R.S. § 16-407.01, which prohibits cities from expending private monies for preparing for, administering or conducting an election.”

In his request to Mayes, the lawamaker said a report from the Attorney General’s Office must be issued within 30 days.

“The City's Special Election will occur in 22 days,” he wrote.

“I just learned of the City's actions and decided to bring this matter to your attention as quickly as possible. I would  greatly appreciate an expedited report, to the extent you are able to do so.”

The group opposing the plan, Tempe 1st, said in a statement that it welcomed the potential investigation.

"Since last year, our resident coalition has questioned the irregular way the Tempe Entertainment District and Coyotes arena proposal came to be - behind closed doors, without resident input, outside of normal elections procedures and without due diligence regarding the true impact to taxpayers and residents," according to the statement.

"The state lawmaker's request that the Attorney General investigate the city and Bluebird’s unusual arrangement aligns with some of our longstanding concerns," the statement continued.

We’d like to invite our readers to submit their civil comments, pro or con, on this issue. Email AZOpinions@iniusa.org.