❓ Are license plate readers compatible with the freedoms our Founding Fathers fought for? 

🎙️ This week, I sit down with Surprise, Arizona Councilmember Johnny Melton to break down the city’s audit of its Flock Safety ALPR system, what it uncovered, and what it means for privacy rights, public safety, and government accountability in Arizona. 

➡️ As an independent journalist, these are the conversations that drive my work — talking directly with the people making decisions about surveillance technology and how it affects our daily lives. 

🔍 If you’re following the rise of ALPR cameras, AI policing tools, or the debate over privacy vs. safety, this conversation is a must-watch.

🎧 Watch now: My full interview with Councilmember Johnny Melton. 

📽️ Check out all my conversations with local changemakers: https://www.youtube.com/@jenandfriends

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Scottsdale City Councilmember Barry Graham granted Jen’s Two Cents an exclusive interview to discuss the city’s 2026 Legislative Agenda — a document I located in last week’s council Consent Agenda.

Councilmember Graham played a key role in proposing an amendment, and in our conversation he breaks down why it mattered, what changed, and what residents should know moving forward. 

He recommended keeping the phrase “Promote the responsible and transparent use of technology” while removing the specific references to license plate readers, photo radar, and AI. 

In our one-on-one interview, Councilmember Barry Graham calls for a policy debate on emerging technologies.

In this exclusive interview, we also hear Graham’s thoughts on Scottsdale's latest agreement with Axon. 

Read the Report: https://westvalleyfamilies.substack.com/p/councilmember-barry-graham

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After leading an in-depth audit of Surprise, Arizona’s Flock Safety license plate reader network, Councilmember Johnny V. Melton sits down with Jen’s Two Cents to reveal what he discovered. From data practices to AI concerns, he walks through the findings and what residents should know.

Enjoy this latest episode of “Jen & Friends” with host Jen Barber.

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Read the Report

Jen’s Two Cents makes no claims or determinations regarding any of these statements. This exclusive interview is being presented solely to inform the public of viewpoints expressed by candidates and elected officials during the 2026 Goodyear mayoral race.

Mayor Pizzillo remains welcome to provide a written statement or appear on the Jen’s Two Cents podcast at any time.

All statements contained herein are presented as reported and have not been independently verified.

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On December 10, 2024, the Tolleson Union High School District held an executive session to review a report prepared by Calderon Law Offices, P.L.C. The report evaluates Superintendent Jeremy Calles' conduct and interactions with both District members and community constituents.

While the governing board met in executive session, Superintendent Calles spoke exclusively with Jennifer Barber, addressing the report's findings and discussing the defamation lawsuit he has filed.

Just minutes after our interview concluded, Calles would be on his way home—a turn of events that likely came as a surprise, given that he mentioned during the interview that he had not been properly notified about a personnel action.

🚨 In a 3-2 vote, Tolleson Union High School District placed Superintendent Jeremy Calles on paid leave. Calles will be fulfilling his duties by working from home.

✅ Voting In Favor:
Board President Dr. Kino Flores
Board Member Dr. Elda Luna-Najera
Board Member Mr. Freddie Villalon

🛑 Voting Against:
Board Vice President Mr. Steven Chapman
Board Member Mr. Devin Del Palacio

Jeremy Calles, a West Valley native, shares his perspective in an exclusive interview with Jennifer Barber. Also present was Joseph Ortiz, the Tolleson Union High School District Director of PR and Marketing. Both individuals provided consent for the recording.

Jen's Two Cents captured an hour-long conversation where Calles addresses the report and shares his thoughts in the moments leading up to his departure from the district building.

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Exclusive: Superintendent Jeremy Calles Responds to Allegations on District Travel Policies

Suspended Tolleson Superintendent Jeremy Calles sat down for an exclusive, on-the-record audio interview addressing district travel policies and a report from the Goldwater Institute alleging over $75,000 was spent on multi-day retreats at luxury resorts in Sedona and Tucson. The report, brought forward by Chris Thomas, former Arizona School Boards Association attorney and now Goldwater's director of legal strategy for education policy, claimed improper spending and insufficient meeting records from the retreats.

Calles, disputing the allegations, stated in this morning’s West Valley View that both he and the district have been transparent, cooperating with state statute throughout Goldwater’s investigation—a process he says has been conducted twice this year. He attributed the report to spite from a former attorney, asserting that the district followed the state-mandated 50-mile travel rule for retreats and intentionally selected the four-star venues in Tucson and Sedona to host recorded, agenda-driven discussions for the upcoming school year.

The Goldwater Institute criticized the expenses, particularly $22,000 in catering at the JW Marriott Starr Pass, and argued such meetings could have been held locally for less. Calles defended the district’s practices, emphasizing their compliance with legal requirements and reiterating their commitment to transparency.

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On March 4, 2025, Goodyear Mayor Joe Pizzillo spoke with me following the launch of the Buckeye Union High School District Education Foundation — a new nonprofit dedicated to supporting students through enhanced Career and Technical Education (CTE) opportunities. Western Maricopa Education Center (West-MEC), which partners with 15 public school districts and 2 charter districts, offers innovative CTE programs that allow students to gain real-world skills through elective courses at their home campuses.

Here is our full interview from that day.

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In this exclusive, former Councilmember - now mayoral candidate - Bill Stipp says Goodyear residents deserve a public conversation about the city’s rollout of AI-driven surveillance cameras.

Read the Report

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What happens when a citizen pushes back against government secrecy? In this exclusive interview, we talk with the man who refused to accept “denied” for an answer — and won. His fight to access the surveillance records tied to his own license plate location reveals just how much the government knows about your movements… and what it takes to get that information.

I thank Josh Frankel for his insight and willingness to share his story!

Read the Report: https://westvalleyfamilies.substack.com/p/surveillance-showdown

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Read the Report: Who's Protecting the Taxpayers?

In the news lately, several Arizona school districts have faced controversy over superintendents being terminated early or released from their contracts long before they expire. 

Many walk away with hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars, leaving governing boards under fire as they navigate some of the most difficult decisions in public education. 

To better understand the scope of the problem — and possible solutions — I sat down with Christopher Thomas of the Goldwater Institute for this exclusive interview. 

🔔 Subscribe for more in-depth reporting and interviews on Arizona schools, policy, and government accountability. 

TIME CODES 

00:08 School Board Governance & Superintendent Contracts 

00:19 Maricopa County Superintendent Shelli Boggs Statement 

00:33 Thomas - Why school boards need to think about "end" at the beginning 

2:32 Contracts with Big Payouts 

4:45 Board members consulted to stay out of the day-to-day business of school administration 

9:08 Transparency in creating superintendent contracts 

11:55 Consequences to taking the low-cost approach to superintendent searches 

12:50 Sandra Christensen | Paradise Valley Schools 

13:20 Thomas - Affordability to be considered but also want to know what the superintendent search is going to do for the board 

17:45 Allegations & Board Decisions 

18:35 Superintendent searches & deadlines for hiring 

24:15 Goldwater Superintendent Pay Database 

27:41 FOIA records requests difficulties 

31:10 Governing boards may not know of admin's transparency 

31:50 Are superintendents overpaid? 

34:34 Proficiency scores matched to superintendent pay 

35:16 Difference between districts and proficiency 

36:56 School bonds 

38:37 Goldwater legislation for 2026 

39:29 Wrap

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