Sedona AZ — If you recently moved to Sedona, you may notice that every four years, residents vote on something called Home Rule.
The July 21 vote is simply about who controls Sedona’s city budget.
What Is Home Rule?
Home Rule allows the City of Sedona to decide how to spend the revenue it already collects to provide city services.
Without Home Rule, Sedona would be forced to follow a state spending formula created in 1979.
Arizona law requires voters to renew Home Rule every four years.
Is Home Rule a Tax Increase?
No.
Home Rule does not raise or create new taxes.
It does not:
- Raise sales tax
- Raise the bed tax paid by visitors
- Create a property tax (Sedona has none)
It only determines whether Sedona can use the money it already collects.
Where Does Sedona’s Revenue Come From?
About 80% of the city’s revenue comes from visitors, mainly through:
- Sales tax from tourism
- Hotel bed taxes
Residents pay only a small portion of the total budget through normal sales tax (3.5%) on purchases in town and online, but not on food purchased at a grocery store. And this is for city residents, not those living outside the limits in the county like the Village of Oak Creek or Oak Creek Canyon.
What Happens if Home Rule Passes?
Sedona continues to fund normal city services such as:
- Police and public safety
- Road maintenance
- Transit and traffic programs
- Parks and recreation
- City planning and administration
- Support for local non-profits like the Sedona Public Library, Meals on Wheels, the Humane Society, and the Food Bank
What Happens if Home Rule Fails?
If Home Rule does not pass, Sedona must follow a state spending cap based on the 1979 budgets.
That limit would allow the city to spend about $15 million — roughly 80% less than today’s budget. The city would be able to pay some current ongoing legal debts, such as bonds, above and beyond this $15 million limit. But in the end, the current 2026 budget of around $100 million would be cut by about 70 million. Which means many ongoing infrastructure projects could, and would probably be halted.
The city would still collect the same taxes, but much of that money could not legally be spent. It was just sitting in the bank, probably earning minimal interest.
To comply with the cap, the city would likely have to reduce:
- Police staffing
- Road maintenance
- Transit services
- Parks and recreation
- City staff and services
- Funding for community non-profits
What the July 21 Vote Means
The vote comes down to one question:
Should Sedona control how it spends its own revenue, or should spending be limited by a state formula from 1979?
Vote YES
- Keeps local control of the city budget
- Allows Sedona to use the revenue it already collects
- Maintains city services and programs
Vote NO
- https://Sedonahomerule.comState spending cap applies
- Major reductions in services are likely
- Tax revenue is collected, but much of it cannot be used
- Home Rule is about local budget control — not raising taxes.
- Please vote YES on Home Rule in the July 21 election here in Sedona.
And remember, Home Rule is referred to as: “The Alternative Expenditure Limitation” on the ballot.
For more information click https//sedonahomerule.com
