By Mike Schroeder
Sedona, AZ — The July 21 vote is simply about who controls Sedona’s city budget.
FALSE. The council always controls the budget, and under AZ statute there are three funding choices:
Base – Based on an early 1980 number, some small cities still use that;
Permanent Base Adjustment – around 54% or AZ cities use that, and growing;
Home Rule – which by law must be voted on every 4 years, and IF FAILS, one of three things happen:
1. The city must use BASE, which in our case is not a good deal.
2. The city Council can put PERMANENT BASE ADJUSTMENT on the ballot in November, and set a number approved by the Auditor General (with some exclusions) to run the city. Voters have ONE option in May of every year to pass a 1-time override for additional funds for specific projects
3. When Home Rule expires on June 30th, 2027, and the is no Permanent Base Adajustment, the Council in May can put an override on a special ballot requesting additional funds for a special project or projects.
No PANIC – NO catastrophe – sorry scare mongers.
The sky does not fall Chicken Little. But the mystery writer of this article wants you to think it will fall. That’s the plan, that’s always the plan. Tax all you can get, remember the ½ cent “temporary” sales tax we had that the council couldn’t leave their hands off it…and made permanent?
Home Rule does not create or Raise Taxes. Never has, never will. Hollow statement to scare you – when you don’t need to be scared.
Home Rule allows the city government, Staff with limitations, and Council to spend any money they have on any project they want without regard to voter input. And boy do they NOT like the thought of voter input.
What happens if Home Rule passes: Nothing. The city continues to spend money like they’re printing it ignoring public input.
What happens if Home Rule Fails: And I quote the “fear monger”
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.
Then we have more fear mongering about how we are going to lose Police, Transit services (which we are all but giving away – stupid), Parks and Rec – of course, City Staff…is that a problem? And community nonprofits. We must put the panic into our many nonprofits.
Home Rule is about local budget control? FALSE – Home Rule is about a runaway City Council and Staff with no oversight from the public. And THAT my friends, sends PANIC in the Halls of City Hall. Can you imagine having to justify expenditures to the public?
How about a Forest Road extension that had an estimate of $2.77 million and came in at $17.6 million. Oh, they used imminent domain to secure private property, offered below market, sued every parcel owner, and lost every suite. Paid a lot more. Just a small piece of that mess.
A bloated cost and still rising Uptown car garage, one you can build cheaper in LA. Preliminary estimates, around $11.5 million, and if we are lucky it will come in at $26 million. Don’t hold your breath. Cost per space – wait for it….$92,000. That will buy you a mobile home.
Is this what “Home Rule” buys? Apparently. How about the purchase of the Cultural Park for $20 million. $10 million cash on hand, and $10 million debt financing. And then they wanted to park homeless people in cars on it. AND it was a LAME DUCK COUNCIL that made that move. “We have to buy it so we can decide what to do with it”. The $10 million was from “affordable Housing” fund?
Shuttle buses to trail heads? FREE? Tell me where you can go ANYWHERE on the planet and get FREE transportation. They have an App mfor the shuttle, charge SOMETHING for god’s sake. Anything to recoup some dollars.
We are picking people up in shuttles for $2 or $1 and taking them wherever they want to go? And some of our busses are hybrids? More expense to buy and maintain? Even our past transit manager, Mr. Webber said this was a trial program as he went out the door. And now we are thinking about a $31 million BUS barn and service facility down by the sewer plant? These people think we are Phoenix? You NEVER get out of your wheelhouse. You hire professional companies to do this stuff, and then fire them if it doesn’t work. We build monuments at city hall and we keep buying more buildings for more city hall even though we are not growning.
The list is a lot longer – Too much money, too much ideology, and too much incompetence.
We spend millions on roads that don’t fix anything. Makes traffic worse. Who oversees THOSE decisions? How about a $840,000 culvert on Back O Beyond Road that 1) was not needed, and 2 did not help the residents at all on Back O Beyond Circle. Or concrete paths to nowhere, let’s pave everything. The city even put in a concrete walk path for HIKERS from the NFS lot on 179 to United Methodist Church – these are people WALKING to a HIKING TRAIL!
This year’s rundown of city staff’s salaries shows a total of forty-five regular city staff—twenty two percent of the total—having ascended to the $100,000-plus salary circle, up from 28 last year. From $209,000 to $100,000. Up 25% from last year. Nice raise if you can get it – Medium income in Sedona is $73,000. 26 city employees between $80K and $100K.
Medium income in the Verde Valley in 2023 is $35K, minimum wage in AZ is $31,500.
In 2018, the average for the previous 5 years expenditure in Sedona was $38.5 million, budget was $49.5 Million. Population went from 10,300 in 2000 down to 9700, number of tourists stayed the same from the mid 2000s. Current budget is $103 million. Wow.
Let’s compare – Palm Desert, California, BIG tourist town – just like Sedona
Budget, $109 million, 55,000 residents. (I think 55,000 is bigger than 9,700)
Out of that budget comes $28 million for contract law enforcement – from county
Out of the budget comes $24 million for country fire (We pay EXTRA for that in Sedona)
121 Employees (does not include police) $20.3 million salary and Benefits (excluding police)
The City of Palm Desert maintains nearly 172 miles of public roadways, including streets, bridges, and associated infrastructure. Sedona…119 miles.
The City of Palm Desert operates more than 12 parks, offering over 200 acres of parkland for residents and visitors. These facilities, managed by the City of Palm Desert Parks and Recreation Department, also include two community centers, an aquatic center, and over 25 miles of multi-purpose trails.
We have an election coming up, 4 NEW candidates for council and 1 new candidate for Mayor. When the city council bought the Cultural Park for $20 million, they did it between the time 3 new councilors were elected and before they were seated. YOU – the voter voted for a change. And that VOTE was stolen from you by an outgoing council.
Are you going to let that happen again? If you want changes vote for a new council and let the new council manage the city with input from the people. A NO on Home Rule does not cripple the city. Council can go for the override in MAY – NOTHING CHANGES, but THE VOTERS get a say, and the council must explain what they need the money for.
RED Alert – THE CITY STAFF AND COUNCIL ARE BEING COACHED RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE THE STATEMENTS, THAT YOU KEEP HOME RULE BY CREATING A CRISIS IN THE MINDS OF THE VOTERS. It happens every 4 years. You like being manipulated?
There is NO crisis – if you hear that, you are being lied to. Are you going to vote for a council and staff that creates a fake crisis so they can continue spending money like we have witnessed?
You build a road – you get a turnkey bid. You build a parking garage; you get a turnkey bid. It is up to the contractor to know what the hell they are doing, or you don’t issue the bids.
Our city government is too big, out of control, and every one of us sees it every time we go out of our houses or apartments.
Oh yes – more details to come. NO on HOME RULE – it is NOT the end of Sedona – it is the rebirth of common sense and efficient management.
35 Comments
Say No to Home rule if you only care about yourself and your own financial self interests. Say yes if you care about the Food Bank, Humane Society and other invaluable non profits that depend upon a YES vote.
Amen, sister.
That’s the old fear mongering technique. That’s so old, stale and not true!!!!!!
Without Home rule these nonprofits will definitely thrive.
Mike is right.
Home rule is just a temporary adjustment. Every four years, we have to vote on it. It’s costly and the community has to go through these political shenanigans. Nonsense. It’s time to make things permanent.
The state has a seamless path to navigate away from home rule. All services and are loved nonprofits will be funded. Our neighboring cities and towns do great without home rule. Camp Verde and Cottonwood are thriving on permanent base.
Yuma, Sahuarita, Winslow and more thrive on state baseline. All these cities even have more Municipality services than Sedona. Sedona only has a mere 2 while Cottonwood has 6.
Vote NO
Sure thing Donna. And how do those non profits allegedly thrive without home rule? Sedona’s non profits are for larger and more efficient than those in Cottonwood with the monies they receive from Home Rule. Please elaborate how they are better off. Where will they get the difference in funding they currently need and use? Otherwise you’re just talking to hear yourself.
Donna,
The May override vote would have to contain funding for community service providers, which the voters would almost certainly approve.
Hi Ed,
Yes, most definitely. Thanks for bringing that up. The one-time override is a great option that ensures our community service is funded.
In 2018 when Mike and Dwight Kadar put together the permanent base Initiative ballot measure. ALL the nonprofits were getting paid. Even the Chamber of Commerce would have gotten the money that they were using for marketing.
Clearly you do not understand the process. The state auditor general site is great resource.
Arizona Constitutional Spending Limits- Cities & Towns
AZ Constitution Article 9 Sec. 20
Cities & Towns: Voter approved permanent or temporary adjustment
• Permanent base adjustment (PBA) is a permanent adjustment
• Alternative expenditure limitation (Home Rule) is a temporary adjustment 4 Year
“**Without voter approval, Spending limit is the State base limit calculation: 1980 Base +Population & Inflation”
Here’s a few comparisons to state baseline cities and town
Yuma population is 103,559 – Yuma provides 6 Municipality services
Sahuarita Population is 37,448 -Sahuarita provides 2 Municipality services
Winslow population is 8,577 – Winslow provides 6 Municipality services
Compared to Sedona population is 9,778 – Sedona provides only 2 Municipality services on they are on home rule which is temporary.
Permanent base is very popular. Close by cities like Cottonwood and Camp Verde operate on Permanent base and they love it. Permanent base is permanent and more stable. The budget increases every year. It’s consistent, and they don’t to deal with the politics.
Another option is the voter approved one time override.
Sedona deserves better than fear mongering.
Clearly you think people are idiots and believe your nonsense. You claim that without Home Rule non profits still get funded? By whom exactly and with what money precisely? Just admit No Home Rule benefits you but not the people who depend upon it.
If Cottonwood and Camp Verde are soooo much better than Sedona, you can and should move to one of them. You obviously have a dislike of any social program funding and care only about what you personally benefit from by not having them.
You want Permanent Base vs Home Rule so that those for Home Rule never get a vote or say in the matter ever again. Typical MAGA ploy to gain unwarranted power over others rights while whining and crying about how bad Equal Rights for ALL are. You mentioned a ballot initiative covering the money non profits will surely lose if Home Rule gets voted down. Well tell us where that money all comes from other than taking it away from Sedona’s life line bread and butter tourist ads and tourism initiatives? There’s nothing broken with Sedona’s government. What’s wrong with Sedona is allowing money to talk over common sense and the rule of law.
Most people want to vote upon thing every 4 years so that we don’t have a dictatorship that sits in power until they die upon their gold plated commode like King Trump aspires to do. You aren’t even willing to help Sedona’s un housed employees who serve YOU daily so why would any normal minded person listen to you?
Total bull. Cottonwood meals on wheels is much bigger and far reaching than Sedona. Just google it. Cottonwood has many more city services than Sedona that only has 2 municipal services. If you really want to know about their non profits it is easy to find onlne just view their budget. These false narratives really get old. Info is easy to find. Just look.
Donna: Where would the non-profits, like the Meals on Wheels, get their funding if not for the city?
Hi Judy and Don,
All the non-profits will be funded. We have a more stable option referred to as Permanent base. In my answer to Jill it explains quickly the process and options. All the non-profits will be funded. There is nothing to be afraid of.
thanks for the question.
Hi Judy and Don,
I found a good benchmark. The City of Cottonwood is on permanent base and they fund the meals on wheel program. The program is run by the Verde Valley Senior Center, and they service the greater Cottonwood area.
They also receive funding from these sources.
APS
Arizona Complete Health
Brown Family
Christ Lutheran Church of Sedona
City of Cottonwood
Minerals Research Group
NACOG
Sterrett Family
Town of Camp Verde
Yavapai County Board of Supervisors
Young Family
sources: https://www.verdevalleyseniorcenter.org/
The city of cottonwood funds in excess of 4.5 million in grant money https://www.cottonwoodaz.gov/DocumentCenter/View/8308/FY-2026-Final-Budget-07-2025
I really hope this helps.
Lies fear mongering is the same old song everytime we vote on home rule.These programs will go on as usual.Why is it that the crony programs like the chamber overpayment is never the subject of cuts. Asked and answered.
Try supporting your “fear mongering” so called facts with some actual facts and evidence to support your arguments.
Cottonwood and Camp Verde are on permenant base and have no problem funding more services than Sedona.That includes non profits.
Jill, Maybe you should read the enitre post instead of trying to put fear into the people which is the typicle agenda of the council and staff. In fact they are being trained to create a crisis. They do it every year and we have the video of them doing so. With the structure that occurs under NO Home Rule, like 54 other AZ cities run under, a concil can go to the citizens with a one time budget override every MAY. All they have to to is justify the spending, and if that spending includes charities then nothing changes.
It is time people stop telling lies and misrepresnetngin the law. You just cant make stuf up.
It is like trying to wrap your head around how a garage caan have parking places that are now costing $92,000 each. You can by a 640 sq ft tiny home ofr $95,000. And that’s just the tip of the misuse of funds.
Tell the truth. These programs will go on as usual. That is why more cities are going for permeant base. The city will still be on home rule till June of 2027 when home rule fails. All the cities on permanent base have more non profits and services than Sedona. More than 50 percent of Az. cities are on permenant base. That is why it’s permenant unlike home rule is temporary, every four years. Do your research. Look at Cottonwood and Camp Verde. They love permenant base. Ask then. We did.
“imminent domain”…I think you meant “eminent domain”. *Sigh*
@Bj they likely meant eminent as they obviously only think of themselves.
100% totally agree, Mike!!!
Home Rule takes all financial power from the citizens and gives it to the government. In my opinion It promotes governments corruption that runs into the millions of taxpayer dollars. From the ugly uptown transformation to the mismanagement of the water leading to an increased cost burdening the citizens. From the wasteful Jordan Road extension to the horrible mismanagement of the parking garage budgeting 13 million to a still ballooning 26 million cost. Don’t forget the overpayment for the cultural park done during the covid pandemic. Mike is right.
Mike and Donna have been making up nonsense about Home Rule for as long as anyone can remember. Every four years, they lie about Home Rule, they lose at the ballot box, and then they tell everyone who voted for Home Rule that they are stupid.
Thank God we have residents like Mike and Donna who speak truth to power, present actual facts, and never give up! That is how this country was formed to give power to the people, not government. Don’t underestimate how many residents agree with them just because they don’t comment on Sedona.biz. Just drive around Sedona to see the obnoxious and costly mistakes made the City the past 8 years. It is so obvious that the lies and fear-mongering come from the CIty and their cronies who wants to control the budget. Vote No on Hime Rule is the only logical solution. Mike & Donna are right!
Giving power to the wealthy is more like what you mean because your Trump Administration who you voted and cheer for has done that and only that, while stripping the power and rights of everyone else.
You should try stand up. You’re ignorantly hilarious!
Jill – a little TDS? WHat does Trump have to do with Home Rule?
Stop the fear mongering and false narratives. Wake up and do your research.
Heed your own advice and Google who and how the Cottonwood Meals on Wheels is actually currently funded. Stop the gaslighting!
Cara Mike and Donna are so right. Info is easy to find if you really want the truth. Vote no on Home Rule. The citizens need to take their financial power back.Say no to big gov.
So some of you want to just break it to break it? Dont like to help others? It cant be greed, because 78% or more of our taxes are paid by tourists. You would rather get less in return, yet the taxes stay the same, it just goes into a fund and sits there? Quite the business acumen you got! lol
You are so blinded by your opinions you miss any point! You really should focus on state and county tax. We get less in return from them and charged more!
@Frank
Their lies spin and gaslighting are always quite obvious. The second anyone asks them for some evidence of what they state with imaginary confidence, their argument(s) crumbles into dust. Then they sling insults without even attempting to defend what they said in the first place. They watch far too much Russian/Hungarian propaganda with baseless claims and repeat them like an ill trained parrot with brain damage.
@Judy @ Don,
Great question about Meals on Wheels that their King had Elon take a chainsaw to in the beginning of their fascist dismantling of our Federal Government.
Mike, Donna, Cara, and Dana support PBA because they want to set the adjustment so low that it ruins the city’s ability to function. They tried years ago but residents saw through their lies and overwhelmingly approved Home Rule.
Search the Red Rock News website for “paper terrorism.” It will give you insight on some of the people who are telling you how to vote.
Hi Frank,
The New City Council are the ones that set the PBA number. The Arizona Auditor General controls that. https://www.azauditor.gov
It’s easy. Here’s how. When home rule fails on September 21, 2026 the city is still funded under home rule until FY26/27 which ends on June 30, 2027.
The New City Council can have a one-time override election in May 2027. The new city council can ask for as much money as they need. This allows the city to exceed the state limit for FY 27/28.
The New City Council can put PBA Permanent base adjustment on the ballot. Super smooth everyone gets funded.
Permanent base is very popular. Close by cities like Cottonwood and Camp Verde operate on Permanent base and they love it. Permanent base is permanent and more stable method. The budget increases every year. It’s consistent, and they don’t to deal with the politics. The city also saves a lot of money because they don’t have to pay for elections very 4 years and the residents don’t have to put up with the political shenanigans every four years.
The great thing that this does it gives the New council the ability to evaluate the direction, projects the city is going and see if that aligns with what the residents’ needs are today.
Voting NO on home rule stops the business as usual and it will help the community be involved in the process. Very positive