“The July 21 election is about more than candidates. It is about whether Sedona chooses stability, Home Rule, and responsible leadership — or risks creating uncertainty at the very moment confidence matters most.”
Opinion by Al Comello, Sedona Resident
Sedona, AZ — The July 21 election is about more than candidates. It is about whether Sedona chooses stability, local control, and responsible leadership—or accepts uncertainty at a time when confidence matters more than ever.
Sedona’s property values are supported by more than its red rock scenery. They are supported by confidence: confidence in public safety, infrastructure, city services, financial stability, and competent local government.
People invest in communities they trust. They buy homes, open businesses, retire, and put down roots when they believe a city is well managed and moving in the right direction. When that confidence weakens, uncertainty follows—and uncertainty can affect investment decisions, housing demand, and long-term economic health.
That reality makes this election especially important.
Sedona’s real estate market is already showing signs of moderation, with more price reductions and increasingly cautious buyers. The city remains a highly desirable place to live, but desirability alone is not enough. Communities must also project stability, sound governance, and a clear vision for the future.
At the center of this election is Home Rule.
Home Rule does not create new taxes. It allows Sedona to spend the revenue it already collects according to locally adopted priorities. Without it, the city could face significant spending restrictions under a state formula that bears little relationship to Sedona’s modern needs and responsibilities.
Voters should expect candidates seeking to govern the city to clearly explain where they stand on this issue. The authority to manage public safety, infrastructure, planning, and community services is fundamental to effective local government.
Ultimately, this election is about stewardship. Every generation inherits a community built by those who came before and leaves it for those who follow. The decisions made on July 21 will influence public services, civic confidence, economic vitality, and quality of life for years to come.
Sedona’s beauty is enduring. Confidence is not.
Protecting that confidence requires stable leadership, sound financial management, and a continued commitment to local control.
Support Home Rule, Proposition 400 and support the candidates who publicly support Home Rule.
The future of Sedona depends on it.
Note: Those candidates that openly and publicly support Home Rule are: Brian Fultz for Mayor and Melissa Dunn and “Coach” Tony Housemen for City Council. The other candidates do not openly support and encourage a “YES VOTE” on Home Rule. A.C.
Editor’s Note: Al Comello has been a Sedona resident for 28 years and has served in leadership roles with numerous Sedona and Verde Valley nonprofit organizations. He has spent decades studying Sedona’s housing, real estate, civic, and community development issues, including the impact of short-term rentals. Before moving to Sedona, he was Real Estate Editor of the historic St. Louis Globe-Democrat and owned a marketing agency specializing in the new-home industry.
2 Comments
Oh Al, your little advertorial wants to sound confident, but you’ve missed the mark.
First, the housing market in Sedona has not slowed down. There have been a few mild price reductions and a little more time on the market, but overall, the Real Estate business is booming! If a slowdown did exist, it would have nothing to do with Buyers losing confidence in City Government. The things that influence Buyers are interest rates, taxes, and wars in the Middle East.
Next, according to you, the things that build confidence – public safety, infrastructure, city services, financial stability, and competent local government. Unfortunately our current City Council and Staff, combined with an unlimited amount of spending with no accountability (thanks to Home Rule), we have NONE of the things on your list.
Public Safety – we have cops that don’t understand Public Right of Way, a Chief of Police who clearly can’t manage her department properly (why have so many cops retired or quit?). We don’t feel safe when we’re fighting multiple lawsuits. We finally have sirens in uptown and they’ve divided the city into zones, and they’re patting themselves on the back for doing such a good job. But still no disaster plans, no evacuation plans. How will tourists know where to go or what to do when uptown is on fire?
Infrastructure – millions spent on “Shared Use Pathways” (they’re dangerous and no one uses them), a Sewer System that’s been on it’s last legs for at least 10 years, the complete lack of maintenance on generators and no backup generators that we’ll need for water when we catch on fire. Don’t even get me started on the Parking Garage and Bypass Road. After spending millions of dollars, Sedona is still not In Motion!
City Services – that in most cases cater to families with children, but we don’t have any children. I may be mistaken, but did I see a budget line item that said $100,000 for an America 250 celebration? I’m all for it, but I can’t imagine what costs that much.
Financial Stability only because we have a Golden Goose (or maybe it’s a Red Goose). But how is it that EVERY PROJECT costs so much more than budgeted? To the point of nearly double the original cost? Again, the Parking Garage and Bypass Road!? If we ran our lives or our businesses that way, we be bankrupt. They wasted money taking us to court to prevent us from voting on an important issue (if they were concerned with legality, why did they hire lawyers back in October?)
I’ll save you the embarrassment of going into detail about our Incompetent Local Government.
“Public Safety – we have cops that don’t understand Public Right of Way, a Chief of Police who clearly can’t manage her department properly (why have so many cops retired or quit?). We don’t feel safe when we’re fighting multiple lawsuits. We finally have sirens in uptown and they’ve divided the city into zones, and they’re patting themselves on the back for doing such a good job. But still no disaster plans, no evacuation plans. How will tourists know where to go or what to do when uptown is on fire”
What does “cops who don’t understand Public Right of Way” even mean? Are you talking about a very wrongly perceived right to ignore cops stopping you from going trough an accident zone, traffic stop or crime scene perimeter? Or are you complaining that you can’t just ignore traffic laws and drive however you please? That’s a very Sovereign Citizen insane and wrong way to view law enforcement. I’m guessing you’re just sour over getting a valid traffic citation for driving like an idiot?
Seems to me the very few officers Sedona PD do a decent job keeping Sedona safe. I wish they’d patrol the neighborhoods more than they do though. Every department has problems and problem officers and it is the Chief’s job to sort that out not just go along to get along and avoid lawsuits. Law Enforcement Officers are unionized and have vast protections against being fired even for just cause. It is absolutely no surprise that lawsuits against the department have come and gone. I challenge you to find a department anywhere in the country that doesn’t have a pending or past lawsuit against it. That’s just the nature of the law enforcement beast.
Sedona PD does not create emergency evacuation or disaster planning. They are part of it but there are many elements and players responsible for such planning, Sedona Fire, other local fire and law enforcement agencies from adjacent towns and cities sign Mutual Aid contracts with one another and that take time, money and legal expertise to finalize. City Government is responsible for reviewing and drafting all contingency planning for the town.
You should probably do a bit more research into how real world law enforcement operates and what YOU can and CANNOT legally do when it comes to your perception of “Right of Way”. You cannot do whatever the hell you want to no matter what you think. That’s what living in a civilized democratic society entails- abiding by laws, rules and norms. I realize we are currently living under a fascist Federal Government right now but even they have laws and rules everyone must abide by or face very severe consequences that are not democratic or fair.
Looking forward to your explanation of “Right of Way”.
Lastly, the city like all cities spends money on infrastructure upgrades and repairs. They build new civic projects and manage them which takes money- lots of money (which comes primarily from Sedona’s Visitor Tax not your non existent property taxes). If you think any of that will change under new management I’d like to sell you the Grand Canyon for say eight billion? What do you think of that? It’s a good deal 😂