By David Key —
Sedona, AZ — The checks and balances of the U.S. constitution are being challenged. Greed and inflation have drastically impacted the cost of living. Those in power sow division because they reap the benefit of distraction. Does this mean everyone with money or political power is your adversary? No, because good people have been able to succeed in this country under capitalism through hard work and grit and grassroots campaigns have put honest people into our democratic system.
It is easy to have empathy for those who have lost hope, but those with hope remaining must stay strong in their conviction. There are small groups of disenfranchised people who would convince you that institutions are inherently corrupt and aren’t able to be saved. They oppose major initiatives launched to meet the needs of their community because they see a disruptive system with malicious intent. The only obvious label for what’s happening: trickle down distrust.
In the coming months you will encounter opposition to Home Rule in efforts to restrict the efforts of our local government. They will talk about the city’s budget like a runaway train, yet the approved budget last summer went down by 2.8%. They will cite a parking garage, the cost of which has risen beyond initial projections. If the project was approved by a previous council, then yes, it would’ve saved millions. This is the council that finally had the political will to get this project done. With the increased cost of concrete, steel, and labor these projects became a now or never. Which is why Forest Road should also be considered a big accomplishment.
First off, what is Home Rule? Home Rule is a law in Arizona that ties a city’s budget to its population and inflation. This antiquated law doesn’t account for tourism in its present form. As most residents are aware, Sedona is a destination city and requires more money to upkeep than your average city with less than ten thousand residents. Every four years the citizens vote to allow the city to spend the money it makes over the state’s standard formula. Voting against Home Rule does not lower taxes and it does not stop the collection of tax; it limits the city from using the funds.
The City of Sedona does not collect property tax. The taxes residents pay go to the county (Yavapai or Coconino), local school districts and the fire district. The city does collect sales tax, predominantly generated by our millions of visitors. Their contributions to our economy have allowed the city to develop a comprehensive Sedona in Motion transportation plan which includes the Forest Road bypass. We have seen new shared use paths come to fruition in our neighborhoods, park and ride shuttle systems expanded to reduce traffic, and a parking garage uptown that should benefit residents and businesses alike.
Here’s the key factor to consider when someone is trying to garner your support to oppose something: do you benefit from their recommended position? The secondary consideration: is their opposition a proactive response to values they hold or is it a reactive response to the past? Home Rule is a notable example of how to use this two-step framework to evaluate the opposition.
Does opposing Home Rule benefit you as a resident? No; it would reduce public services like transportation and public safety, prevent future infrastructure projects, and damage our city’s financial position by adding debt. Question 2: is the opposition a proactive or reactive response? With all respect to those who would ask our future mayor and council to be more fiscally conservative, this would not be a proactive measure. This is a reactive response to the frustration of institutional and political failures of the past.
Home Rule is a vote to empower our city leadership and staff to meet the community’s needs. If you seek leadership closer to your personal views, the City Council election is where you exercise that desire for change. Restricting our city from progress is not an act of rebellion. Unity in the face of adversity is.
– David Key
CEO, Sedona Chamber of Commerce
6 Comments
The constant lame excuse from the City Council, the City Administration and the Chamber of Commerce that visitors pay most of the sales tax ignores that locals are being overtaxed for everything they spend locally. The City of Sedona constantly wastes money because it is rolling in sales tax and bed tax dollars, and does not have to consider cutting expenses or economizing. It is totally out of control spending!! While voiting against Home Rule would impose spending constraints, it would also rein in the out of control spending. The problem is that City Council and the City Administration will NEVER voluntarily cut the sales taxes for locals because they love their merry spending ways!!
Yes and nothing would ever be built or improved upon by the city without state approval. The same state that approved out of control BnB legislation that the city of Sedona has almost unanimously rejected. Why would we trust them to fund something as simple as pot hole repairs? I sure as heck wouldn’t! Vote YES on Home Rule!
Bruce
You probably live in VOC which is not part of Sedona and you don’t have a vote in this matter anyway just like most of those on here who oppose Home Rule.
Wrong!!
FACTS-
Federal funding cuts, often referred to as “DOGE” (Department of Government Efficiency) cuts in 2025, have significantly impacted nonprofits in Northern Arizona, including Sedona and Cottonwood, by reducing the available resources for senior nutrition programs, reducing staffing, and creating waiting lists for services.
Houston Chronicle
+4
These budgetary changes, which include cuts to the Older Americans Act funding and other federal programs, have forced local organizations, such as Meals on Wheels, to operate under increased financial strain.
Impact on Northern Arizona and Meals on Wheels
Northern Arizona Impact: Coconino County has experienced cuts to health and human services, with local officials reporting a “dramatic restructuring” of the Administration for Community Living (ACL) that has disrupted vital services, according to findings in 2025.
Staffing Reductions: Reports indicate that up to 40% of federal Meals on Wheels employees have faced cuts, threatening the ability to maintain regular service in rural Arizona.
Service Disruptions & Waitlists: Nationwide, and directly affecting Arizona providers, 1 in 3 Meals on Wheels programs already had waitlists before further funding pauses, forcing senior residents to wait for meals.
Focus on Essential Services: The reduction in funding has forced local organizations to prioritize home-delivered meals over other services, such as breakfast programs or congregate meal sites, according to 2025 reports.
Houston Chronicle
+3
Broader Impact on Arizona Nonprofits
Funding Revocations: Several Arizona nonprofits had federal grants revoked in early 2025, with around $6 million in funding cut from 14 different organizations across the state, prompting a heavy reliance on local donations, such as during Arizona Gives Day.
Increased Demand, Fewer Resources: While funding was cut or paused, the demand for services increased, with some food pantries experiencing a 25% annual rise in requests, resulting in a strained food supply.
AmeriCorps Cutbacks: The reductions have impacted programs that rely on volunteers, such as the loss of 10 AmeriCorps members at a local nonprofit.
http://www.yourvalley.net
+2
Impacted Service Areas
These cuts have specifically targeted the rural, elderly population in Northern Arizona, limiting access to food for seniors who rely on these services as their primary, or only, source of nutrition. The combination of higher costs and a growing, aging population in towns like Sedona and Cottonwood has compounded the impact of the funding shortfalls.
Houston Chronicle
+2
If the “Home Rule” (Alternative Expenditure Limitation) option fails in Sedona, Arizona, the city would be forced to operate under a state-imposed spending limit based on 1980, adjusted for inflation. This would result in significant negative impacts on city services and finances, as the city would be unable to spend millions of dollars in revenue it already collects.
City of Sedona (.gov)
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Here are the primary negative aspects of Home Rule failing:
Dramatic Budget Cuts (70% Reduction): Based on fiscal year 2026 figures, the city’s annual budget would be reduced by approximately 70%—or nearly $80 million—if Home Rule fails.
Halt to Infrastructure Projects: The city would likely have to cease most capital improvement projects, including road maintenance, traffic improvements, and new facility construction.
Significant Reduction in City Services: Essential services, such as police staffing, transit services, and parks and recreation maintenance, would face major cuts.
Defunding of Community Non-Profits: Funding for crucial non-profit organizations, such as the Sedona Public Library and the Humane Society of Sedona, could be eliminated or severely reduced.
Accumulation of Unspendable Cash: The city would still collect sales and bed taxes (as Home Rule does not affect tax rates), but it would be legally unable to spend that money on city services. This cash would sit in the bank rather than being invested in the community.
Potential Loss of Local Control: Without Home Rule, the city’s ability to manage its own affairs would be severely limited by a formula that staff believes does not account for Sedona’s unique needs, as it was designed based on neighboring towns in 1980.
Operational Instability: The city might be forced to consider extreme measures, such as eliminating the local police department and relying on the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office.
City of Sedona (.gov)
+5
While some opponents argue that alternative funding methods (like a one-time override) or a “Permanent Base Adjustment” could mitigate these issues, proponents of Home Rule warn that a failure to pass it creates a “fake crisis” that would severely damage city operations. Home Rule has been in place in Sedona for over 22 years and generally passes by 55% or higher.
Sedona.Biz
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Non-profit services in Sedona and Cottonwood, including Meals on Wheels, are primarily funded through a mix of private donations, fundraising, grants, and client contributions. The Sedona Community Center relies heavily on community support, such as monthly sustainers, the Arizona Tax Credit Program, and capital campaigns.
Sedona Community Center
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Key funding sources for local non-vital services include:
Sedona Community Center / Meals on Wheels: Funded by donations, individual monthly sponsorships, grants, and contributions from clients.
Pet Project (Sedona): 100% funded by private donations.
Project Fill The Need (Food Pantry): Relies 100% on donations, community food drives (such as Verde Valley Neighborhood Food Project), and local business support.
Grants: Many local organizations apply for funding through the Arizona Community Foundation of Sedona.
Federal Funding: Meals on Wheels programs nationally, including local chapters, receive around 32-35% of their funding from the federal Older Americans Act Nutrition Program.
Meals on Wheels America
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Donation Channels:
Sedona Community Center: Offers options for general donations, legacy planning, and stock donations.
Food Pantries: Use collection bins at locations like Clark’s Market, Sedona Public Library, and local fitness centers.
Sedona Community Center
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LIES-
Arguments against maintaining home rule in Sedona, Arizona—often referred to as “No Home Rule” proponents—frequently utilize narratives that opponents describe as misinformation, scaremongering, or misleading, particularly regarding the city’s financial stability.
Commonly cited claims by opponents of home rule, which proponents of home rule call inaccuracies, include:
Claim: “Cities thrive without home rule.” Proponents of home rule argue this is false, noting that without home rule, Sedona would be forced to follow a 1980 state formula, reducing the 2026 budget by roughly 70%, from about $100 million to $15 million, limiting the city’s ability to spend tax revenue already collected.
Claim: “All city services will still be funded.” Opponents argue that a one-time override vote in May can fund services, but proponents maintain that relying on that is unpredictable, and over 60% of required functions—such as police, maintenance, and nonprofits—could face severe cuts.
Claim: “Home rule is a ‘runaway budget’ and irresponsible spending.” Opponents often argue the city is mishandling funds and needs to be reined in. In contrast, defenders argue that “Home Rule” (Alternative Expenditure Limitation) simply allows the city to spend the revenue it already collects from tourists (sales/bed tax), rather than storing it unused.
Claim: “Home rule is not necessary and creates a dictatorship.” Opponents argue that requiring a vote every four years is a necessary check on power. Proponents argue this creates unnecessary “political shenanigans” and that, without it, the city cannot efficiently manage its own infrastructure projects and daily operations.
Claim: “Other towns like Cottonwood and Camp Verde thrive on state baseline.” While they do operate on the state baseline, proponents of Sedona’s home rule point out that Sedona’s economy, tourist volume, and financial structure are different, and those towns may not be directly comparable in their need for public services.
What is Home Rule in Sedona?
Home rule (or the Alternative Expenditure Limitation) allows the city to set its own budget limit based on its actual revenue rather than a state-mandated formula based on 1979-1980 spending levels. It does not raise taxes.
Vote YES on Home Rule
Bruce, let me ask you a question. If you think the city is spending out of control on things, what do you think they should be spending money on? What’s important to you? Would you really be ok with letting our tax money sit in the bank and not be able to use it to take care of our community. What happens if we have an emergency? Do you really want the state to have a say in how we spend it?