By Mike Schroeder
(August 13, 2014)
It is a shame that the political season brings the worst out of normally good people. The back stabbing, the slanderous comments, the lifting of words out of context all to get YOUR person elected. The voters need to pull the curtain back and see who is pulling the levers. Always a good practice is to “follow the money”. When you do that, the dirt in politics and the people pushing the dirt becomes apparent.
You would think Sedona would be above that, but the emails I have seen about the plotting and character assignation are hard to believe in our little town of 9000+. OK…so what can YOU the voter do? How about this. Send a message. If someone is running a negative ad, tearing someone down, then vote for the other person. That’s pretty easy for a start.
You could also actually listen to a plan, a fiscally responsible plan, a TRANSPARENT process that makes sense and is good for the community. Maybe it is time to stop the “What’s in it for me” and focus on people that will provide accountability. Creating a fiscally sound city with good management is the structure that attracts quality residents, young residents that will provide the needed energy to our city.
Our tourism industry is important, but the solid infrastructure people are looking for to make this their home is probably a tad more important for the long term. If you are seeing the negative ads, look behind the curtain. I suspect you will see something you do not like.
No plug for any candidate in this letter, although you will see comments I have made lifted out of context. So you be the judge; it’s our town, who do you want running it?
1 Comment
Let’s really keep this upcoming Mayoral/Council election positive by dealing in specific truths instead of generalities and tactical camouflage discussion topics. Should not, and would not, all honest candidates be willing to answer these questions immediately? Who, if any, will evade answering these critical questions?
1] Do you support or oppose Home Rule? If you support it, please explain why reduction of the City’s estimated annual budget by 26% is a bad idea considering what that really means is that the City would be forced to put approximately $9 million dollars a year into a rainy day fund in light of the incontrovertible fact that the U.S., AZ, and local economies are in a state of serious decline with no evidence of a turn around on the horizon?
2] Do you support or oppose awarding the City’s Destination Marketing contract to the Chamber of Commerce without requiring that it be done so through a competitive bidding process to assure the best potential players, such as Roger Brooks International or Total Destination Marketing, get fair consideration at the lowest price?
3] Do you support or oppose the beneficial financial support, with City treasury money from sales/bed taxes, of non-City of Sedona Chamber members such as the Hilton and Enchantment hotels?
4] Can you explain what the City’s revenue sources will be should the City’s tourist generated tax revenues significantly decline in the near future?
5] Would you support or oppose property taxes to supplement revenue if Home Rule is voted in again?
6] Would you support or oppose designation of the City of Sedona as an immigration “sanctuary” city?