By Sedona City Council Member Jessica Williamson
Sedona, AZ: Home Rule will be on the ballot on August 2nd. It’s called the Alternative Expenditure Limitation (Home Rule Option) on your ballot. Home rule means the City can spend the revenue it receives on services and programs. If home rule isn’t approved, the City is only allowed to spend an amount determined by the State, regardless of community needs or available revenues.
Sedona has operated under Home Rule for 26 years. I support Home Rule because it is local control and allows the City to address the very real issues of traffic, short-term rentals, over-tourism, trailhead congestion, trail maintenance, and tourist management.
If home rule is not approved, the state-mandated spending limit for Sedona would be $13.7 million next fiscal year. An additional $16 million of spending would be allowed, but it would be limited to debt service, HURF highway funds, grants, for a total expenditure limit of a little less than $30 million. The City would have $13.7 million available to spend on police, parks and recreation, infrastructure, short-term rental response and enforcement, traffic improvements, transit, code enforcement, permit review, and other city services.
The City expects to receive over $110 million in revenue next year but could only spend $13.7 on programs and services. The wastewater treatment plant alone is budgeted for $5+ million. The difference between revenues and the state-mandated limit – amounting to over $70 million – would go into a bank account.
Residents are legitimately frustrated by the consequences of over-tourism in Sedona. Over-tourism has resulted in increased traffic that strains our infrastructure and an influx of visitors who congregate at well-known destinations and impinge on residential neighborhoods. Adding to the frustration is the State-imposed proliferation of short-term rentals that has overwhelmed our community.
I live in Sedona and I’m frustrated as well. I would be happy with fewer tourists, less traffic, limited short term rentals. I believe it’s imperative that Sedona be allowed to use available resources – 77%% of sales tax revenue comes from tourists – to address the problems caused by over-tourism.
Home rule is local control. It allows the elected City Council to spend revenues generated by tourists where they are needed to improve the community. Voting no on home rule won’t reduce traffic, reduce the number of visitors, improve trailhead conditions, or reduce the impact of short-term rentals. What it will do is eliminate funds for parks and recreation, infrastructure, traffic improvements, transit, code enforcement, permit review, and other city services.
I support Home Rule because it is the best was to ensure Sedona’s future and serve the residents of this community.
The above is my opinion and does not necessarily reflect the view of the Sedona City Council.
This is an advertisement
3 Comments
Why vote NO! on Home Rule… August 2nd is perhaps the most important vote ever made for Sedona.
Without Home Rule we return to the State’s Proven formula designed to protect the people from financial mismanagement and/or corruption.
NOW is the perfect time to maintain a strong SAVINGS account for Sedona rather than doubling Sedona’s Budget and gravely upping “OUR” debt with Bonds.
QUESTION: Who is responsible if the tides turn and Sedona defaults on the bonds the City Council approves as their borrowing ability grows with the budget?
ANSWER: The residents of Sedona.
Think about that… Home Rule is like blindly handing over your checkbook AND your credit cards without any cap on someone else’s spending or borrowing, and in the end, YOU are still responsible for unpaid debt.
A little excess money in the bank has our City Manager and City Council rushing full steam ahead with multimillion dollar contracts, land purchase agreements and more without allowing the voters a say in the proper direction or stewardship of Sedona. Yes, the Bonds in that Budget are climbing too.
Vote out Home Rule and let’s stabilize the budget and find the balance for Sedona.
VOTE NO to give the people back the right to more closely monitor the checkbook for Sedona.
VOTE NO to return to Transparency and Accountability.
VOTE NO to make sure We the People are Informed.
VOTE NO to make sure our future and direction is People Approved.
Home Rule hands over your checkbook and your vote to the Sedona City Council. What is their priority – you or Tourism dollars? Home Rule means you hand over your say and bow to the wishes and decisions of your City Council and City Manager. That includes raising the taxes, spending the dollars and choosing no-bid out-of-city private contractors over in-city businesses.
I hear many of you saying “VOTE OUT THE INCUMBENTS.” HOME RULE is the fuel to the chaos Sedona is now experiencing. If you want change, THROW OUT HOME RULE. Get informed and Stay engaged. If not We the People, then who?
For an in depth look at Home Rule and why it doesn’t work for Sedona join us for a Home Rule workshop. Let’s discuss those questions and concerns. Thursday July 6th, 6:15-8:00 pm at Ultimate Light Mission 2115 Mountain Road. http://www.HomeRuleSedona.com
Why dont you hold a meeting on how saying “NO to Home Rule” will fix any city problems?
Thank you Jessica. I too believe in local control and support Home Rule for our community.