SedonaEye.com columnist Eddie Maddock
Sedona AZ (January 3, 2016) – OH HAPPY DAY!
Ah yes, venturing out for a daily walk which includes Morgan Road, more commonly known in the neighborhood as Sedona’s version of the Santa Anita Race Track, one quickly becomes skilled at dodging speeding ATVs, off-road vehicles, jeeps, bicycles, and many, many tourists as indicated by out-of-state licenses. With the exception of Pink Jeep tours, all other traffic apparently cannot read the 25 MPH signs.
Conspicuous by absence, however, were garbage trucks. Of course, we are only favored by their visits on a weekly basis and not as a daily intrusion as previously cited elsewhere.
However, in the midst of this noisy, dusty, caravan of real-deal asphalt eaters, what to the wondering eye should appear? Well, for sure not Santa and his reindeer but, most likely even more welcome, was the sight of three genuine old-time real cowboys atop the biggest doggies my little puppy has ever seen!
We backtracked in order to confirm what our eyes thought we saw. And, sure enough, feeling and petting is believing and cooing “pretty horsie” came disgustingly easy since, at least for the moment, connection to the reason for living here made sense. It wasn’t for big city government, congestion, noise, pollution, and endless lines of immovable traffic.
Wickenburg Arizona statue
The cowboy gentlemen had come from the Broken Arrow Trailhead where they were unable to figure out a way to the Chapel of the Holy Cross. Recalling a path that led people to that location, it wasn’t possible to assure them the trail could accommodate horses so they opted to take their chances and do “cross-country” via the cemetery and hopefully enough vacant land to get them to their destination.
Our break from the real world was short-lived, however, as we made the Paramount Drive loop and could look down upon northbound traffic on SR 179 backed up as far as the eye could see.
And this City Council considers depriving residents of their three choices of garbage haulers as a top priority? Oh my! And the beat goes on.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
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We find your comment @west sedona resident supports our own assessment of snooty Sedona and will forward it on to our friends from New York who took time to post the above comment – which indeed was the real deal. Thank you for emphasizing reasons to bypass Sedona – overblown, overcrowded, two-bit chintzy tourist town. What a shame. And where is your chamber of commerce to take exception to such nasty comments? Of course they will not address it because they don’t need to admit the truth. The lid’s off Pandora’s box up there.
West Sedona resident – And why are you so quick to judge people from New York who posted a comment?
I invite you to come to my house and listen to a comment on my telephone answering machine from a gentleman living in Park City, Utah. From a complete stranger, who actually left kind remarks about Sedona Eye.
Although he didn’t request a return call, I did so anyhow and had a nice chat.
He is a recently retired CPA and he and his wife are researching places to relocate due to the severe Utah winters.
Having been born and raised in Salt Lake I was very familiar with Park City of the old days. The same as Sedona, it has changed considerably but unlike Sedona Park City doesn’t contribute one penny to the local Chamber of Commerce. It is supported solely by members. The marketing efforts of Park City are directed to the State Bureau of Tourism – period, end of report.
Another vast difference between the two tourists attraction is surrounding areas clamor to become annexed in order to legitimately use the Park City label. The population of Park City has grown to the 30,000 mark.
Moral of story: People from far and wide search the internet so maybe you might think twice before verbally attacking “outsiders” that take time to make comments.
All of what I write here is the absolute truth and again I welcome you to arrange to visit my home and I will share the voice message with you.
Eddie Maddock
Jean, one more time /Lodging Council get no money from the city or chamber..
$63,000,000 this is the number
$11,700,000 more dollars was spent on hotel rooms in Fy15 vs Fy14
$63,000,000 more dollars was spent in Sedona in Fy-15 vs Fy-14
All of the because of the marketing money derived from the bed tax, sales in Sedona were up
$63,000,000 the highest in the state and almost the nation as a %.
Jean that is money paid to business for products in Sedona. the city got back it’s investment and more, and Sedona business and the citizens of Sedona reaped the benefits….. with the majority of taxes paid by outsiders.
Jean you want it both ways chamber wasting (Your) money and Sedona’s recovery all because of “some other factors”,
So why is Sedoan up more the any other city in America? Because we have great marketing program paid for by the bed tax.
Jean so far 2016 is on track to surpass 2015.
So Jean the glass is 1/2 full, sorry . You always play the numbers as if the glass is 1/2 empty….but we all know that
And lets not forget the millions of dollars being spent by local business because of the up surge in business or the hundreds of people hired ,but that is another story.
steve
Steve, you lack credibility and your figures are laughable. As you well know, everything I wrote came from an “Opinion: Selling Sedona – One Year Later”‘ article from another online newspaper to which you posted THREE comments.This article states, and I quote: “The City actually lost the $.5 million it spent on increased tourism marketing [in FY 2015] and came up with an additional $1 million short in total revenue compared to fiscal year 2014. That’s a whopping $1.5 million loss to the city coffers in the end.”
you r double dipping.
u need to pay for ur own advertising.
Jean is spot on. U r full of BS.
Look at who is gifting u – chamber mula.
7 old farts biased with personal agendas. None r strong enough to do the right thing and what they were elected for. Friends get bennies, everyone else they ignore.
@scottsdale residents:
No one cares what you think…. If your real. Stay in Scottsdale, no worries, the people here are alway whining about traffic anyway….you’d be doing the complainers here a favor.
@esm
Yea yea yea….Don’t care what a guy from Utah thinks about Sedona either…. He can stay there as well…. Less traffic..
@steve Segner
Steve never lets facts or city of Sedona provided financial statements to get in the way of his lies. He is a firm believer in the theory if you keep repeating the lie often enough people will believe it.
Please, take a look yourself at the city of Sedona Budget. It’s on the city website, at over 300 pages long it is deliberately hard to read. You won’t believe how they waste your money.
Segner doesn’t give a hoot how Sedona spends (or wastes) public tax money as long as his people are elected to the city council to assure the chamber of corruption continues to receive their large chunk.
And without an outside audit there’s no way of knowing how all that $$$ is being spent. How many new employees have they added since being on the city coffer gravy train. And who pays for Jen’s annual vacations to the tropics when at first she was begging to promote her Holiday Central. How does she do that from the Bahamas or wherever? Oh – forgot – she was plum worn out that first year when she whined about removing wreaths from uptown all by her little bitty self. Boo hoo.
So,Jess lookin
The numbers I used come through the state so please tell us why this is a lie?
Because you can’t read a financial statements!
Hotel sales was up $11,000,000 that alone shows the marketing is working and that is just hotels the sales tax with the bed tax was $63,000,000in local sales.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/n85xvpa8dq0ycs5/Screenshot%202016-04-18%2017.44.55.png?dl=0
L I A R Intelligence Experts Say This Is How To Spot A Liar, Easy listen to SS
Inflated tourism spending figures continue.The Chamber’s Director of Member Services has stated that 66 percent of the Chamber’s members are within the Sedona city limits–that’s all. And Jennifer W. said that last year’s occupancy in the Sedona-AREA was up by 3 percent, while the average daily rate for a hotel room was up 7 percent. Meanwhile, the City staff estimates that 41% of sales tax revenues come from residents, not tourists. And what about recovery from the recession? That “local sales” amounts provided are due to Chamber/Lodging Council efforts is a joke.
The recent “Live, Work, Play Sedona” (2015-2017 Hometown Guide) another production of the “Sedona” Chamber of Commerce & Tourism Bureau lists the members. Very interesting that Ms. Jennifer W. was unable EVER to answer council about how many members were outside Sedona City Limits. Her response always was “it’s too difficult” – BRILLIANT. Of course she is. The same as Segner when the Lodging Council and Chamber were soliciting for the great Sedona rip off and the best sales pitch from Segner was “Just trust us” and that’s the same BS today. Some things never change. The moral of the story though is that it’s the members of the city council that are the stupid ones.
Look at the members listed in the above “guide” for proof this city management is directed solely towards special interests. Therefore the reason for the ongoing pursuit to sock the legitimate residents – those living within Sedona City Limits – for restricted garbage service at the cost of said service to be decided at the discretion of the city staff.
It MUST BE STOPPED! If not there will be NO END TO THE ONGOING DICTATORSHIP. This will be merely the beginning.
Chamber of Commerce and Lodging Council are in control. No outside audits as promised when the charade was set in place. Only multi-year contracts to insure those payoffs to selective individuals continue uninterrupted at the expense of LEGITIMATE SEDONA RESIDENTS. It’s amazing how those in power can determine just exactly who we are when they plot to rip us off monetarily.
DJV don’t you eve get tired of this never ending rant?!?
Message for the snide response to my previous comment, I do not know what DJV means so your inference is meaningless.
If you can offer anything substantial to dispute my offering, then why not do so and contribute something useful?
If all you can offer is meaningless accusations, then you’re the one with the problem. Sounds as if you might be a chamber or lodging council member since all they do is whine when, in fact, they they continue to wag the tail of the dog named Sedona.
More for the Record
The Sedona chamber and the Sedona lodging council are member funded we get no city money.
We work for our members in and out of Sedona, and our members pay all our bills.
The city of Sedona hired the chamber to manage the visitor center and the marketing program , and by the way the program just went through a city audit .
Just trust us and sales are up over $63,000,000
The chamber should get an award for the most effective marketing campaign in America and all because the city trusted us.
So Jeanj and More for the record, what are yu up set about , / that sales are up ?
or that the cities hotel and retail is booming ? Just Askin. ss
@ more for the record
The way you whine and complain you’d think they are after your kidney….
Get a grip man…..your sick in the head
OK Steve Segner, what happened to the agreement between the city and chamber of commerce for an outside independent audit? For the biased city council to accept an audit from the equally biased city staff performing it is nonsense.
And also, of course the city is allegedly financing only 70% of the operation of the visitors center which again is biased because it only offers referrals to Chamber members. Or did you forget that little detail Mr. Segner?
Legitimate city tourist visitors centers promote their legitimate city tax paying businesses without coercion to join a special interest group which appears to be one step short of extortion. Even the city council ignored the advice of expert Larry Harmer when he made his presentation and suggested cooperation between Chambers (such as Flagstaff and Prescott) but didn’t advocate for Sedona to spend money to promote members from those communities with Sedona tax dollars, even when they join the Sedona Chamber.
It borders on fraud and you know it. Tell the truth. And I really have yet to read substantial rebuttal to comments from “More for the Record.”
First off the agreement was for a city audit…..Done.
The city does not pay 70% of the chamber up town operation, actually a very small amount,it is still a chamber operation and the building is owned by the chamber members not the city.
yes, it recommends all chamber members in and out of the city ,the city understands visitors come to Sedona and THE OUTLYING AREAS.
Jerry, what don’ t you get , this has all been re hashed all in public view and in open meeting.
The same programs are done in thousands of other cities.
Jerry why should a business in town get the full benefits of the chamber without paying , nothing is free. $100 a year and you get it all , the city only pay a small amount of one location up town, join and get all the benefits.
You said,”special interest group which appears to be one step short of extortion,
why should other dues paying members support non paying business,
hope that helps
And why should city based businesses paying taxes not benefit from referrals without being forced to join a special interest group – which is exactly what the chamber of commerce is. Someplace else here it was mentioned Park City Utah gives nothing to their chamber of commerce which is also the case in Flagstaff, Arizona as well as many other incorporated cities and towns. One day there will be a day of reckoning.
And as for tourist industry being up in 2015, well guess what Mr. S. It was NOT because of the Sedona C of C. Watch Arizona State news. It was a booming year statewide!
And you quickly forgot about the meetings where an outside audit was discussed and even disputed to an extent about who would pay for it because it was quite a bit of money.
No, you did not help because you are fantasizing. When the gravy train runs out where will you go to whine?
Jerry this all about two business out of hundreds, and one just wen out of business is is about just hating the chamber, and if one business is free while not all
pay to play. ss
And you quickly forgot about the meetings where an outside audit was discussed and even disputed to an extent about who would pay for it because it was quite a bit of money.
see you even remember the city agreed to a city audit…..
No Steve – during the earlier meetings a professional OUTSIDE AUDIT was discussed at length! Trust me. (are those words familiar to you?)
Also when a city collects taxes from businesses and then supports a tourist center and refuses to represent them unless they join a private club, it’s misuse of public funds and against a state law. It’s very unfortunate we no longer have state laws to enforce their own rules. As it is, towns and cities are left on their own. The honor system? Ha, there’s no honor among thieves.
If Sedona provided a legitimate city tourist visitors center like Flagstaff and other places, it would set the matter straight in short order.
Get a grip, Segner. You’re calling the shots but no matter how much spinning you do it will NOT make it right!
Jerry,
The city gives the chamber part of the marketing money each quarter, based on a budget, the chamber pays venders and reports it back to the city.
Kind of easy they get a bill they pay it, Karen Danes looks at everything and several others in the city government.
So what is the point you are trying to make…
Oh, you can get a copy of the marketing plan by asking
and outside audit would be 25,000 for what to look at 20 or 30 invoices please talk about wasting city funds….
So jerry you think the city should have an out side audit for all venders over 500,000 ? If not why the chamber ?
Jerry, all business pay too have there marketing material at the chamber ?
Steve
We prefer to do business with non-chamber members. In fact, except for a very few occasions, we are successful in buying most things we need unless they are not available at all in Sedona. Our very favorite long established restaurant in not a member of the chamber of commerce. We are happy about that. Otherwise we would NOT eat there.
An it’s a mystery to us as well that Sedona doesn’t have it’s own Visitors Center the same as Flagstaff. The excuse it’s too expensive doesn’t work. If they cut the cord with the chamber and stopped throwing money so foolishly at other special interests like the Red Earth Theatre there would be plenty of money. Not to mention the idiotic ongoing paid consultants and studies that no one seems to pay attention to anyway.
And now they will most likely support the sustainable pilgrims and bring cult living to Sedona? A legitimate Visitors Center would be a far better investment.
If the city and chamber weren’t afraid of a professional audit they would have done it a long time ago. But that most likely would reveal the real way that $1.5 million is being spent.
Why have a visitors center at all? Who needs it? When I lived on Maui there was no visitors center. That task was handled by hotel concierges as well as brochure racks in various places around the island. There were 3 companies that had racks and kept them stocked. Businesses paid to play. Besides, nowadays with the internet, who needs a visitor center? Additionally, I don’t know what the #s are now but back in ’09 the Sedona COC admitted their visitor center served only 10% of visitors. In short, big money wasted. There are also several “free”visitor centers here already run by time shares.
As a point of interest the following information is provided. Although the Bureau of Tourism has since merged with the Chamber of Commerce, that doesn’t change the discrepancies in reporting distribution of Chamber of Commerce funds – ALL funds – as explained in my e-mail to John Martinez and Jon Thompson. This quite possibly was one of the reasons there was a discussion to bring in a professional outside auditor regardless of the cost. It’s unfortunate it never happened or most likely this wouldn’t be an issue at this time:
From: Eddie Maddock
Date: 7/1/2014 3:30:51 PM
To: sedonajon@me.com
Cc: John Martinez
Subject: CHAMBER OF COMMERC
Hi Jon & John:
The following link will take you to the article I wrote relating to the discrepancy in how the Chamber’s source(s) of funding are allocated:
https://sedonaeye.com/curtain-falls-on-may-2013-city-council-performances
In particular please note the following:
Ms. Wesselhoff explained that none of the public money goes to operate any functions of the Chamber of Commerce. She claims her salary is solely derived from C of C membership dues. She went on to say the Tourism Bureau is privately and publicly funded and the Visitor’s Center is funded by City.
However, Michelle’s salary IS primarily derived from the private funding portion of Tourism Bureau funds but subject to being subsidized as, perhaps, is necessary.
However, in a recent “Chamber News” article (Sedona Red Rock News 5/24/13), Michelle Conway reported that: “The public funds from the city are combined with private funding through Tourism Bureau membership dues and advertising to create a total marketing, sales and public relations budget of approximately $500,000. This total budget includes operational expenses, salaries, and administration, in addition to the actual execution of promoting.”
As both Michelle Conway and Jennifer Wesselhoff presented their cases for the $80,000, it was, in reality, the “same-ole” pitch with a slightly different twist, that being a link with the recent Sedona Lodging Council’s Long Range Tourism Development Plan, referenced by Ms. Wesselhoff in her presentation to the City Council.
I will do my best to locate the actual article (SRRN 5/24/13) and furnish you with a copy unless this article, which was never disputed, will suffice. Let me know.
Cheers,
Eddie
you ask, Who needs a visitor center
On Maui All visitors are staying at hotels.. in Sedona we have thousands of people traveling state hwy To and from the Grand Canyon and day trippers that need help finding a place to eat or shop or hike.
Remember we are a tourist town our job is to make sure they get the information they need.
Remember all the the cost of the marketing comes from the bed tax, before the bed tax the city did pay out of general funds, now the city is saving thousands .
hope that helps ss
Segner, you’re a luddite at best. Everyone has a cell phone and is instantly connected to all travel information — including GPS map directions, menus, hikes and customer ratings for it all. You’re still living in the 60’s in you think tourists driving in to Sedona are looking for the Chamber. Most likely, the few who walk through the door didn’t plan on going there – but rather stumbled upon it when walking in uptown. There’s no pirde at the Chamber, and it seems everyone is all about me me me. If someone else has an idea for sustainable living on an empty lot, they’re called “cults” and minds remain closed to ANY new idea.
Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. You have to change the level of consciousness that created the problem inorder to solve it.
The Chamber is a way for business owners to buy into the “good old boy club.” Get a chance to hang with the rich and popular and maybe their prosperity will rub off by association. They seem to be nothing more than a snotty, “service to self” bunch.
There is a revolution and its happening now as we speak. People all over the country are fed up with Chamber antics such as these.
I highly recommend everyone take a look at this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NnvJQbGsN1Q
And just how, Mr. Segner, did the Sedona Oak Creek Canyon Chamber of Commerce (and Sedona for that matter) survive and flourish before incorporation?
Very nicely, in case you aren’t aware. Harmonious, genteel Sedona back in those days. How quickly it changed after those City Limit signs went up which, by the way, mean nothing to incorporated Sedona or the chamber of commerce for that matter (as proven by the vast advertising for only THEIR MEMBERS most of which are not within Sedona City Limits.)
Bad, bad deal.
See it really is about the old days,and hating the chamber, please show us on ad the city paid for that mentions any hotel or chamber member.
Zip chamber dues and ads on their web page are paid for by the advertiser
.get over it, we are a city, we are a tourist town, and we will grow.
If it just to much, move , people move all the time when a city gets to big and no one said Sedona will stop growth, of sedona stops all growth the the village will grow.
So please show the ad you say the city paid for…
Mr. Editor, I recently visited from Minnesota. I was in Sedona last 8 years ago. While trying to ride a bicycle on the road lane, I could have been killed many times. Your lane is far to narrow. It is to dangerous. You should demand cyclists use the sidewalks because no one walks in Sedona that I ever saw to get from place to place. I will keep reading because friend suggested it & like what read so far.
Our Chamber of Commerce closed so it’s great to benefit from Sedona’s regional efforts to be a member and have our business advertised in the Sedona city financed Visitor’s Center. We thank you because we do not contribute to your tax base. And Steve segner is correct – for those of us outside your city limits it’s a terrific deal!
Hi Franz – OK, I’ll be the first to chime in and call BU-L SH-T
Even the most discerning on this site know that the city has nothing to do with the width of a bike lane because that is set by federal guild lines so insures that all bike lines are the same from coast to coast. Oh A REAL BIKER doesn’t call it a “bicycle”.
And lastly, if you’re from Minnesota and all you care about during your day is what we are all saying back in Sedona you better ask Nurse Ratchet to change your bed pan as you have way too much time on your hands. If you really expect us to believe your BS story then I have a bakery to sell you in W Sedona.
Agreeing with that Camp Verde Resident, with an 86336 address outside Sedona city limits it’s the best of both worlds. I LOVE the “Sedona” Chamber of Commerce! As a member I have tons of referrals from your Tourist Visitor Center – do NOT collect Sedona city sales or bed taxes, and even better yet don’t get dragged through in-city disputes = like I’m able to choose my own garbage hauler. And it’s doubtful my guests spend much time or money in Sedona itself because Slide Rock is appealing as are the many hiking trails in Oak Creek Canyon. Grand Canyon is an attraction and takes them through Flagstaff – many nice choices for meals and shopping there, too.
So thank you, Sedona City Council, for making life easier for us and without being charged additional taxes. Love it, love it, love it!
Whoever called BS BS. Regarding Franz Berment
Your right on the money…
Apparently Franz, Camp Verde Resident, Picky Shopper are the same person posting nonsense under different names…
There’s a person named Sharlett (who hasn’t posted under her name in a while) has been up to her old tricks…
Comment on a post and back that post up with BS using a different name…or 3 or 4 different names… She’s a very very sick women
The Will of the people I keep hearing about on SE are really just 10 people some posting under different names… Still a minority
Another big lie from Steve Segner: “Before the bed tax the City did pay out of general funds, now the City is saving thousands.” WTF? The approximately $1.4 Million the City paid the Chamber this fiscal year and the $1.2 million the previously year came out of the general fund, so City Hall did not save one penny. As always, bed taxes go into the City’s general fund, and the City Council decides how much it will waste on the Chamber (currently 55%/yr). Under Arizona law, cities with less than 100,000 population are not required to fund tourism.
Since ADOT owns the highway would the bike lane width be set by them?
Back to subject: Garbage.
What about the majority that attended and spoke at the public meetings objecting to city contracting for garbage service, @West sedona resident etal? Are you saying they were one person cloned to look like a hundred or more?
And the 500 plus signatures? And all the e-mails and phone calls from people to City Hall and City Council members objecting to the change-over? That fact was confirmed by Mark DiNunzio in the Elections 2016 article on this site.
As for the comments from Camp Verde Resident and 86336 Zip Code, what is it either said that wasn’t the truth? Just who is the liar here?
Yes, the City is now saving money. Before the .05% bed tax increase the City of Sedona helped pay for the operation of the Uptown Visitor Center. That money came from the general fund and had to be found in the budget every year. Now the bed tax amount from visitors is collected and dispersed in full by the City specifically for the Uptown Visitor Center, and to fund marketing programs. This new tax is on VISITORS, NOT residents.
John Martinez and I came up with a plan to raise the bed tax. We both want it to go up 1% but the City Council settled on the current .05% increase. The tax made it possible to help fund the Uptown Visitor Center, and to fund a marketing program for the slower months, which in turn helps support business in Sedona and the 8,000 employees in tourism. Sedona’s visitor growth is higher than another city in the state and most of the US.
I know there are those of you that just do not want any visitors and no visitor marketing, It is easy to say just stop the day-trippers, well how do you do that when Sedona sits astride two state highways that lead to the Grand Canyon and converge into one lane at the Y. It is wasted time and energy to talk about the past. Two hundred thousand people move to Arizona every year, and that alone will drive day-trippers to Sedona. We need to stop complaining and start planning! We need a visitor and parking plan. We need to look at encouraging walking. We need to think about a shuttle service around town, to the trail heads, and up Oak Creek.
Sedona is a tourists town and always will be. Sedona will continue to grow. Now we need to work on building an infrastructure that allows for tourism, traffic, and satisfies residents. Let’s plan for the future.
The City is not saving one penny. All the money wasted on the Chamber of Commerce comes from the City’s General Fund and is budgeted every year. As before, this is likewise the case now after the .5 percent bed tax increase. In fact, the proposed FY 2016-2017 budget includes an absurd $1,734,919 total for the Chamber of Commerce. This budget is posted on the City’s website under today’s Council Agenda.
The 8,000 employees in tourism amount to somewhere around 4,000 for Sedona. Many of the numbers ss spews include data from outside the Sedona City limits.
Instead of Sedona, the Grand Canyon had the highest visitor growth (obviously not a city).
I wonder how tourists like Sedona’s traffic congestion and lack of adequate parking? The quality of life here is not what it used to be, and the infrastructure and environment are under siege.Does ss care?
BTW, before the .5 percent bed tax increase, it was not uncommon for ss to advertise his El Portal hotel in the Travel section of the Sunday ARIZONA REPUBLIC. Not now.
I am for anything the City of Sedona or the chamber of Commerce does. Of course I am , I am on the payroll.
The more disinformation and negativity I spread the safer my salary and perks are.
Btw
The above comment was hacked by Jess Lookin She really use to be on the payroll till she got fired….just ask Tony T…. It’s was all over SE a few years back
am really amazed that ol steve segner tossed out the ‘tidbit’ that he and councilman john martinez concocted the great scam of raise the bed tax by .5% and give it all to the chamber and no one has realized the benefit that gives all lodging business in reduced advertising costs. instead his highness mr California martinez and his best friend steve segner should have realized the benefit of a reduction of aq1% state of Arizona sales tax that could have benefited the local business’s…oh no not their game plan.
pity all who have been touched by steve segner and john Martinez.
and that the .5% is just and only a portion of the big bucks going to the chamber out of our city coffers.
if the chamber is so damn good at promoting Sedona (which any thinking breathing person realizes makes the traffic is so bad that it takes almost an hour to get to town from the village or almost an hour or more from midgley bridge) and the chamber is only willing to give a pittance of $25,000 towards the traffic study then why isn’t the chamber better at becoming self sustaining instead of the beggar, beggar rich “business” in this town when other business’s are leaving because the city council doesn’t financially support them.
bottom line is I kinda think most all of us would have felt good if that .5% bed tax increase to the local lodging business’s only if the revenue went to capital expenses like roads and drainage and traffic control with boots on the ground at the roundabouts.
hey, just my thoughts.