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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Wouldn’t you think this council would wise up and fix the real problems? Continuing to fuel the traffic fire by encouraging more day-trippers by tossing millions to the C of C for advertising is not only stupid but dangerous. There isn’t one shred of proof that those lines and lines of cars are coming into Sedona to spend any more time here than maybe three or four hours at the most. And yet council and staff spend hours and hours and even more money to figure out how to control our lives. And oh yes, watch out those of you in the Greater Sedona Area that think you benefit without paying Sedona city taxes. Just wait until your garbage collection bills go sky high after Sedona contracts with only one server. How else do you think the two companies that are dropped will make up for lost revenue?
My vote goes for the “horsies.” Sorry to have missed the action.
Big mistake, Ms. M. You have now notified the action patrol to do a study on micro-managing Sedona’s equestrian population.
Sign petition NO to city controlling trash! Let your friends and neighbors know.
http://petitions.moveon.org/sign/sedona-citizens-civil?source=c.em&r_by=14213130
@ESM
And the beat sure does “go on and on” in the negative self-centered world of E.Maddock
A little bit more of the same ole same ole.
socialism = Simple Definition of socialism: a way of organizing a society in which major industries are owned and controlled by the government rather than by individual people and companies
Full Definition of socialism
1: any of various economic and political theories advocating collective or governmental ownership and administration of the means of production and distribution of goods
You call names and make up stories. YOU (deleted by editor) are the negative self-centered person. YOU want to CONTROL everyone. SOCIALIST!
Why don’t you try and do one nice thing? Is that why you got fired from the City? Heard you cried and begged for you clerk job at Los Ab.
STOP the City from controlling you!
http://petitions.moveon.org/sign/sedona-citizens-civil?source=c.em&r_by=14213130
@West Sedona Resident, little wonder ESM prefers petting horses’ noses instead of horses’ asses like you. You’re proof that even air-heads might need to lighten up. Speaking of “same ole same ole?”
You got the wrong person (deleted by editor)
I’m just a simple retired west sedona resident no Jennifer whatever..
knock it off west sedona rez
Special Interest Groups have a hold on YOUR city. Sedona is rapidly becoming a communist city with the people paying for them to spend taxpayers money.
The city has partnered with their special interest groups with ole boy contracts. Exactly like he chamber is a MEMBERSHIP based regional group. !$ MILLION dollars. NO return on investment!
Now they want your trash next your all be force to be vegan. Watch the council meetings. Stand up! Enough City Council.
start here speak up
http://petitions.moveon.org/sign/sedona-citizens-civil?source=c.em&r_by=14213130
What’s your problem? Time and time again you’ve made it clear you hate ESM so we get it. And as for someone identifying you as “Jennifer” – unless you can prove otherwise it never happened.
Furthermore this city council will slam-dunk city controlled garbage pickup based on a mindless list sent out by Mayor Moriarty of inaccurate “myths” versus “facts.” For example, there’s absolutely NO PROOF city managed garbage collection will be at a reduced rate. That’s just one of the many lies being circulated by this sneaky group of back-room manipulating slobs that will have our heads on platters if we dare to dispute their unwanted decisions.
So Madam WSR (and in my opinion your first name is Jessica and not Jennifer) why not try putting a sock in your mouth and quit while you’re ahead. Are all of you people so stupid to not realize that people are moving out of Sedona – relocating elsewhere – in spite of discounted real estate prices?
Don’t believe it? Check the facts and listen to the report from the city manager at the budget council meeting yesterday. The constant decline in Sedona’s population is causing lost revenue from the State of Arizona because rebate is based on population. It should be a booming business for real estate sales as more and more houses go on the block due to the deterioration of living conditions in Sedona. And of course the plea for “affordable” housing will become history since the supply will surely be in excess of the demand if present socialistic policies continue to consume Sedona.
Mrs. Maddock, I’m happy for you that you had the brief pleasure to encounter the cowboys and reflect on more pleasant times. Sedona was incorporated based on lies. And the lies never stop as evidenced by the outrageous propaganda offered to justify the city controlling our lives.
Sorry wrong,
I went to the city meeting yesterday, income to city from sales tax and bed tax up almost 30% in past two years, your comment “The constant decline in Sedona’s population is causing lost revenue from the State of Arizona because rebate is based on population” why no comment on the good news?
Staff said “100,000 people move to Arizona every year, and when the tax monies are divided up it make for smaller share for cities with stable populations.
There is a back log of home to be built in sedona, all $1,000,000+ and prices are way above 2010 leaves
lets keep the facts straight hope the helps.
Don’t be fooled, Sedona. Whatever the contracted rate with the city they will add whatever they jolly well please to compensate for cost of handling – whether it’s through a city department or another farce of a service contract with an alleged non-profit. The monthly bill you will receive will be higher than what the city actually pays the hauler, and that’s something you can plan on unless you continue to protest and soundly reject this. It’s nothing more that a con job to collect more money from residents. Honest.
Wow….
You have have ALOT of hate issues
Are you dissatisfied with yourself and your life..
Sure sounds that way
Appreciate the bombast Steve but the market is average at best and lots of inventory. You guys raised your bed rates. That’s why extra $$ and more turnover doesn’t mean better value for bed owners.
Full Definition of socialism
1: any of various economic and political theories advocating collective or governmental ownership and administration of the means of production and distribution of goods
Socialism is taxpayer funds being used collectively to benefit society as a whole, despite income, contribution, or ability.
Sounds horrible, huh?
Well I hate to be the one to tell you, but Socialism, which you have been told to fear all your life, is responsible for all this…
1. The Military/Defense – The United States military is the largest and most funded socialist program in the world. It operates thanks to our taxpayer dollars and protects the country as a whole. From the richest citizens to the homeless who sleep under the bridge. We are all protected by our military whether we pay taxes or not. This is complete socialism.
2. Highways/Roads – Those roads and highways you drive on every single day are completely taxpayer funded. Your tax dollars are used to maintain, expand, and preserve our highways and roads for every one’s use. President Eisenhower was inspired by Germany’s autobahn and implemented the idea right here in America. That’s right, a republican president created our taxpayer funded, national highway system. This was a different time, before the republican party came down with a vicious case of rabies that never went away.
3. Public Libraries – Yes. That place where you go to check out books from conservative authors telling you how horrible socialism is, is in fact socialism. Libraries are taxpayer funded. You pay a few bucks to get a library card and you can read books for free for the rest of your life.
4. Police – Ever had a situation where you had to call the police? Then you have used a taxpayer funded socialist program. Anyone can call the police whether they pay taxes or not. They are there to protect and serve the community, not individuals. This is complete socialism on a state level, but still socialism all the same. Would you rather have to swipe your credit card before the police will help you?
5. Fire Dept. – Hopefully you have never had a fire in your home. But if you have, you probably called your local taxpayer-funded fire department to put the fire out. Like police, this is state socialism. You tax dollars are used to rescue your entire community in case of a fire. It use to be set up where you would pay a fee every month to the fire dept. for their service. If you didn’t pay, they let your house burn down. Sadly, a man from Tennessee had this exact situation happen to him in 2011 because he didn’t pay his $75.00 fee. I guess that small town in Tennessee would rather let people’s houses burn down that resort to evil socialism. So don’t take for granted the fact that you have a 24/7 fire dept. to put out your burning home thanks to socialism.
6. Postal Service – Like having mail delivered directly to your front door and paying next to nothing to send mail anywhere you want? Well it’s all made possible by socialism.
7. Student Loans and Grants – Did you go to College? If you did, you family might not have been rich enough to pay your way through. So you got your education anyway through student loans and grants from the federal government at taxpayer expense. Of course you have to pay back the loans, but if not the government, did you know anyone else who was going to lend you tens of thousands of dollars? Probably not. So the taxpayers lent you the money and you paid it back with slight interest. The government grants you accepted were gifts from the taxpayer and the federal government that you did not have to pay back. Socialism got you through school.
8. Bridges – Along with our highways, our government used your taxpayer dollars to build bridges. This allows the public to travel across rivers without having to sail or swim.
9. Garbage Collection – Like having your garbage collected once a week instead of having to drive it to the landfill yourself? Thank socialism.
10. Public Landfills – Taxpayer dollars are used to have places to dump all of our garbage that is collected by taxpayer funded garbage men.
11. War – That’s right! War would not be possible without socialism. Your tax dollars are used to fight wars for your country. This is Big Government at it’s biggest. Private companies don’t attack other countries, at least not yet. Government is the only entity in America that can defend us from foreign enemies and our tax dollars are used for every second of it. Socialism has brought down Adolf Hitler, Saddam Hussein, and Bin Laden. War may very well be the most socialist thing on this list.
12. Farm Subsidies – Our government uses taxpayer funds to pay farmers and businesses to provide their income and keep them growing food for the public.
13. CIA – The Central Intelligence Agency is vital to America’s security. The CIA is completely taxpayer funded to protect the public from enemies.
14. FBI – The Federal bureau of investigations is a taxpayer funded government agency.
15. Congressional Health Care – As Republicans in congress warn us of the evils of government-run health care, most of them are covered by taxpayer-funded government-run health care. You literally pay for their health care while they tell you that paying for your neighbors health care through a public option or single-payer system is socialism. They are 100% correct, it is socialism. They’re just not telling you that they like their socialist health care, they just don’t think you should have it. They are afraid you might like it better than the private insurance you have now that funds their campaigns and gives them money to push what is best for them and not for you. Members of congress are free to opt out of their evil government health care, but most of them don’t because deep down, they like socialism too.
16. Polio Vaccine – In the 1950’s polio ravaged the United States. Until Dr. Jonas Salk invented a cure, finally ridding America of this terrible disease. Dr. Salk could have sold his vaccine in the free market and made millions and millions of dollars. Instead he gave it to the federal government to begin eradicating polio. He said that he made plenty of money as a scientist and felt it was too important to try and profit from or create a business around.
17. EPA – Republicans hate this taxpayer-funded government program because they have the nerve to tell corporations that they may have to follow environmental rules ad regulations for the greater good of the earth and the people who live on it. But if you don’t like breathing mercury, drinking dirty water, and breathing in chemicals, you should like this example of socialism working for the people.
18. Social Security – You pay a tax to help ensure that our grandparents and senior citizens of America have money to live off of when they are retired or too elderly to work. I love hearing rich people bitch about this one because the truth is that they do not pay a social security tax, like most payroll taxes. This little piece of socialism helps prevent our senior citizens from sinking into poverty and starving to death.
19. Museums – Many museums are privately owned by organizations and groups, but many are also taxpayer-funded state, national, and federal museums.
20. Public Schools – Can’t afford to send your children to an expensive private school? Thanks to socialism and government, you child can still get an education. Public education has been under attack for decades in this country by the radical right because public schools don’t teach Christianity to your children and it enables people like Barack Obama to work hard, gain scholarships, and eventually become President of the United States.
21. Jail/Prison System – Many murders and criminals are behind bars right now and not out on the streets because of our taxpayer-funded, federal and state run jails and prisons. Taxpayer money is collected and used to help protect all of society from murders, molesters, rapist, etc. I know there’s a lot of disagreement and controversy about how to handle our prison system, but I think we can all agree that serial killers should not be freed into society. There are also many private prisons in the United States. However, they have a higher escape rate than their socialist counterpart. Besides, don’t you see the bad incentives in having a private prison system that profits from having people in prison? Since a business’s top goal is to make more money than the year before, the only feasible agenda would be to get everyone in prison.
22. Corporate/Business Subsidies – This is the type of socialism that is acceptable in the Republican party. You tax dollars are given to big corporations to do things they should be doing anyway out of morals and ethics. Like not sending jobs overseas and hiring people. Wouldn’t you like a nice big check just for not breaking the law? To be fair though, many businesses do earn their subsidies by advancing green technology and practice, donating to charity, helping communities, etc. They aren’t all bad. People just get mad when big billionaire oil companies get billions of their taxpayer dollars while they’re paying $4 at the pump. For the corporations that don’t earn their subsidies other than donating to their very own political party, it’s merely welfare. Though however you look at it, it is socialism.
23. Veteran’s (VA) Health Care – Our soldiers bravely go to foreign countries and risk their lives at the request of their government and the American people. For those who survive, we as a country feel committed and obligated to ensure that they have everything they need for the rest of their lives for their service to us in which we could never fully repay. So we the taxpayers fund their health care in a government-run single-payer system for veterans. Many soldiers return with mental and/or physical health issues that would cost them thousands in a private health care plan. Socialism funds the military, the overall war, and also takes care of our troops when they return home.
24. Public Parks – Like going to the park on a sunny day? Just being able to walk right in, or at the worse pay a small fee? This is once again the work of socialism. If it were private, it wouldn’t be a park, it would be someones back yard. That small or non-existent fee will turn into a $15 fee faster than you can say “No Trespassing”.
25. All Elected Government Officials – From the Supreme Court, to the President of the United States and all the way down to the County Dog Catcher, taxpayers pay their salary and provide the funding for them to do their job. We pay for every aspect of their job. So in a sense, I guess you could say our whole country is run on socialism.
26. Food Stamps – Republicans fill with bitter contempt knowing that our government at the expense of the taxpayer is giving poor people money to buy food they couldn’t otherwise afford. This, like welfare, is what the right thinks socialism is all about, along with mass murder. However, just like corporate welfare, welfare is socialism. I’ll just end this one with a quick story. I have been down and out in periods of my life and sought assistance via food stamps. Even though I was what anyone would consider poor, I was not poor enough to get food stamps. Which means people who do get them, must really, really need them. As far as my personal experience, they weren’t thrown around like candy the way the right would have you believe.
27. Sewer System – Do you like having a sewer system to remove waste and prevent pollution and disease from seeping into our environment? Thank the taxpayers of America and the socialist system it operates in.
28. Medicare – Medicare is one of the most liked socialist programs in America. Most of us don’t mind paying taxes to provide our senior citizens with health care and hope the next generation will do the same for us. If you don’t believe me, just look at almost any poll. Most seniors would not be able to afford private health care. So this form of socialism is a life saver for this nation’s grandparents and senior citizens.
29. Court System – Whether it’s the murder trial of the century or a case in a small claims court, the taxpayers of America fully fund our courts and legal process. You may pay for your own lawyer, but the courtroom, judge, and jury is paid for through socialist means.
30. Bird Flu Vaccine – You don’t have bird flu right now and probably aren’t worried about it because our federal government used taxpayer funds to pump vaccines all over America.
31. G.I. Bill – The G.I. bill allows veterans to pursue an education by using taxpayer dollars to help them pay for most of their schooling. It also helps them with loans, savings, and unemployment benefits.
32. Hoover Dam – Remember when our country use to build things? Our government built the Hoover Dam using taxpayer funds. It is now a vital source of power for the west coast.
33. State/City Zoos – American families have been going to the zoo for generations. A place where kids and adults can have fun seeing creatures and animals from all over the world and learn at the same time. Many zoos are ran by the state and/or city, using taxpayer funds to operate and even bring the animals to the zoo.
34. IRS – I know, the IRS is about as popular and well liked in America as a hemorrhoid, but think about it. The IRS is the reason that we have anything. The IRS collects taxpayer funds for the federal government. The government then dispenses these funds to our military, states, and social programs. If there is no one collecting taxes, no one will pay them. If no one pays taxes, our country shuts down. Without money to operate, nothing operates. This may sound like a good thing to some radical republicans, but for those of us with sense, we know this means anarchy in the USA. The IRS gets a bad rap because if you don’t pay your taxes or owe them money, they can be ruthless. Like everything else, the IRS is not perfect, but without them we literally have no country or no means to run it.
35. Free Lunch Program – Some children are living in poverty by no fault of their own. I’m not saying it is even their parents fault, but you surely cannot blame a child for the situation they are born into. In most if not all states, there are programs where children who live in poor households can receive school lunch for free. The taxpayers of the state pay for this. Sounds like socialism to me, and also the moral and Christian thing to do.
36. The Pentagon – Our defense system in America is a socialist system from top to bottom. We as taxpayers fund the pentagon completely.
37. Medicaid – Our government uses taxpayer funds to provide health care for low-income people. Republicans, the compassionate Christians that they are, absolutely hate this program. What they fail to understand is that when people can’t afford to pay their outrageous medical bills, they don’t. This bill does not disappear. The loss that the insurance company, doctor’s office, or hospital takes gets passed down to everyone else. So covering people and giving them a low-income option reduces costs for them and everyone else. This is the main argument behind a health care mandate. It’s not to force you to buy health care out of cruelty. If everyone is covered, costs drop for everyone. If you have no compassion for the uninsured, you can at least understand the rational in a selfish sense.
38. FDA – The Food and Drug Administration is far from perfect. It is infested with corporate corruption and they have been wrong many, many times. Countless times they have approved things that they later have to apologize for and have banned things that would have helped people. However, they have also stopped many harmful foods and products from being sold to the public and protect us everyday from poisons being disguised as products. While not perfect, they are needed to prevent harmful food and drugs from being sold to you and you family. Without them, corporations can send whatever they want to your supermarkets and drug stores without any testing or evaluation. I don’t mind my taxes going towards a middle man to inspect the safety of the products we are being sold everyday.
39. Health Care for 9/11 Rescue Workers – After beating back GOP obstruction, Democrats finally passed a bill last year to allow government to help 9/11 rescue worker’s with their health care after many came down with horrible lung diseases from the toxins they breathed in rescuing people from smoldering buildings. These brave citizens risked their lives and health to help complete strangers. They deserve more, but covering their health care is a good start.
40. Swine Flu Vaccine – Do you have swine flu right now? Then thank government and the socialist structure.
41. Disability Insurance (SSDI) – For those who are disabled and cannot work, our government provides an income for them via taxpayer dollars as opposed to the other option of letting them starve to death.
42. Town/State Run Beaches – Like going to the beach? Like it when the beach is clean and safe? Like having lifeguards on staff in case of an emergency? Then once again, thank the taxpayers and the socialist structure that makes it all possible.
43. Corporate Bailouts/Welfare – The whole point of this post is to prove that we ALL use, benefit from, and like socialism. This example is a form of socialism that the republicans not only like, but fight tooth and nail for. They don’t like it when socialism is used for working/poor people, but when it’s for millionaires and their corporate donors, socialism becomes as American as apple pie. The middle/working class who are the majority of taxpayers pay for welfare for corporations and people who have more money than all of us combined. When our government bails out a bank or gives a subsidy to a billion dollar corporation, you are paying for it.
44. State Construction – Ever see those construction workers in your town fixing potholes, erecting buildings, repaving highways and roads, and fixing things all over town? They themselves and the work they do is taxpayer-funded state socialism.
45. Unemployment Insurance – All your working life, you pay payroll taxes. Some of these taxes go toward a program that temporarily provides for people who lost their jobs until they can find another one. You pay for others, others pay for you. Especially these days, you never know when you might lose your job. You may need temporary assistance until you get back on your feet. The government recognizes this. UI also keeps the economy moving in times of recession because people still have some money in their pockets to buy goods and promote demand.
46. City/Metro Buses – If you lack transportation, you can catch a city bus. Taxpayer funds and the fee you pay to take the bus make it possible for millions of people to go to work.
47. WIC – WIC is a federally funded program to assist women, infants, and children. WIC helps low-income families by providing funding for nutrition, education, and health care for children.
48. State Snow Removal – Even though sometimes it may take them longer than you like to get to your street, do you like having snow plow service to clear our roads and highways in the winter? This is a state socialist taxpayer-funded service.
49. PBS (Public Broadcasting Service) – PBS operates on donations and government funding. The provide non-partisan news and information to the public. They are the home of Sesame Street, Masterpiece Theater, and The Antiques Roadshow. Surveys show that they are literally the most trusted name in news. I wonder how Fox feels about that?
50. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) – The CDC helps promote and enact the health and safety of the public along with helping to prevent and control illness and disease. The CDC is a government program that operates on taxpayer funding.
51. Welfare – Is there anything the republicans hate more? Of course I’m talking about the welfare that goes to poor people. Corporate welfare is not only accepted in the republican Kabul, but it’s mandatory that we give our tax dollars to billionaires and not question the logic of it. Though if you look at it realistically and not through the red scare glasses in which the right sees the world, welfare helps the economy. As I’ve said many times, when poor people have money in their pocket, they buy things made and sold by companies. This creates a demand. To keep up with demand, businesses must hire to keep up. If you yanked everyone who is on welfare off of it tomorrow, the economy would take a blow and lose jobs due to the down tick in consumer demand because we just took what little money they had away.
52. Public Street Lighting – Like being able to see at night when you walk or drive? Thank Socialism.
53. FEMA – If Disaster strikes, FEMA is there to help pick up the pieces. As a part of homeland security and an agency of the federal government, they use taxpayer dollars to help cities, states, and towns recover and rebuild. I don’t know to many private companies that could assist in disaster relief and ask nothing in return. Thank God for socialism.
54. Public Defenders – Ever been in trouble and couldn’t afford a lawyer? Well the taxpayers and the government make sure you still get representation.
55. S-CHIP (State Children’s Health Insurance Program) – S-CHIP is a program that matches funds to states for health insurance for children in families that cannot afford insurance but make too much to qualify for Medicaid. Your tax dollars go towards covering uninsured children, is that so wrong?
56. Amtrak – Amtrak transports tens of millions of passengers a year in 46 states and three Canadian Providences. It is owned by the federal government and your tax dollars are used to fund it. All aboard!!
57. NPR – National Public Radio operates on private and federal funding along with public donations. NPR has been one of the most trusted news sources in America for over 40 years.
58. The Department of Homeland Security – Created after the terrorist attacks on 9/11, this heavily federally funded department of the U.S. government helps protect us from future terrorist attacks. This is the third largest department within the United States government.
59. OSHA – Do you have a safe and healthy workplace that provides training, outreach, education, and assistance? Thank OSHA! Brought to you by the taxpayers of America and socialism.
60. State and National Monuments – The Lincoln Memorial. Mount Rushmore. The D.C. National Mall. All brought to you and maintained with your tax dollars. Socialism is patriotic?
61. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) – The USDA enforces regulations on the farming, agriculture, and food industries to ensure food safety, natural resources, and hunger worldwide and in the United States. Your tax dollars are used to help keep what you are eating safe and even feed those who are not eating.
62. Government Scholarships – if you work hard in school and show true potential, our government will give you a scholarship towards college so you can advance your education. Your tax dollars have been used to send future doctors, lawyers, scientists, and even presidents of the United States to college.
63. Department of Health and Human Service – The overall goal of HHS is to promote, implement, and ensure the health of the American people. Your tax dollars are used to do this. Government looking out for the well being of it’s people, imagine that!
64. Census Bureau – Every ten years, our government collects data about our people and economy, to better serve and represent us. From the forms that are sent to your home for you to fill out and send back in and to the census worker who shows up and kindly asks you to fill out the form if you don’t send it in, all taxpayer funded socialism. The information collected is used to better understand the economic situation and population in your area. Not to enslave you in a FEMA camp.
65. Department of Energy – This taxpayer funded cabinet of the federal government oversees nuclear weapons, nuclear reactors, energy conservation, radioactive waste disposal, and energy production. To those of you who care about our environment and would rather not witness a nuclear holocaust might consider this money well spent.
66. Customs and Border Protection – the CBP is the largest law enforcement agency in America. This is big government that republicans actually do like because they don’t like Mexicans immigrating to our country like our ancestors did. However, this taxpayer funded, socialist agency of the federal government regulates trade, imports, and immigration.
67. Department of Education – This cabinet of the federal government is actually the smallest. They administer and oversee federal assistance to education. They also collect data and enforce federal laws and regulations involving education. Even though the right thinks that this department is indoctrinating your children, they actually have no control over curriculum or standards.
68. Secret Service – Your tax dollars are used to provide highly-trained, skilled professional bodyguards to protect the President of the United States.
69. Peace Corps – The Peace Corps is a volunteer program run by the government that helps people outside of the US to understand our culture as well as helping us learn about other cultures. However they are more well known for their work with economic and social development in less-fortunate countries. Sounds very Christian for being a socialist program, huh?
70. Department of Justice – The DOJ is responsible for enforcing the law. Socialism keeps our civilization intact.
71. National Weather Service – Like knowing when a storm, tornado, earthquake, or snow is coming? Socialism makes this possible and available to everyone.
72. The White House – Our taxpayer dollars through a socialist means pays for the house that the president and his family live in during a presidents time in office.
73. Government – Like it or not, our country would not be a country without a government. Every single day, government on state and local levels serve us in ways we simply take for granted. Government as an entity operates and functions on our tax dollars through a socialist structured funding system. From the military down to the county dog catcher, socialism turns the wheels that make our society function.
74. Law – Laws and rules make our democracy possible. Remove these laws and you have sheer anarchy. Laws do not appear out of thin air. To have law, you need a government. You need elected lawmakers to make the laws and a government to implement and enforce them. Socialism is responsible for every law in this country. Without our government and lawmakers which exist thanks to socialism, there would be no laws. So the laws themselves, are enforced and implemented thanks to socialism.
75. Civilization – As an American citizen, you enjoy freedoms that many in other countries do not. Like anything else in this world, our government is not perfect, but you should be thankful everyday that your country has a government that feels an obligation to serve the people and protect their rights and freedoms. This is completely possible because of government, taxes, and socialism. Do you think the private sector would do a better job of governing our country? Do you think corporations would enact laws to help protect and serve you and your family or them and their profits? The reason you can read this blog and the reason I can write it whether you agree with it or not is because of the freedoms we have here in America enforced and protected through socialist means. Our entire civilization depends on us being a people united. Socialism is a glue that binds us together and makes possible the things that we could not accomplish as individuals working against each other.
I don’t care who you are.
Rich or poor. Teaparty Republican or Liberal Socialist.
You benefit from at least one or more of these 75 American Government-Run, Taxpayer funded Socialist programs, agencies, and laws.
ss hope this helps not so bad ha…
ss
The historic downturn in 2008 took another 2 years for Sedona to admit was happening.
Why would a natural return of business with an economic recovery be linked to a small group of money grubbers that never did anything in the past?
Million of Dollars are at stake.
Maybe the bed tax is finally being reported properly instead of whatever else could have been happening with the numbers throughout the years.
One thing I do know, is I no longer read the Sedona eye everyday because I am bored with the same 10 to 15 people fighting in an open forum.
Gather up in a group, rent a Verde Lynx bus, drive 11 miles down a dirt road to a retreat center stand facing the mountains and scream at each other until you fall down from exhaustion. Get back in the bus, come on back home, go into your respective homes and shut it for a few days. You will gain new perspective and give the rest of us a well deserved break.
Man I was paying attention until you went with the bigot theme. You are guilty too Steve segnar. I urge all blacks, whites, reds, yellow, browns and bicolours and bicoastals to boycott Sedona. Steve says the people on city council and holding city jobs hate Christians, republicans, tea party people who patronize jazz bouquet, capitalists, entrepreneurs, business people, self employed, all nongovernment employees, but wait …. I’m tired of the hate spewing forth from city government and its entities. I’m not even able to have a cup of tea at a party or elevenses or threesies to mull this over any more without being a target for segnar and pals….
Love you SedonaEye for being great. Been reading comments about police and court issues and it’s scary out there…
Magical thinking is the norm. Inflation, skyrocketing hotel/motel room rates during recent years, additional rooms, and the bed tax increase from 3% to 3.5% on Jan. 1, 2014 are the real reasons bed tax collections are above pre-recession levels of FY 2007 and FY 2008. According to South Travel Research, Sedona’s average daily room rate for last fiscal year was $200.61.
Sales tax collections have gone up due to recovery from the recession and inflation. Thanks to advertising arranged by the Chamber of Commerce bringing in day-trippers galore, during the tourist season there’s bumper to bumper traffic everywhere now.
@ Steve Segner
Steve: Ron Maassen here. I, like you, will use my name to express my opinions.
I’ve avoided entering this fray but you have enticed me with your diatribe on socialism. Your definition reads as follows:
Full Definition of socialism
1: any of various economic and political theories advocating collective or governmental ownership and administration of the means of production and distribution of goods.
You then proceed to conflate the delivery of services with the production and distribution of goods in an an obvious cut and paste.
My old dictionary defines socialism as follows:
1. a theory or system of social organization which advocates the vesting of the ownership and control of the means of production, capital, land, etc in the community as a whole.
Am I correct in presuming that under either definition that the ownership and control of the land, capital etc of El Portal should be held by the community as a whole?
It certainly could afford that poor fellow sleeping under the bridge a more equitable choice of lodging.
@Steve wrote but Snopes says urban legend, a take off of an incident but now not reflective of that same incident. Thought you might like to know.
Fire Dept. – Hopefully you have never had a fire in your home. But if you have, you probably called your local taxpayer-funded fire department to put the fire out. Like police, this is state socialism. You tax dollars are used to rescue your entire community in case of a fire. It use to be set up where you would pay a fee every month to the fire dept. for their service. If you didn’t pay, they let your house burn down. Sadly, a man from Tennessee had this exact situation happen to him in 2011 because he didn’t pay his $75.00 fee. I guess that small town in Tennessee would rather let people’s houses burn down that resort to evil socialism. So don’t take for granted the fact that you have a 24/7 fire dept. to put out your burning home thanks to socialism.
With respect, the socialism definition by @stevesegner is incorrect as are the numbered supporting paragraphs. As a teacher it is important to recognize inaccurate information. Thank you.
Return on investment. Grasping at all income is completely incorrect @Steve Segner as your members of the chambers are exclusive and do not represent those that collect the taxes.
Only those that partake in your club that are foot printed in the city limits can with transparent reports direct to city get the return on investment. Jennifer attempt to blow smoke around, may have been accomplished as our city councilors are uneducated. Using words like “greater Sedona” are simply not relative as you are aware they don’t collect taxes for the city limits.
What you have proved through your smoke is that you have successful driven a high percentage to the “greater Sedona area” as they are staying outside the city limits to avoid being over taxed.
A transparent return on investment can only come with direct reporting to the city from those in your club that benefit from the millions of dollars your club is gifted. You are a special interest group. They could report many elements like room rates increases, occupancy, gifted rooms (the FREE rooms they give to chamber and film festival), Chamber referred stays, along with other critical data.
By continually posting silly ignorant statements you do BTW show the entire world you are a greedy special interest group and you treat those within the City limits as second class citizens. The city is driving the residents and businesses out of town which is probably fine with you and Jen as you padded your pockets. 14 million dollars to date of taxpayers money being used exclusively for a special interest regional group.
Proponents of socialism, your wish is the command of this city council, beginning but not necessarily ending with taking control of garbage collection.
And yes, Steve S., may I give a lift to the next panhandler at Basha’s or Safeway and drop them off at El Portal for a hot shower, meal, and good night’s rest?
Hi Ron,
No ,all I am say is there is a difference between socialism and communism, some people on this blog mix the two up.
Calling something socialism does not necessary make it bad.
We have many great “social” institutions in America, I just listed some.
Communism is a monitory/totalitarian system and does not work.
Steve
Look up communitarian – that’s the basic American value
Mr. Segner, You mistake being social for socialism.
Do away with all motorized vehicles and bring back the “horsies” – covered wagons, pony express, etc. In fact, remember the horse drawn carriages that not too many years ago transported folks from uptown to Tlaquepaque? Greedy merchants uptown put a stop to that so tour buses could park at the carriage pick-up stations. That’s been the ruination of Sedona – greed and control. Same as this city now attempting to control who picks up our garbage and blaming garbage trucks for ruining our roads.
Prevent us from choosing our services? Where will it end? Dictators is what we encourage if we allow this to happen.
thanks Ken good read
ss
Thank you @Sedona Realtor for attempting to set the record straight about the housing market. Sedona’s population dropped from 11,000 to 10,000 during the last census count, while most Arizona cities’ populations increased.
S. Segner obviously doesn’t understand the difference between State Shared Revenues and local city taxes. The comments made at the council meeting on Jan 7 relating to revenue sources are available for review on the city web site and the specified references about State Taxes are located under Item 3B appx. 6.30 minutes into that presentation.
Comments made by Cherie Wright, Director of Finance, specifically state Sedona’s population remains relatively flat compared to a lot of communities that are growing, and the reason for a slight decline in State Shared Revenue. She sited the current increase in city sales tax revenue as a result of COMING OUT OF A RECESSION, and made no connection to you, Mr. Segner, your Lodging Council or Chamber of Commerce.
State Shared Revenues include among perhaps others things State Sales Tax, State Income Tax, and State Gas Tax. Disbursement of state taxes versus city taxes is based on a municipality’s POPULATION. In other words, Mr. Segner, per capita – and which has NOTHING to do with the bed taxes you collect on behalf of the City of Sedona.
Ms. Wright was further very specific to let it be known that their Projected 2017 Tax Increases are based on ECONOMIC RECOVERY and not hinged on the sole endeavors of the penny-ante efforts of your relatively unknown Sedona Lodging Council, a byproduct of a pretentious regional Chamber of Commerce that was authorized way too much power by a former City Council, three of whom still remain seated.
In fact at that same meeting, it was John Martinez who blatantly continued to maintain that non-city tax collectors, Enchantment and Hilton resorts, well promoted with Sedona city tax money actually do contribute because their guests shop in Sedona. Really? Then doesn’t that translate that since these “guests” actually bed down outside City Limits, do not pay Sedona City Bed and or Sales Tax, but maybe will shop in Sedona and drop a few bucks – well, realistically doesn’t that reduce them to nothing more than “day trippers” that add to our congested highways and city streets? An endeavor the C of C and Segner’s Lodging Council pledge they would avert but at the same time betray that commitment by promoting out of City Limits business whose “guests” add to the long line of highway clogging “trippers” to spend an hour or so in Sedona.
No matter how you look at it, Mr. Segner, and even though your arrogance and ego are exceeded by your ignorance and stupidity by not even acknowledging the difference between City, State, and yes, County Taxes because Sedona receives a rather sizable portion of property taxes from both Yavapai and Coconino Counties for necessary things like flood control, it is not YOU and your agreement for the half percent bed tax that keeps Sedona financially afloat – not by a long shot.
Sure you have the City Council bamboozled with your schmoozing about “trust us” but one day God willing the legitimate registered voters of Sedona will stand up, open their windows, and shout at the top of their lungs as taken from the movie Network: “I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take this anymore.”
Maybe it will be implementation of city controlled garbage collection that will break the camel’s back. Who knows?
We met a fan of the Sedona news at the resort where we stayed and we chose this story to comment. We didn’t see any garbage trucks so cannot offer an opinion on them and we didn’t find any traffic of issue but then the weather was quite cold and not nice enough to be outside. Yet we loved every second of our Sedona visit. We visited the Chamber tourist distribution center across from the Amara resort and were given good information and lots of brochures for around town, Scottsdale, Grand Canyon and other places. We went to Jerome on its advice and cannot say enough good things about it and loved our lunch at the Haunted Hamburger restaurant. We opted for a Verde Railroad ride and it was spectacular, breathtaking. We went to the Church on the Hill, beyond spiritual and amazing views, and to the Mexican village replica and enjoyed walking around there before heading to Jerome. On our way to Scottsdale we stopped at Montezuma’s Castle and had a nice dinner at the casino near it. Thank you for all the people and businesses with their great recommendations and we hope our highlights help others visiting your beautiful town. We’ll come back some day and we’ll continue to read here when we can. Dawn and Eddie Tonge, Seattle WA area
Thank you, Dawn and Eddie Tonge, for taking time to post your comment.
First I will make it crystal clear I’ve never heard of you and have absolutely no reason to believe you were set up to write what you did or that you have ulterior motives. That statement is in anticipation of the ghouls lurking in the shadow that predictably will challenge your authenticity. They would also most likely find it impossible to believe that on 12/27/15 a message was left on my telephone from a gentleman in Park City, UT – also a reader of Sedona Eye, who took time to track me down and offered a nice compliment pertaining to my articles on Sedona Eye. Although he didn’t request a call back, I did so and the conversation was extremely interesting and offered slants on similar issues which I may or may not address at a later date.
To begin with, you were extremely fortunate to have timed your visit to Sedona when traffic was sparse. A rare event these days. But mostly the value of your comment is rock-solid proof (no pun intended) that our “regional” Chamber of Commerce most assuredly is spending Sedona City tax dollars to promote their own non-city tax contributing members outside City Limits.
All of the places referred to you at the Chamber of Commerce Visitor Center are fun, interesting, worthwhile experiences, to be sure. However, by sending you outside of Sedona City Limits this multi-million dollar Sedona City financed C of C sends potential city revenue packing to be collected elsewhere to the detriment of Sedona City businesses and hands-on economy, whether or not they are paying members of the Chamber of Commerce.
That you had a great experience in Sedona is good news – especially the part about not being bothered by garbage trucks!
Happy New Year to you from Eddie Maddock, Sedona, AZ
By the way, Steve Segner was the first to pull a packet to fill the position left by Angela. What will it say if the council selects him to fill the slot?
12/27/15 a message was left on my telephone from a gentleman.
Nice to see some people are happy with Sedona, by the way Dec 27 was not a lite day in fact Sedona hotels were 100% full and up town for full.
Interesting, letter writer talked about all the activities out side Sedona,
People come to the Verde valley not just Sedona.
Nice to see a tourist come to a tourist town and get exactly what they wanted a good time.
re Thank you @Sedona Realtor
comment what I said was new $1,000,000 homes and in the pipe line, things are looking up.
ss
ss
Well, if S. Segner intends to vie for the open position on Sedona City Council, how can he justify his obvious admission that he is, in fact, a resident of Oak Creek Canyon (verified by his letters to the Red Rock News editor) and just what is the address on his driver’s license and auto registration? Furthermore, how much effort will it take to call him on “conflict of interest” as not only a member of the Sedona Lodging Council but Chairman, in addition to the role he played in getting the over a million$ advertising contract with the City of Sedona. Maybe this is a good thing. Finally something the Arizona Attorney General’s office will take seriously.
The petition was started by Sedona Community Organization Inc. a non-profit 501 C (6) on behalf of its partners and stakeholders. This is a grassroots organization that builds community and enables each person their own voice.
The petition is located here http://petitions.moveon.org/sign/sedona-citizens-civil?source=c.em&r_by=14213130
@A Local
I only respond when information is incorrect.
1. I meet all the criteria listed by the city. I checked with Sedona’s City Attorney
before I picked up the application. If you would like to check with the City Attorney please call.
(928) 204-7200
2. “Conflict of interest” I am president of the Sedona Lodging Council, We have no contracts with the city of Sedona or the Sedona Chamber of Commerce.
We actually gave the city of Sedona $5,000,00 last year for planning.
3. The Sedona Lodging Council asked the city to tax hotel guests and use some of the money for advertising. Like any another group, we lobbied the city, and the city agreed.
4. Please fell free to contact Arizona Attorney General’s office Phone: (602) 542-5025.
I am sure there will be many fine applicants for the council seat.
The council knows my past works. We will see what happens.
Steve.
This will be my last post
Interesting that you are entitled to a one-on-one with the city attorney when his job designation is to advise city staff and city council, not the public in general. And of course there’s little to zero chance that anyone else will be selected to fill the vacancy on the council since you were the funding source to elect most of the seated council.
Pay back time.
@Sedona Community Org. Non-Profit
Please check your list, I know 5 people on that list that live in the VOC. Just like this web site, there’s no checks or balances to insure that those who voted used their real names or have a dog in the race.
Whom ever started the petition should have made it clear that the trash petition is for city residents.
Steve Segner’s last post? We can only hope.
I bet he will prove himself a liar again.
The best thing about him getting the city council job, is perhaps it will wake up the citizens about how bought and paid for by tourist businesses and the chamber of commerce the Sedona city Council has become.
It is NOT the city’s job to give money to the Chamber of commerce, The Sedona Film Festival, the Red Earth theater and many others with their hand out. Yet they dole out millions every year.
Sedona should be run for it’s citizens, not for the tourist businesses. How bad does it have to get before people get mad?
@ I call BS — People in other nearby jurisdictions are rightly concerned that if Sedona monopolizes trash collection it may result in higher rates for them as companies who don’t get the Sedona monopoly get squeezed and have to raise rates or go out of business. Some of the petition commenters have even made that point. In their view, they do have a “dog in the race.”
People, people, people… Look at yourselves! What a joke you all are… Nothing else to do in Sedona, but go on the attack and feed your egos, because you are no longer relevant… Been this way for years here!!!
Interesting you bring that up @”I call BS”. Our City has set the policy that everyone is welcome to partake in city government. They have done so by enabling non-residents to partake in commissions, committees, citizens engagement, grants, and seriously everything at city hall. Those manipulating programs, use of taxpayers dollars, setting rules and laws for the incorporated city are unfortunately are not the residents.
Be fair, you can’t have one rule for a petition and another for every program in the city. Geez you even pay to advertise businesses outside the city limits.
One rule for everyone.
And why shouldn’t VOC and surrounding areas have a right to voice an opinion about restricting garbage collection by incorporated Sedona. You council of seven sit on your thrones and tout your importance as being the center spoke for the economic engine of the entire Verde Valley. You spend your city tax dollars to advertise the Verde Valley @Dawn & Eddie Tonge who were sent outside Sedona to eat lunch, shop in Jerome, etc. etc. by the C of C Chamber Visitors Center who rightfully promote their own members, regardless of where they are located.
And then there’s this Segner person that doesn’t have a problem with it and most likely would be one to encourage the city to expand their garbage pickup contract to include surrounding areas but only charge legitimate incorporated Sedona residents to foot the bill.
And what, Segner, does a phone call to Mrs. Maddock have to do with the number of tourists in Sedona on Dec 27th? The man made the call from Park City, Utah so obviously wasn’t in Sedona on that particular day. And the Tonge couple posted their comment on Jan 10 which makes it obvious they visited here after the first of the year, doesn’t it? And most of us are aware that after any new year at least for a while traffic dies down. Duh!
So Segner donates $5000 to city. Big deal but it would be better to take that money and spend it on advertising to promote members of the Lodging Council instead of robbing the city coffers. When he is on the city council just watch and see how his colleagues salute him even more than what presently goes on. John Martinez rarely fails to mention the graciousness of the Lodging Council for having made the deal for the bed tax increase in exchange for millions to the Chamber for advertising “their” members! Way to go, Councilman Martinez! You done the incorporated city based business a special favor by nixing them from Visitors Center promotion, adding insult to injury by constantly giving accolades to those chamber members outside city limits that feed the long lines of traffic to visit the Visitors Center only to be sent off to places outside incorporated Sedona. You people are nuts IMO. However I’ll take your offer for cheaper garbage pickup if you want to continue to represent those of us that don’t pay to play.
@ I call BS the city is more BS than BS. They talk like no one matters but the REGIONAL Chamber and regional lodging group! BS on top of BS. Residents don’t matter, businesses don’t matter.
Funneling taxpayers money to special interest groups without any checks and balances. BS. Read the city brochure 100% BS and sh– isn’t recyclable unless it comes from the city.
OK, did I get it right? This Segner fellow claims he only challenges things that aren’t true so he didn’t dispute the address on his driver’s license or car registration as being his residence in Oak Creek Canyon. And yet he says he can legally vote and be on city council by using his Sedona business address? So what prevents any Sedona business owner that lives outside city limits from doing the same thing?
Now then, Segner already went on record in that other article explaining how the city will take over garbage collection that he very much supports it. And that it won’t apply to businesses. So Segner gets on city council, votes to approve the city takeover, but his business won’t be affected and it won’t apply to his residence since it’s factually outside city limits? Maybe we better change his name to “Slick Segner.” Oh yes, and isn’t he the same fellow that’s commented many, many times about how residents don’t pay taxes and keeps harping that we should be assessed a city property tax?
Wake up, Sedona.
How peculiar is it for most of the uptown merchants to object so soundly to installation of parking meters and yet they don’t seem to mind that city sales tax they collect is invested to finance 70% of a Visitors Center that sends tourists to competition out of town? (@Dawn & Eddie Tonge)
If the caliber of tourists the Chamber of Commerce claims to be luring to Sedona balks at the convenience of parking, and yes for a fee, instead of driving aimlessly around a misguided congested muddled up conglomeration of botched up planning, then the failure of this city to adequately manage with the end result reflecting this in depth mess makes one wonder how can it ever bail out?
Dumb question, of course. Since the city council is so convinced that destination tourists who prefer out-of-city limits lodging and thereby avoid paying Sedona city bed tax but drive into Sedona to shop but in turn are directed back out of town by representatives at the Regional “Chamber” Visitor Center (not Sedona City Visitor Center) is such a great financial benefit to Sedona, then the uptown merchants will miss a good chance of parking meter revenue uptown since the in-and-out process will at least pay a small amount for having to contributed to the congested traffic – even if purchases are not made at their businesses.
And of course parking meters will be a deterrent to jeep tour patrons from tying up spaces for hours and even probably the few business owners and employees that would prefer to break the rules and use them for their own convenience. Give the meters a try and find out the value. At this stage what is there to lose?
They pick and choose without common sense but then isn’t that the basic reason Sedona has turned into the disgrace it has since incorporation? And now they complain about the number of garbage collectors? Back to the theory of the inmates running the asylum.
We are looking for a place to retire. Some friends chose Scottsdale which brought us to Arizona last fall. This is the truth. We asked about taking a run to Sedona. We were told, reluctantly I might add, OK but you will be disappointed. Yes? No? Both.
Driving into the area was magnificent as the panoramic views of the red rocks opened up justifying the image we expected. Not for long tho because soon we were trapped in unbelievable traffic and a long, long journey to the ultimate(?) destination of uptown Sedona which was disaster – no place to park – so after going at a snail’s pace round and round for what seemed hours our Scottsdale hosts suggested a drive through Oak Creek Canyon. Good idea as long as we were headed out of Sedona because traffic coming from the north equaled if not worse than what we had endured for what seemed like days entering from the opposite direction. Even the red rocks became boring.
Now the point of this, which is completely unexpected, is why in the world has garbage collection become such a monumental issue when you cannot even adequately manage the traffic in an over-congested situation. Believe me, dealing with garbage trucks or even semis couldn’t have been worse than sucking up fumes from an endless line of uncontrolled automobile traffic. And we think New York is bad! No, Sedona was not at all what we anticipated. The return trip to Scottsdale via the Interstate was more joyful.
You folks clearly have a problem with priorities, but then Sedona is promoted as a tourist town and definitely not resident-friendly – or even tourist friendly for that matter based on our experience. No, we will not return as either unless one day we hear that horseback has become common place and at such a time we might take a second look but only if we are allowed to select our own garbage haulers.
City of Sedona’s handouts to the Chamber of Commerce/Lodging Council for destination marketing in FY 2015 were approximately $1.2 Million plus. Just how many whoppers has Steve Segner told us over the past year or so concerning the phenomenal amount of revenue coming into City coffers as a result?
An editorial/opinion in a competitor to the Sedona Eye delved into this matter in great detail, comparing the huge increase in funding to the Chamber in FY 2015 over that of FY 2014 when the City paid the Chamber far less. The findings were that the increase in sales and bed taxes collected by the City did not pay for the amount of the surge in marketing promotion dollars disbursed. In addition, that “the data continues to verify that residents, not tourists, are the ones who pay the most to fund City services.” Of course, this last was proven by the Budget Oversight Commission before a former City Manager and Council axed it.
Recovery from the recession, pent-up travel desires, declining gas prices, a 9% increase in Sedona’s Hotel/Motel rates, and a bed tax increase that took place in the middle of FY 2014 were cited as the main factors inflating FY 2015 City Hall revenue totals.
JeanJ confirmed my conclusion, which is based primarily on comment made by Visitors from New York:
BRING BACK THE HORSES!
@visitors from New York
Sounds like BS….. Another tea party member using a BS comment from fictitious people…..