City of Sedona article
Sedona AZ (March 11, 2014) – With approximately 37% of the City of Sedona registered 6495 voters casting ballots (2422), the Unofficial Preliminary Special Election Results for the March 11, 2014, election for the City of Sedona Arizona are below:
Proposition 427 Resolution #2013-25, a resolution of the Mayor and Council of the City of Sedona, Arizona, finding and determining certain facts and adopting the November 2013 New Sedona Community Plan of the City of Sedona Arizona received the following vote totals and percentages:
PROPOSITION 427 VOTE/BALLOT TOTAL PERCENT OF VOTES
YES 1499 61.89%
NO 923 38.11%
Yavapai County has reported that they have at least 63 ballots that have not been processed. For more information, please contact the City Clerk’s Office at 928-282-3113 or SIrvine@SedonaAZ.gov.
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“Home for Sale”
2 bedroom, 2 bath, garage and fruit trees.
GREAT! Now we can go on with out lives.
For people like Ben who have been told all that negative rhetoric by Julie and some others; if you believe the trash that you were told, READ THE PLAN ON YOUR OWN. You’ll then realize that the now NEW plan doesn’t say that “that sky’s falling”.
Silence implies consent. Translated: The “silent” majority of Sedona’s registered voters, 4073 representing 63%, just gave the go-ahead for a Community Plan directed towards huge and costly future changes for Sedona. Based on the results of this election, a whopping percentage are looking forward to new methods of taxation to pay for the forthcoming changes. Good news for the movers and shakers. If this isn’t a classic example of apathy in motion then what is?
@Moral of the Story
I’m sorry did I miss something?
I read the community plan on-line from front to back several times. I never saw anything that even remotely indicated about costly future changes for Sedona. Why would you say that we should look forward do new methods of taxation?
Instead of spreading trash about something that you obviously know nothing about, why not read the darn document first and become educated for a change!
to Tom Bergen
Trash? Why are you trashing us for our different opinions? Tommy boy I read it. I read it twice then went through and highlighted parts I wanted to go back to. Watched all the city council meetings about it. Went to the public input at the school. Did You?
Tommy your probably one of the new kids in town who hasn’t learned to read between the lines and won’t be happy till you have all the amenities here that you left there.
Relax partner, you’ll live longer.
p.s. Who’s Julie
63% of the voters cannot mark and mail in a postage paid ballot?
Ben, if things are so bad in Sedona, your posting with a house for sale is probably a good idea… Leave for greener pastures! Seeing red everyday is probably not in your best interest. By the way, how much are you asking for your rather small home? I might be interested, property investments are my thing…
@Ben
Sorry, reading “between the lines” is like ASSUMING something, and you know what they say about ASSUMING something and yes, I did the same research.
Sorry, I have no idea who Julie is.
In todays rr news the Mayor said you can not be swayed by the 100 ppl that show up in the room for smart meters(1400 signed the petition opposing), he has to think about the other 9950 that don’t show up.
Yet we approved the community plan with only a 38 percent turnout and a 23 to 14 percent in favor. What are his thoughts about the other 65.7 percent that did not vote? Will he speak for them or is it only when convenient or acting in fear??
Our lawyer swayed the council in the wrong direction with fees for lawyers, 90,000 is a big difference in estimates. I hope all his work is not like this. I hope he does not advise on financial matters.
Let us examine the less than stellar political words in the local papers; i.e. Mayor comment and election results in light of comments here.
In the land of politics (and you are politicians) elections are about registered voters. Key word? Registered. Unregistered voters don’t count. Ever.
Follow your area’s Fitzpatrick campaign or Sinema here; Follow any campaign. First question a candidate is taught to ask when approached by a person is “Are you registered?” If the answer is no, you ignore them. Not stand and listen, you move past them, you don’t have a cup of joe or eat a piece of rubber chicken with anyone who isn’t registered to vote. You don’t discuss politics. You don’t care what their opinions are or party leanings. They don’t vote. You can be rude because they don’t matter in politics. If they can’t be bothered to register, you can’t be bothered to register their opinions. A politician who wastes his time catering to the unregistered, doesn’t get elected. He/she shouldn’t. That’s the job of low level political worker bees in campaigns, the GOTV (get out the vote) otherwise it’s counterproductive to a candidate, and even GOTV campaign workers are taught to ask and move on. They are taught to not care to hear why someone doesn’t register or what they think about something/someone, move on. It’s all about numbers. Find someone who will register and vote for your candidate. Sell your candidate after they’ve filled in a voting form that you carry to the Board of Elections. Leave the bipartisanship to other groups.
Understand?
Now about Turnouts to fundraisers, political meetings, county fairs, town halls, BBQs, meet and greets – ready?
When a city council meeting draws 100 people, it’s a tsunami. When a petition is signed by more than 10% (the statistical tipping point in politics and cultural change) it is a tsunami. 1400 signatures on any paper presented to a local politician should have him quaking in his vote casting boots. Yours petition represented a tipping point of registered voters and a greater statistical number to actual voters.
Again let us emphasize that you and your elected officials represent voters. Voters elect you and voters un-elect you. Special interest groups represent the nonvoter. SIG (lobbyists) use the power of their votes to sway politicians, not the unregistered. You are elected to abide by the registered voters wishes. Your SIG appears to be a Chamber of Commerce. Even with nonregistered voters among its membership, the Turnout is guaranteed to be important because it is a bloc vote.
Remember nonvoters aren’t politicians interest or concern. You weren’t inspiring enough to have them register and vote for you in the first place, remember? That’s why politicians have interns and worker bees and focus groups and polling masters, it’s their job to determine statistic relevance.
Now reflect upon the number of votes that each of you received in the last election? That’s your constituency and that is the group that you must please. By now, if you are a good politician, you know who 90 per cent of those voters are and you listen to them.
Your community plan is a good example: Only 38 per cent voted of seven elected officials constituencies (total registered voters, less those that did not vote) and your cp passed by 9 percentage points (23%). Not a tipping point. You may want to begin to worry about your upcoming elections. If you break the percentages down further, all your elected officials should worry.
Look at the votes garnered in the last election, then look at the numbers using the CP percentages. You are, politically speaking, out of touch with your majority and resting on the laurels of your minority, often SIG who turn out a predetermined vote. This is why SIGs hold sway on American politics. If the masses present equal organization (petition, Turnout, polling) you are expected to vote accordingly.
Interesting that you did not demand your quote be edited prior to printing (the SIG promoting you is the newspaper?). They and you did your candidacy poor service. We do think that it should be obvious politicians statements reflect registered voters, they do not represent the population. In this case, it seems the politicians are out of touch with their constituencies.
UoA Students (3), Names unimportant (reviewing AZ election results statewide) *add address to newsletter
@WHAT is going on here?
Get your answers from the Chamber of Commerce. They’re the ones running the city.
@ UoA
You must never have spoken one on one to some of the councilors in Sedona. On a number of occasions I have had the need to ask questions of one or two.
During the recent issue with Smart meters, I spoke with Ms Litrell and Mr. Vice Mayor and not once was I asked about my voting status. Not once was I asked anything personal. Both times I was given as much time from them as I wanted, without rush. It seemed to me that they were sincere about my concerns.
Last year, I met Mr. McIlroy at a city function and he too was all to pleased to speak with me without concern to my political origin.
Perhaps your information would work in other places however in Sedona I have never felt that.
For sure the result of this election wasn’t a mandate. The true acceptance of the community plan will be reflected by residents when proposed zoning changes for higher density dwellings directly affect them. Other aspects such as walk don’t drive might just be a “say what?” situation not to mention the moment of true: What will be the source of funding for this new “vision” (or nightmare as may turn out to be the case.)
The 70% plus or minus that demanded for the city to drop their idea of owning West 89A, now that shouted a meaningful message although some council members remain in denial.
@UoA
You made my day. Can you write and publish more? Thank you.
Call me laughing, Sedona mayor went to tell Yavapai college off & wants to be heard with his piddly show of support? Let’s play by the same rules mayor that you set for your smart meters attendees; see how it feels not to be heard by those in authority.
Bet they think the same of you, whining/sniveling/not fact based/irrational? Credibility? Fair play? Bring the gavel down, you had more than 2 minutes and now go away. The college board made the right decision, you lack credibility or standing. That’s what you said to smart meter people, let’s chorus back on behalf of YC campus board.
Great site.
Sorry to say that a tendency with this present city council is to favor those who live outside city limits! Yes, it’s true. More and more often people from outlying areas are attending Sedona City Council meetings, voicing opinions about what goes on here such as more parks (Brewer Road), Commissions vs. Citizen Engagement, a splash pad for the kids, specifically promoted by Sedona Parks & Rec. as being for “all of northern Arizona” (SRRN article) and especially businesses and business owners who do not collect city taxes. This type of thinking is in direct conflict with the notion of “Destination Marketing” for which purpose the chamber of commerce will be receiving over one million dollars to accomplish.
So much for Sedona’s elected officials caring about whether or not those they represent are registered voters. They have little to no respect except for a select few so why should we respect them.
What? How smart is to to encourage more day trippers to clog our two highways when the name of the “chamber” game allegedly is to bring in tourists who spend more time (and money)?
Get a grip, city council. Stand back and look at yourselves objectively if that’s possible. Who the heck will stay in Sedona once they see the traffic jams which are mostly being created by the day trippers you claim you are attempting to overcome. Bring ’em on is the message you and the Parks & Recreation department continue to send. Unreal!
nice response Sandra*tom
http://verdenews.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1190&ArticleID=59232
Can someone tell the chamber that the Superbowl is coming next year? Although they will try to take credit for the increase in local business just doing nothing……..
@SPEND THAT MILLION
IMO you are spot on. The C of C will take credit for EVERYTHING (at least try to.) When they were soliciting support for sales tax increase the pitch to us was that without the C of C Sedona would never have been discovered. Really? Well, probably unfortunately it was “word of mouth” that initially brought us to at one time delightful Sedona. Oh boy, had we only known what a mistake. Once developers and politicians got their hooks into it, forget it. And no, we were not wealthy retired people. We were the struggling class attempting to make a living back then and now. And for the C of C to claim they’ve done anything positive for Sedona is yet to be proven.
Can’t wait for them to take credit for all the tourists last week because IT WAS SPRING BREAK. That scenario has been going on long before Ms. Jen and her rhetoric convinced a bunch of blank faces on the city council that the C of C is responsible for all taxes brought into Sedona (as was reported by one of her agents on increasing city sales tax which hasn’t happened – yet.)
And so, Mr/Mrs/Ms “Spend that Million” no doubt in my mind that C of C will actually stand up and proudly claim they are responsible for bringing the Super Bowl to Arizona. OMG, how would we survive without them?
Speaking of the word “proudly” my suggestion would be to change it to “shamefully” for this ongoing charade which few people beyond the “in group” (including the city council and city staff) buy for even one split second. Onward and downward. It appears evident the sewer treatment plant isn’t limited to the physical location. The problem in city of Sedona the crap isn’t be treated. It’s being nourished. IN MY OPINION.
@closed for business … Where’s the connection between your “name” and your rantings? Suggestion, to you and your online groupies, if you are not willing to step up and be part of the change you apparently and so desperately seek, instead of always slamming everything and everyone, maybe move to your ideal community. One that does not have a Chamber, a Fire Dept., School District, City Council or Mayor, City staff and absolutely no Community events such as a film festival and a marathon! Problem solved.
@All American Citizen
And where may I ask are your own credentials? Just another whiner among the tax and spend control that’s ruining Sedona because you will never have enough “free” money? Guess I just answered my own question.