Sedona City Council
Sedona AZ (March 10, 2014) – The following is a letter to the SedonaEye.com editor:
From: jeanjenks
To: mayoradams@sedonaaz.gov; mdinunzio@sedonaaz.gov; mward@sedonaaz.gov; dmcilroy@sedonaaz.gov; jmartinez@sedonaaz.gov
Subject: Notice of Intention to Increase WW Rates, 3/12/14 Agenda Item 9c
Date: Mon, 10 Mar 2014 10:30:52 -0700
Hello Mayor Adams and Councilors,
How can the City Council possibly think of raising sewer fees for the vast majority of Sedonans? Higher WW rates at a time when the U.S. economy is going nowhere are REDUCTIVE. And, of course, Sedona’s rates are already higher than Flagstaff, Cottonwood, Camp Verde and all other municipalities in our region sans an increase.
Kindly TAKE NOTICE of the large number of vacant commercial spaces in Sedona!! Consumers’ new spending habits since the end of the Great Recession, mushrooming internet competition, and excessive fees and taxes are already causing business failures, plus residents are moving away. Has KUDOS moved to Cottonwood yet? And what about the Sedona Art Supply closing its doors after being in business here for approximately 30 years? Sedona is not competitive, yet fee increases of from 10% to 23% look to be coming down the pike.
Does the City Council live on another planet?
WHOA! Last July the City told us the Consultant concluded that due to the size of the WW fund balance, the lower than anticipated capital expenditures, the sales tax subsidy to the WW fund and the previous three years of rate increases, the ten percent rate increase for FY 2013 was not needed at the time. Ref: City of Sedona News & Updates, 7/25/2013. Now, with a few exceptions, there’s to be a one-time upward adjustment that will nullify the unneeded ten percent rate increase. Huh? Why are the previous three years of rate increases we residents paid that were instrumental in increasing the WW fund balance being ignored? The City Council’s proposed Notice of Intention to Increase WW Rates betrays the majority of its WW ratepayers who are being used as cash cows in order to supplement the General Fund operating budget and feed the City Staff/City Council spending addiction.
Frankly, it’s very shocking that wastewater development fees aren’t being assessed. “Necessary Public Services: The new legislation [SB 1522] requires that municipalities only charge Fees for the following facilities that have lives of 5 years or more: water, wastewater, storm water, streets, Police & Fire (does not include regional training facilities, administrative vehicles, planes, or helicopters), parks (less than 30 acres), Libraries (up to 10,000 square feet).”
Sedona wastewater treatment pond
As is well known, the voting public approved the original sewer bonds approximately 20 years ago only because annual sales tax allocations from the operating budget were promised for very legitimate reasons. What happened to the City Ordinance that covered the annual sales tax allocation from the General Fund? The WW Fund was not an Enterprise Fund then, nor under our former City Managers. The WWTP has been converted into a Wastewater Enterprise sub rosa, the voting public and the 65% of us on the sewer be damned.
The City of Sedona has made a big mess of the treatment plant and its funding. In addition, there’s the very serious non-competitiveness issue that’s being handled inadequately.
I urge the City Council NOT to go forward with the new WW rates and rate structure.
Sincerely,
Jean Jenks Sedona Resident From: jeanjenksTo: mayoradams@sedonaaz.gov; mdinunzio@sedonaaz.gov; mward@sedonaaz.gov; dmcilroy@sedonaaz.gov; jmartinez@sedonaaz.govSubject: RE: Notice of Intention to Increase WW Rates, 3/12/14 Agenda Item 9cDate: Mon, 10 Mar 2014 11:16:06 -0700P.S. I only went into the one-time adjustment, not the 4% annual rate increases for 6 years, as the manner of presentation of the various rate increases by the City Council is not, in my opinion, on the up and up. Reducing the excess WW Fund Balance to cover immediate, one-time, so-called adjustments for fairness and equity of from 6.4% to 23% and then telling the public there will be 6 annual rate increases of 4% is hogwash. The three 10% and seventeen 23% one-time adjustments, in particular, blow the 4% figure way out of the water for FY 2014-15 for the vast majority of WW categories. Great there is such an excess WW Fund Balance so City Hall can play specious number games. – jean
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you are so right and thank you for your article! It’s crazy that our waste water bill is higher than most of our utility bills more than our water, Internet, gas, even cell phone. even in California where I have a building the waste water bill is less than half of what I pay here for a house. And everyone pays the same whether you have an empty lot or vacation home hear that you visit occasionally it doesn’t make sense.
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WHOA! is right! Thank you for the article. This Council is driving businesses out. But they don’t support residents or in town business. No sense. They like to play big shots and Santa Claus with taxpayers money. They give all the money to a regional chamber. film festive, wine fest and other non profits. They have no sense of how to run a business, let alone a city. Park crazzzy. Did you hear Mark D. say how great the chamber did with the Christmas lights? He needs to get his head examined. What a joke!
I find that the chamber gets it right sometimes but not consistently or enough. We know it. As long as city funds flow no money is redirected or questions asked because there are no high paying jobs in this city except the chamber and city.
Visiting Sedona’s beautiful red rocks leaves an impression but it s 1 or 2 times a lifetime. (lots of beautiful places to see in Arizona). I like Sedona because it s still old time Sedona mostly trailers (my aunt has one near Thunder Mountain) and most people are mid to low income. It’s McMansions obstructing views that’s bad.
sad state of affairs
@jean
The three 10% and seventeen 23% one-time adjustments, in particular, blow the 4% figure way out of the water for FY 2014-15 for the vast majority of WW categories. Great there is such an excess WW Fund Balance so City Hall can play specious number games.
Williams is on high risk water alert. Brings to mind doesn’t it that Williams sits much higher than Sedona & Verde? Williams mountain & Mongollon waters trickle down. Turn on the faucet and it’s dry. Soon very soon.
Want this questions answered? How many gallons of water will this park use annually and what’s it source? What’s its projected cost to pay for this water and the electricity to keep it pumping? What’s the cost of building this idiocy? Sign me Bill waiting for answers
Hey Bill, why not call the City on Monday with those questions and report back here?
BTW, I heard the water bill is estimated to be $1K per month. Meanwhile, we are told to conserve and be “sustainable”. Also, I could be wrong but I think $289K was allocated for this crime.
Yea Bill, get right on that, find out how much water is going to gently sprinkle out of the frogs nose please!! I demand to to know, how much of the tax I spend on grocerys will go to keeping little kids cool in the summer and having fun!!! Launch a traffic study to find out how many little kids will come from near and far to FREELY partake in the gentle sprinkled water coning out of a frogs head!! I demand to know, even though the only taxes I pay for city services come from my purchases I spend on gas and grocery’s!!
That’s how ridiculous you sound Warren
Groceries do not get taxed. Restaurants & shopping get taxed. If locals buy in town they contribute. Sales tax get collected from Staples, Galleries, walgreens, clothing, jewelry, cars, and in town prepared foods.
Residents pay into City Revenue in Non-SALES TAX areas such as
City gets money from county through property tax
City gets money from State, a % on income taxes collected based on population
City gets franchise taxes
City get a portion from State HURF and other areas.
City collects only 39% of revenue from sales and bed tax
Find it all here
http://www.sedonaaz.gov/sedonacms/Modules/ShowDocument.aspx?documentid=20932
Slamming and talking bad about the residents makes Sedona look ridiculous. This includes everyone that does so.
If the residents are so awful,and don’t contribute why be a city?
I don’t pay attention to the slammers…… Those that contribute to things positively get my attention. Remember Fire Department & Schools get funded through your county property tax. They are not city owned or operated. County in Sedona.
@get informed … Finally a voice of facts and not emtional rantings… Well said.
The City Council has set May 27th as the future hearing date to consider and, no doubt, rubber-stamp the Consultant’s proposed new WW rates and rate structure.
Monthly single-family residential rates, low-flow excepted, will increase from the present $47.34 to $54.33 next fiscal year, a 14.8 percent increase. Not exactly the 4% increase for the next 6 years as claimed.
There’s to be a 10% one-time adjustment to FY 2014-15 residential rates for–get this–fairness and equity. Why can’t the Council just come out and tell us the rate increase for next year will be 14.8%? That owners of residential properties will be assessed several hundred dollars more over six years’ time via calculations that use the phony $54.33 monthly rate vs. the real $47.34 monthly rate?
These shenanigans, plus excess $$$ in the Wastewater Fund, will allow the sales tax allocation to the Wastewater Fund to be reduced immediately from 35 percent to 30 percent. Hoorah! More bucks for Sedona’s big-city bureaucracy and more pork for the money-grubbing Chamber.
I should also mention the Council keeps buying parks it needs funds to operate and to bring up to code. As I heard tell, nearly $1 million is required to rid the three buildings on the Brewer Road property of asbestos.
BTW, many thanks to Warren for pointing out to Bill how he needs to be doing his own research.
You tea party folk will never be happy with anything until all government is eliminated and their are zero taxes!! Good Luck!! Until then, keep on complaining about everything!! Enjoy!!
I respectfully differ that I must do the research. City is spending the money, they must provide for transparent governance and release the information that caused them to approve this water park.
City, this is a public request for information.
Where is the data supporting your vote Council? Where is the staff report of the water park cost and anticipated costs to maintain? These are simple straightforward typical and usual questions about any expenditure. Even I make these decisions when I go to buy my week’s groceries whether it’s a hamburger or steak week and the impact that choice has on my future expenditures. Thank you but I remain Bill waiting for answers from the city.
what’s the frog comment about? Lisa
HALLO (deleted by editor) LIVING HERE YOU GO SPLISHY SPLASHY IN PARK NOOOO (deleted by editor) WAYYYYYY WE BRING KIDS THERE!!! ITS (deleted by editor) HOT & SHADE WONT CUT IT & DOGS & BAMBINOS & WILD ANIMALS (deleted by editor) & PEEING ON IT. MUWAHHHHAAAAHHAAAA EDUARDO
Thank you, Bill, for addressing your informational request to the City and not to me, as on March 15 [@Jean]. Good luck, but don’t hold your breath.
Folks, Sedona’s residents and small businesses don’t count. The Council and staff are in bed with the regional Chamber of Commerce. Thus projects benefitting tourism, other areas and/or kids are common.
Additionally, the Council gives away millions in pork annually to non-profits–many outside the City limits–while small businesses within the City of Sedona are being driven out by excessive taxes and fees. Not voting for ANY incumbent during the November Council election(s) is the best way to go.
Jean, there was a point in time when you did your homework and did an outstanding job presenting the facts, many, many years ago. However, thats not necessarily the case today. Too bad. While I have not always agreed with you, I enjoyed reading your old opinions and found them very helpful. Today you twist and exagerate the facts and sound like a bitter woman with a vendetta. What happened?
@ All American Citizen – You forgot to substantiate your accusations.
@ Jean We LOVE you! Thank you for all that you do. You really are a great American Citizen. Spot on. Thank you thank you thank you Jean! My husband and I support you.
@All American Citizen – Based on your attitude you sound more like an “All Communism or All Socialism Citizen.” Every one of the comments you post it’s reflected and you certainly are spending enough time to cover the bases and spread your attacks accordingly. Busy person you are.