The Nov. 25th Council meeting provides an opportunity to weigh in. Agenda Item 9: “Public Forum/Recognition of Outgoing Council Members (including any recognition from the public).” Some possibilities include Council’s:

Pledging to “listen and follow the will of the people,” act with fiduciary wisdom and integrity, protect the environment and our quality of life, and improve City governance. See Sedona Eye January 7, 2010 article, “Citizen Group Advocating ‘Will of the People’.”

Contracting to waste $1,248,000/yr. in scarce taxpayer funds on the greedhead Chamber of Commerce/Lodging Council for three years. Dirty politics and manipulation of Sedona City Council elections has resulted. Not considered: Competitive bidding.

Approving Development Impact Fees (DIF) on May13, 2014 for Streets, Police, Parks, Drainage, and the City Hall Complex debt. But there’s no DIF for Wastewater Facilities; City management staff didn’t include Wastewater in its list of “necessary public services,” as approved by City Council. TischlerBise was paid approximately $70,000 for its study.

Budgeting $38,385,154 in Expenditures for this fiscal year, with total Estimated Revenues of only $27,790,280. The Deficit: ($10,594,874).

Purchasing parkland (“Old Ranger Station”) and pursuing a Creek Walk with no funds for development.

Overstaffing City government with 120 Full-Time Equivalent Employees this year, with a total Estimated Personnel Compensation of $9,605,326 (Ref: Schedule F, Finance Dept. website).

Ramping up Sedona’s cost of living to 38.50% higher than the country’s average by increasing wastewater rates and bed taxes, thereby reducing Sedona’s competitiveness and financially sticking it to the struggling West Sedona businesses, seniors on fixed income, and the working poor living here. See Sperling’s BEST PLACES to live (bestplaces.net/city/arizona/Sedona).

The Chamber of Commerce’s draft FY 2014-15 Destination Marketing Plan lists “Total Tourism Bureau Revenue” of $1,245,250. 74% from Public Funds, 26% from Private.

The Chamber’s “Total Organization Budget Breakdown” for FY 2014-15 is $2,077,550. 67% is for the Tourism Bureau and 23% for Visitor Services, with the Chamber gobbling up the rest.

The City of Sedona has budgeted $1.2 MILLION for the Chamber, a regional operation. The Chamber and City’s draft Contract is for one year, with two automatic annual extensions.

With stratospheric City funding going to vested interests both inside and outside the Sedona City Limits–the majority doing business regionally–it’s no surprise the City Manager wrote in his 4/22/2014 Budget MEMO to City Council:

“In order to continue to address capital infrastructure improvements and pursue new capital outlay projects beyond 2017 [FY 2016-17], other funding sources and/or a debt financing strategy must be pursued.”

Sedona’s current indebtedness–$50.87 MILLION at the beginning of the current fiscal year–is not in line with cities of the same population. As to “other funding sources,” residents and non-tourist businesses are already seeing their incomes shrink and cannot tolerate City Hall discriminating against us.

VOTE “NO” ON HOME RULE, AUGUST 26, 2014 ELECTION.

If this idiotic politically correct practice holds true through all upcoming holidays, then maybe it’s time to abandon Thanksgiving aka “Turkey Day,” All Saints Day aka “Halloween” and of course Christmas which has already occurred by way of snooty Sedona Main Street and Chamber of Commerce reference to “Holiday Trees” and related festivities.

How about we band together and patronize ONLY those business who continue to acknowledge holidays in the traditional manner? This is not a religious comment. It’s one of common sense. Yoo hoo, earth to planet X. Did you snob hogs trip out via Bell Rock when the Harmonic Convergence hit Sedona a few years back. Time to reenter reality. Please.

Good, good. This entire scenario is playing out in a most peculiar way. Reminds me somewhat of the following:

Quotes Mistakenly Attributed to Shakespeare
Oh what a tangled web we weave
When first we practice to deceive. – Sir Walter Scott (Marmion, 1808)

I’m around haven’t gone anywhere..
Just enjoying the new conspiracy comments.

Jean, you are correct to question the legality of the the Home Rule ballot measure. It appears an investigation of all matters relating to City Hall is long overdue, IMO

At the time of the March 2012 Home Rule election, the electorate voted to approve an expenditure limitation cap of $33,396,098 for fiscal year 2015-16. This coming August the electorate will be forced to vote again on this very same year. But here’s the rub. There’s a new Alternative Expenditure Limitation of $34,483,147. This represents an increase of $1,087,049.

Can the Mayor and City Council modify an expenditure limitation cap voted into effect by the electorate? This is happening.

Approved at the April 22, 2014 Special Council Session were the Alternative Expenditure Limitation amounts to be on the August ballot for the four years beginning FY 2015-16.

I have to wonder about the legality of this fiat with respect to FY 2015-16 in that the voters have already spoken. In addition, how fair and ethical is it to increase an expenditure limitation cap voted upon and approved by the electorate, and yet not officially notify or disclose the gory details to the public?

Vote “NO” on Home Rule.