Home » City Council, Community » Eddie S. Maddock: A World of Controversy for this Independence Day

Eddie S. Maddock: A World of Controversy for this Independence Day

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SedonaEye.com columnist Eddie S. Maddock reminds voters to fact check politicians in the upcoming Sedona city election especially the Home Rule issue on the ballot.

Sedona AZ – In a world that seems to reek from ongoing controversial matters, global, national and local, it is enough to make one wonder if things will EVER be normal again. “Normal?” and what does that mean? Is it not another subject for yet a myriad of differing opinions?

Nationally the tug of war rages between the “left” and the “right” posing a question of “Is there anyone out there capable of being in the middle?” Each faction puts forth the best effort to convey a position and are any firmly “right or wrong?” Without mudslinging what would remain to rationally support their frequently questionable endeavors?

Perhaps the truth?

Ballots in Sedona are in the mail for early voters. During the course of time, positions from the mayoral and city council candidates (vying for a place on the ballot in the deciding November vote) have been offering their thoughts and opinions while upholding reasons for those positions on local issues. Opportunities for direct contact with candidates have been available, thus leaving no excuses for registered voters to remain uninformed – unless that is their choice. Listening to opinions of others without checking factual aspects of data is not always a good idea.

And, of course, in Sedona, the ongoing controversial issue of “Home Rule” is first and foremost under the gun with those pro and anti activists at each other in full force. There is little doubt (if any) that in Sedona politics there is rarely (if ever) anything that doesn’t create a battle of pro and con input.

However, one must be very careful and aware to check out facts from fiction, especially on the “Home Rule” issue. For example, scare tactics imposed with threats that without the umbrella of “Home Rule” Sedona will not have the public library! That simply is not true.  

The Sedona Library and the Sedona Humane Society were established long before Sedona incorporated. Both were supported and funded because that’s what “local” people did back in those days. They made things happen because of coming together, uniting, and seeing successful outcomes for what the “majority” of those in support of a particular effort had the spirit and determination to facilitate. It was done with joy, social gatherings, and creating an atmosphere of cooperation from kindred spirits with mutual goals.

The success or failure of issues came about without “city” funding because there was no City of Sedona.

As for Home Rule, this issue appears on our ballot every few years, the end result has always resulted in approval of the measure. Generally, however, very misleading information is the underlying reason – because resident voters are (unfortunately) led to believe that certain benefits would be eliminated if Home Rule failed and Sedona would be limited to Arizona State restrictions. Again not true!

Simply stated, any issue of great importance to voting residents would be decided by themselves instead of the “Home Rule” option to rush things through because of what city leaders, both council and staff, decide .. based on what THEY think is best for US.

In a sense, isn’t that somewhat insulting? To assume that we, the people, are not capable of conveying our own decisions by way of legitimate voices via the constitutional right of voting? Is that something to think about?

If the answer is yes, then please do it. Check out both sides of input from intelligent people who take time to research and provide factual information. By all means, please do not fall for unwarranted scare tactics which simply are not true.

Although time is limited, early ballots are not required to be immediately returned.

Happy Fourth of July 2022, Sedona. Celebrate your independence. Cast your vote .. wisely.

88 Comments

  1. Sedona candidates says:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bdXcWX4zbvY

    No to Mayor Sandy not even looking up from cue cards like she cares less who she was talking to or with. Couldn’t understand how that Scott came dressed like he did and made me feel he doesn’t care what we think because he has the job. Other two get my vote of confidence. We need new ideas to save Sedona soul.

  2. Josh says:

    Bureau of Labor stats and Redfin and Realtor.com stats: Migration to Sedona to Buy houses has slowed and is predicted to lose 27% of home value the next two years like Phoenix. What drove prices was the speculators who bought flips and Airbnbs. Get your info updated at city hall and stop listening to local realtors. The predictions for California is the same and the Governor of California is begging people to come back because they’re going to have high crash predictions when techs accelerated their leaving state. Hold off buying in Sedona. You’re about to be swamped with cheaper inventory of flips and rentals. Ain’t life grand when you don’t have to use your taxes to pay for ADU and blasting rocks?

  3. Kim says:

    LMAO nytimes headlines biden harris polls about 33% Democrat support and under 30 year old Democrats give them about zero, nada. Sedona elect new people and give us a chance to survive.

  4. UB says:

    be original vote original

  5. Jordan & Mildred M. says:

    Unless this election drastically changes the complexion of the city council, is there anything short of disincorporation that will make a difference? Now that is definitely something we could wholeheartedly support.

  6. Sedona Candidates Votes says:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bdXcWX4zbvY

    voting two younger ones others are turn offs

  7. Denver Roads says:

    Can’t see anybody caring enough to undo city even if it’s a great idea. People are indoctrinated and incapable of knowing that they vote against their best interests. People in Sedona would sell their family and friends on social media when they disagree. Pathetic narcissists. Block me babies one more time.

  8. Chris says:

    Success is not to be measured so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome while trying to succeed. Booker T. Washington

    Move those political obstacles Sedona and pray for our rocks.

  9. Marge, Sedona says:

    Sadly you are most likely correct @Denver Roads . Disincorporating Sedona would be a difficult task. That’s for sure.

    However how many times was the issue to incorporate voted on? More than twice? And now for the few who are still around and can remember the disaster of being so gullible and convinced to vote for incorporation, they have seen first hand what a scam it was.

    The promotion pitch that incorporation would protect Sedona’s beautiful environment was a lie as proven by the line-up of contractors at the temporary city hall once the voters bought into the BS. More high-profile developments were approved than ever before!

    If that wasn’t proof what a scam “incorporation” was then what would it take? And just how many of those big movers and shakers for incorporation are still around besides the current mayor, Sandy Moriarty?

    It might take some doing but it can happen! Kick them all to the curb. We do not need all this idiotic big “city” government.

  10. Grace T. Johnson says:

    Sedona city Bureaucrats and activists need to get out of the peoples way. We don’t need their rich (Deleted by editor) telling us to give something up and use less. Go away. Our power plants are safer and cleaner than any other nation. Go live in those countries and save the world.

  11. Posse Ground Gurls says:

    Amen!!!!! We’re sick and tired of finding food in Mexico better than here and quantities more. We’re sick and tired of the world dumping their criminals gangs and pervs on us to feed and house then others send all their paychecks back home and don’t invest in making a life here. Ignorant. Drains our US and we get nothing but ignorance and taxes.

  12. Pedro y Luis says:

    Sedona beautiful before every crazy wakes up. Then it () noisy. Thx Rocket (Deleted by editor) Enchantment with Sedona Eye. Great comments posts we’re contributors to (deleted by editor) back home () and decided to ask readers to (deleted by editor).

    We traveled several places in this country with no food shortages believe it’s federal government playing politics with your food? NY residents we’re unsurprised next to California it’s the (deleted by editor) worst run state (Deleted by editor).

    Don’t listen to false shortage news, owners and restaurants should be ordering properly. It’s mismanagement or it’s theft or it’s manipulation? US manufacturers reporting record production where has it gone? No supply chain issues now likely never were the shipping unions were fighting for higher wages and states said no trucks. Unions run by international cartels likely correct and paying off federal and local officials to let them dictate policy is reality for many places. Believe it airports have been targeted by politics to keep you in place. They’ve taken inexpensive and reliable cars and gas and oil and our food while US stays silent. We won’t do the driving tourist life with rules about how far each car can drive to be climate friendly coming up. Put good walking shoes and hiking boots on your Prime lists. (Deleted by editor) We’ll stay following. Happy Wayze.

  13. Flannery says:

    Ballots out?

  14. John Twist says:

    Karma to close for comfort, SFD needs to get this fire out. Breathing shouldn’t be optional. Be safe out there.

  15. John Wilson says:

    @John Twist be grateful the “city of Sedona” isn’t in charge of attending to this fire. And as a matter of fact, the Sedona Fire Department is NOT a direct affiliation of the “city of Sedona.” The same as our schools – it is a “district”. Check your county property taxes for further clarification and verification.

    IMO we would be in deep trouble if such a serious situation were in the hands of the “city”. Look at the mess they have made Sedona since people were dumb enough to vote in favor of “incorporation.” My interpretation remains that the vote was no more than approval of corruption.

    Isn’t it great that we live in a country allowing freedom of speech? So far, that is.

  16. Charley Bierstein says:

    Hopeless is the current status in Sedona IMO. Why? Here’s a recent example.

    At a recent public meeting Councilman (NOT councilor) Jon Thompson actually made a comment relating to his concern about WHY PEOPLE ARE MOVING AWAY FROM SEDONA! “Why is the population shrinking?”

    Wake up, Jon Boy! Quit drinking too many health drinks, maybe a high dose of sugar might jolt you into reality. Seriously Thompson, are you that out of touch with past decisions made by council members, you among them, which have strongly gone against the will of a majority of Sedona residents?

    They are sick of being treated like second class citizens and taking a back seat to the chamber of commerce given carte blanche in ALL “greater Sedona issues.” The “greater” should have NOTHING to do with incorporated Sedona and choices used for our taxpayer funds.

    Until arrogant airheads at City Hall catch onto that FACT, Sedona residents will continue to move up by moving out to places where they are fairly treated.

    Are council members so unaware they remain clueless about the really downgraded reputation Sedona has justifiably earned by reckless, frivolous, and overpriced promotion based on bad judgment from incompetent and overpriced connections with a Chamber with a “bureau of tourism” questionably financed with city revenue?

    Well there’s ample time to think about it, Jon Boy, as one waits in backed up traffic on far too many occasions, largely created by day trippers sightseeing Sedona as they head on to Grand Canyon to spend their money.

    OK – those of us who live here are well aware that traditionally the summer months, in particular July and August, historically represent a DECLINE in tourism trade with or without a recession. For those of us legitimately calling Sedona home it’s an annual breath of fresh air and we love it!

    Given the way of City control, they prefer traffic back ups constantly and without interruption. All about $$$$ in spite of bogus talk about SUSTAINABILITY!

    That’s the current joke about gifting the C of C with even more funding based on that nonsense. Hasn’t it already been proven that sustainability isn’t a word in their vocabulary? We do sustainability well already before funding the Chamber. We had recycling and other efforts before the Chamber got involved.

    Get it Jon Thompson? If so, please spread the word of truth. OK?

  17. Neo says:

    Sedona needs help from the current incompetent elected officials. Vote NEW

  18. JessLynne, Sedona says:

    Where do you pick up ballots?

  19. Sedona Donna says:

    @CharleyBierstein Given the way of City control, they prefer traffic back ups constantly and without interruption. All about $$$$ in spite of bogus talk about SUSTAINABILITY!

    where’s cars and trucks and billboards and signs saying VOTE NO ON HOME RULE SAVE OUR BEAUTIFUL SEDONA

  20. Kristal Ohm says:

    Bow and join with neighbors in healing prayers for Sedona, Namaste

  21. Alison M. says:

    Ever since Sedona incorporated the concept of “keep Sedona beautiful” was switched to “build, build, build – high density rocks” (as in rock & roll music). Shunning the stunning attraction and special aspect of red rock formations which made Sedona so special in the first place was tossed out like yesterday’s garbage.

    However . . . Just wait. If “they” move ahead and purchase the Cultural Park land, is anyone willing to bet that it will turn out to be a huge mistake and ultimately result in a very, very bad outcome?

    Karma and Mother Nature are watching!! You think not? Then why have all areas surrounding Sedona had substantial rain while the most here in the incorporated area had what? Two drops and a few claps of thunder?

    Yep KARMA LIVES!

  22. Pat says:

    Sedona cut down trees and paved more of its rocks and caused the creek to be rerouted in places with huge E. coli issues. More sewage?

  23. @Pat says:

    Its called failing septic fields up the canyon! Where do you people get your harebrained ideas from? Im sure slide rocks helps also.

  24. Russell, Oregon says:

    Houses in your backyard:
    The controversy over accessory dwelling units by Stuart Hicks
    June 30, 2022 YouTube

    I’m an architect and engineer and have a few years of experience with ADUs and met friends here who talked about ADU issues and there’re easy solutions to the quest for inexpensive housing that you don’t choose to address properly by using federal government antiquated promotions that cause the great ghettos and projects and ‘hoods of today. Sedona city hall must educate itself on modern ADU design
    Science. Sedona is restricting property owners from building attached or detached units on properties which cause Destruction of land and catastrophic economic woes. Let the property owners fix it, not city hall master destructors.

  25. Gregg says:

    God you have to love Reagan that man was a genius loving the American people like his generation taught him and like he grew to recognize how wonderful they were in their diversity. These young people suck and would sell us for a pool in Vegas.

  26. @Greg says:

    The presidency of Ronald Reagan in the United States was marked by numerous scandals, resulting in the investigation, indictment, or conviction of over 138 administration officials, the largest number for any president in American history.[1]

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reagan_administration_scandals

    The Enduring Lies of Ronald Reagan
    Though the GOP continues to canonize the fortieth president, we can’t forget his legacy as a liar and a foreign policy flop

    https://inthesetimes.com/article/the-enduring-lies-of-ronald-reagan

  27. Bill, Sedona says:

    As a former Wisconsinite, we had a teacher in the 90s who loved this garbage and spent most of 12th grade history class teaching this as her belief system. We had a great English teacher who offered up great lessons in how many of the socialists in Wisconsin were under educated and carried outmoded communism from poor teachers in the old countries. To this date all of the two teachers points of views have proven themselves out, either as successes or failures. I think what hit the nail on the head of those successes was the laborers under a democracy are king yet under socialism laborers are serfs and slaves railing against the oppressors. This railing guaranteed the lack of need for socialist rants because u like the old socialist worlds of Russia and China and other empires and dictatorships, those people came uneducated as to what a democracy was and is. They were never taught about democracies and had no reference points for free thought and movement. They relied on orders from above.

    The American civil war proves what no other country had ever done and that was to abolish and constitutionalize freedom for all and remove slavery. There are still places in the world practicing slavery but not America. That is why communism and socialism fail here and old whites wanting to hold onto power created magazines and papers like the one you referenced.

    Time to move in to the free world and embrace freedom for all and equal opportunities for all as in the American Constitution. America instituted freedom. Your belief system @@Greg institutes governments:

    “ In These Times”was founded in 1976 by James Weinstein, a lifelong socialist and former member of the American Communist Party who worked for or founded socialist publications, including Studies on the Left and Socialist Review.[6] Weinstein had left the Communist Party in 1956 and eventually gave up on third-party political activity and advocated for socialists to work within the confines of the Democratic Party.[7] Weinstein modeled In These Times after the early 20th century socialist newspaper Appeal To Reason which was published in Kansas from 1895 to 1922 and featured prominent socialists of the time including Socialist Party Presidential candidate Eugene V. Debs and labor union activist (and Mother Jones magazine namesake) Mother Jones.[8]

    Throughout its history In These Times has published most of the influential socialist and other left-wing writers of the era including Noam Chomsky, and Kurt Vonnegut, who served as a senior editor for the publication.[9]

    The current editor and publisher of In These Times is Joel Bleifuss, who has worked at the magazine since 1986.[10]

    Funding

    In These Times lists four “website sponsors” online which include:[11]

    American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME)

    Communication Workers of America (CWA)

    Puffin Foundation

    International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers

    Their website further states that its Working In These Times blog is funded by a grant by the Public Welfare Foundation, a left-wing grantmaking foundation.[12]

    Relationship with Labor

    In These Times has been closely aligned with labor unions since its founding and currently runs a pro-labor union blog titles Working In These Times which supports pro-union employment policies and spews anti-business rhetoric.[13] The magazine published many articles lambasting the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Janus v. AFSCME which protected the rights of employees who reject the union agenda but are forced to be represented by government worker unions including AFSCME, which is a sponsor of In These Times.[14]

    In February 2014, the staff of In These Times voted to unionize and joined the Communications Workers of America union. Staff statements said they had unionized to align with the pro-union stances of the publication and to protest frequent layoffs and rehires by the publication due to inconsistent funding streams.[15]

    References

    Carson, Sharon. “What a Century-Old Socialist Newspaper Can Teach Us About the Left”. In These Times.
    Meyer, Neal. “How to Run a Socialist Reading Group” Democratic Socialists
    IRS form 990. 2014. Institute for Public Affairs. Accessed July 1, 2018
    Hodgson, Godfrey. “Obituary: James Weinstein.” The Guardian. June 21, 2005. Accessed July 12, 2018.
    Carson, Sharon. “What a Century-Old Socialist Newspaper Can Teach Us About the Left”.
    “Sponsorship Opportunities”.
    “Working In These Times”. In These Times. Accessed July 1, 2018. Fletcher jr., Bill. “The Janus Decision Was Never About the First Amendment.

    Jamieson, Dave. “Staff Of In These Times Magazine Joins Communications Workers Of America Union” Huffington Post.

  28. Sedona Chip says:

    wild fires are the danger

  29. Butch L. Smith / Williams says:

    ideas good / Sedona pretty can’t handle traffic / backups / keep it real not commercial / shout out to (deleted by editor)

  30. CNBC says FBI found Trump’s classified folders empty says:

    Found online: FBI agents found four dozen empty document folders marked “CLASSIFIED” during their raid last month of former President Donald Trump’s residence at his Mar-a-Lago club, a newly unsealed court file revealed Friday.

    Agents found 43 of those empty folders marked classified in Trump’s office, according to the Department of Justice’s inventory of the seized items, filed in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida.

    The remaining five empty folders with that marking were found in containers in a storage room.

    The FBI also found another 42 empty folders marked “Return to Staff Secretary/Miliary [sic] Aide,” during the Aug. 8 raid, which was authorized to search for government documents removed from the White House when Trump left office in Jan. 2021, the filing said.

    Twenty-eight of those empty folders were found in Trump’s office, while another 14 were in a storage room elsewhere, the document shows…

  31. Lynn, Sedona says:

    Biden goes anti MAGA and America gets outraged. Biden has built back better the Republicans and Independents and Democrats coalition. The progressive socialists are extremists trying to bring down our nation by engaging in divisive rhetoric and backing defund the police and promoting Antifa radicals and raising taxes and trying to scare people that he’s the light and the way. You’ve ruined our country in TWO short years Joe Biden and Kamala Harris because only 7% of the nation believe in climate change being a problem. Joe, our grids are the problem and our crime and the Border and gas prices and your lousy anti American bigoted racist attitudes. Pennsylvania vote Republican and save your lives. Arizona vote Republican and save our lives.

  32. Holly Bee, Cornville says:

    THIS!!!!!HASHTAG!!!!

  33. Mason says:

    How is Arizona’s minimum wage changing in the future? In accordance with the Republican 2016 proposition, Arizona increased its minimum wage to $12 in 2020, $12.15 in 2021 and subsequently $12.80 in 2022. (The Arizona minimum wage in 2023 and beyond will adjust based on inflation and cost of living.)

    Sedona taxpayers need to know why the staff is constantly overpaid for average jobs and job performance when people want to work and live here. Hire older people with experience because the younger ones stay a year or two and then move on. Nobody stays very long and experienced older people come with knowledge and real world experiences. You don’t pay older people for doing 8 hr work days in half the time, you pay older people for decades of hourly knowledge accrued for Sedona jobs.

  34. Kristen says:

    Hire Sedona Seniors? Seniors don’t fall for phony city promises, property tax threats, lies about library lack of funding, humane society closing or get influenced by nonprofit gifts. Seniors don’t fall for lies that border is secure, gas is getting cheaper, inflation doesn’t exist, Afghanistan was a win, Russia is not at war with the west, China is friendly, Iran needs nuclear weapons, mortgage rates should be high, schools should be closed, student loans forgiven and repaid by every taxpayer, California is a golden state, climate change is caused by 200 years of industrialization, food shortages are inevitable, that mid to full term birth abortion is not killing, socialism is better than democracy or that morality and ethics died.

  35. Jerry says:

    Time to stop voting for Sedona council next time and next time means getting work done finding new candidates believing in preservation and beautification and zero tolerance for law breakers.

  36. @CharlieBierstein says:

    truth to power

  37. Joe L. says:

    Who pointed out we’re drowning in crippling inflation, unaffordable energy prices, and WAR – all things that should never have happened? But if that wasn’t enough, now Americans are bailing out College Administrators who fleeced students and those who opted for degrees that there was no way they could afford and are hiring 89,000 IRS agents and giving them firearms. This is the same two faced government that pretends to be anti gun when kids get shot in school. Now the IRS might kill your and your kids in your house because you took the wrong tax credit.

    Sounds like Sedona blowing up irreplaceable red rocks to let commonplace tourists drive through our neighborhoods and ruin our lives and home values, declare us an illegal entity in order to encourage illegal entries, and hand out taxpayer money or “swag bags” to keep voters enthralled by fake recognition for jobs performed, and never say its not worth it to kill our golden goose. What is our golden goose? None of the above.

  38. @JoeL says:

    insightful

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