– what is telling is the link or brotherhood or agreement to a group of people running together and just screwing the rest of us! Just because Mz Angela wants another like minded socialistic on Her council and their concept of taking control over and of Sedona…………what’s that old saying? — damn the torpedo’s and full speed ahead????

The Sedona City Council is and has always been a Non-Partisan Council………until recently! So they (Angela, Barbara, John Martinez etc) are shaping our town to their Democrat Vision and enabling mantra vs having any respect for our little town.

Scott Jablow is just another Dem and transplant who are want to be’s.

Rio Robson is the Real and Vested Deal. Vote for him so he can offer a new perspective and vision of how we can save Sedona!

Please Robert O’Donnell – understand that financial reports are submitted on correct dates but it takes the City a few days to update those to their site………so your statement is not viable at this time………..but you will end up getting some good info once the city clerk updates the financial sites on all candidates.

We all need to look for inconsistencies or irregularities or just Mistakes on all council candidates financial reports so that we can learn about their abilities to read them correctly and know they know how to dot their i’s and cross their t’s..pretty simple concept.

Bottom Line is that we, the silent majority, just got screwed.

Please Vote for Rio Robson! As he is truly a breath of fresh air and has no agendas!

First our incoming mayor, who is an accountant, can not accurately report her campaign finances.

What does this say about the future for the city?

Steve Segner twice donate money, first 1000, then 600 on 8/25 and the report requires that all contributions from that individual be reported as a sum, yet on her September report she claims his total contribution was only 600 instead of 1600!!!!

Are there others?

Secondly, if one looks for all the campaign reports, 4 have been moved to the terminated list AND two candidates have not turned in a report for September as required by the 25th. Those missing final reports are Frey and Robson.

Both winning council candidates are supporting Jablow, who in his own words said he was concerned about the new hotels yet he and the rest of the zoning committee voted to approve the new hotel by the high school, without requiring the city’s community plan and requirements be adhered to by building lower cost housing.

The error in a financial report is interesting because here is someone to be on the council that does not check for accuracy on a report filed for herself.

I also feel it should be required that a candidate put in at least as much as their highest contributor into their own campaign, and that is via a donation and not a loan that they can later pay themselves back with others donations.

This is at a local level, I can understand at the state level and beyond that there are much larger contributors needed and that would block some from running.

Is there anything illegal about any of that?

Thank you very much for your very professional and well-conceived response. I just wish you could have posted it much earlier. Today, as I was voting, many of the voters recognized me, commented on my article here, and indicated that candidate’s answers did or would influence their voting decisions today. BTW, I think your idea that the SedonaEye should establish a formal candidate discussion forum in future elections is a stunningly excellent idea. Thank you!

I would suggest in the next election that SedonaEye establish a forum to ask questions it feels may have been left unasked. In the meantime I will attempt to answer some of the questions posed.

First, I support Home Rule as it gives Sedona the ability to spend money it takes in without having to roll it over into a reserve. I am a strong believer in reserves, but when the reserve is adequate I am not sure it needs to grow beyond a certain point. I think the real issue is how the current money is to be spent. The root cause of those opposed to home rule is to put a financial constraint on the money spent so that wasteful boondoggles are limited. It does not fix the problem. The problem is fixed by electing people who will not abuse the budget and spend wastefully. It also assumes that we would not want to accelerate real infrastructure projects that make sense and implement them ahead of time to meet the needs of Sedona. For example, assume that the City needs to pave roads and make improvements that total $2M, but only $1M is in the current fiscal year. With Home Rule we could still spend the $2M and not have people wait a year for the next $1M to roll around. Of course one needs to review the budget fully to make sure that all of the expenditures are necessary and required rather than fanciful.

As far as the Chamber goes, I believe in competition and the open bid process. At this time the Chamber has been awarded a contract which can be reviewed, but I do not believe we should condemn the process without knowing all the facts. At this time I do not know all of the facts, but would expect full accountability is welcomed by the Chamber. It is also possible that the Chamber may end up being the least expensive bidder with the advantage it has from past experience and current infrastructure in place. That could be tested during the next tourism board selection cycle. Regardless, all businesses should be treated fairly and equitably.

It has already been said that most businesses with a Sedona zip code will benefit from destination marketing efforts through association, but we need to give real thought to the best way to promote those businesses that collect the tax monies. I am not familiar with the current process, but it would seem to me that those businesses that are paying to be a member of the Chamber should be promoted by the Chamber and have access to the resources that the Chamber provides. At the same time, the destination marketing efforts, if funded by tax dollars, should allow those businesses that collect that revenue to also be represented somewhere as well whether or not they are members of the Chamber. I would expect the benefits would be different by site.

I expect the City’s revenue sources to remain fairly constant over time as the population is projected to grow fairly slowly over the next few years. Should the tourism business take another hit as it did in 2008, then I believe the City would adjust again just as it did then. The effect would be similar to or more severe than if home rule were not in effect. This goes back to making sure that an adequate reserve is in place to help weather such an occurrence. I am confident the City would survive, but it would be contingent on Council having the will to fund first things first.

I am opposed to implementing a property tax whether Home Rule is approved or not.

I am opposed to Sedona becoming a sanctuary city based upon what I have seen happen to other cities that have done so. Sedona does not have the public facilities or financial resources available to support such an action.

Please feel free to contact me with any questions by phone at 847-302-4613 (I am fine with publishing this number) or at my email address of shininginsedona@gmail.com. I would also like to add that based upon my interaction with the other candidates running for office, that none of them are in it for the “money” or “perks”. They truly want to make Sedona a better place to be. How that would happen may vary slightly by candidate, but overall I believe that Sedona is being well represented. I encourage those who feel they have no voice to run for Council in the next election. I have done so and you can too. It does not take a lot of money. I have spent less than $150. And, I have found the people of Sedona welcoming and willing to sign the forms that get you on the ballot. I thank them for their support and open arms.

Tom Lamkin

I’m voting for Cliff Hamilton for mayor and that’s because he is good for Sedona. I’m voting for Rio Robson and for Robert O’Donnell because they will be too.

Big fat NO to Sandy, Angela and Scott!!! You aren’t for this town being successful and you don’t respect business or local residents or businesses!!!! I know firsthand you think you know more than anyone else. What ridiculous closemindedness!!!!

Here’s a show of support for Barbara Littrel. She’s a very hard worker and while we may disagree I feel heard and that’s important. Allie