Hi Everybody---- If you'll indulge me for a moment of your time, I'd like to mention a personal note. My wife and I just returned from a great 35 day trip visiting New Zealand, Tasmania and some of Australia.
In my absence, our good friend, "Richard," watched over the "LOVE" site, upgrading it, and doing the postings----under my name, with, not only my permission, but my blessings. Now, it's time for me to pick it up again, with Dick's outstanding assistance.
Back to business. From our vantage point---- "Let Oro Valley Excel," it seems the situation of our town didn't improve during our absence, but in fact, may have even gotten worse.
So----- what's new.?
Well---- for starters, we see that Vestar had their ground breaking. Our Council Member Terry Parish still alludes to this development as a "homerun," and still thinks it's great that their wonderful anchor will be none other than Wal-Mart. We're still being told that the "pig in a poke" we got, is unique. (A total eclipse may be "unique." Wal-Mart is NOT "unique," no matter what Vestar & Parish tell us.)
At least some of our friends and neighbors are trying their best to make the best of this situation. We'd encourage all our residents to link to http://www.ov1st.com/ to get familiar with this group of friends.
By the way, the OV 1st group invites you all to attend a free showing of "Wal-Mart:the High Cost of Low Cost" at the OV Library on Sat Apr 14 at 3PM. (Please check "LOVE" Upcoming Events for more info.
Getting back to this Vestar Economic Development Agreement----has anyone noticed the Vestar deal is becoming even worse as the Town increases impact fees. Vestar's EDA contains very specific language which exempts them from all increases in impact fees which are put into place after April 2004 when the EDA was signed. We don't have the data to calculate how much this will amount to, but most likely it will be very significant, particularly for any permits taken out after the new water impact fees go into effect. (Another "homerun" for Oro Valley!)
Also, guess what else we found on our return home? Our new Pima County Assessment. I'm sure most of you are in the same boat. Higher assessment means higher taxes, but what else is new? (For those with Rural Metro----wait till you see your new Rural Metro/Golder Ranch Fire District bill which will be added to your property assessment!)
And, let's not forget-----as of April 1, our brand new 2% Utility Tax kicks in. And why not? After all, the tens of millions of dollars Vestar will bring into OV won't start until the "unique stores" open. Hopefully, when that occurs, not too many of our small businesses will have closed their doors.
Oh well. If some of us don't make it, there is some good news. Don't get too burned up. Unless our friends over by Rancho Vistoso & Innovation Parkway can win their fight, we'll soon have a wonderful new crematorium when "our time comes" to get "burned up."
It's not too early to remember one thing. We have an election for three council seats come March 2008. If we all register and vote, hopefully we'll get three candidates who actually care about their constituents to join KC Carter & Paula Abbott. To date, we have Salette Latas as a candidate. Only two more, and we will reach our goal to "LET ORO VALLEY EXCEL."
We welcome your comments.
Art
5 comments:
Welcome back Art. Good to see you blogging.
Welcome back Art!
We missed you on the softball field and of course here at LOVE.
I hope your trip was enjoyable. Richard and I had many conversations while you were gone and he has been a good steward of the site.
However your return also signals the return of 'Oro Valley Doom and Gloom' which is your version of what is going on. In fact there are some very positive things occuring.
The new Assistant Town Manager, Jerene Watson,jumped into her new position and all reports are that she is a go-getter and will be a positive influence on our great community.
The program budgeting process for all Town departments that was promised last year is well on it's way to becoming a reality. This will allow department managers to accurately define the cost of Town programs and decide if they are worth continuing.
Progress is being made on the Oro Valley Market Place and this VOTER APPROVED program is closer to producing some very positive sales tax revenue. While most of us would have rather seen a different anchor, law does not allow the Town to discriminate against tenants just as Fair Housing Laws prohibit private property owners from discrimination against selling to "unwanteds". But in the final analysis, the Wal Mart tax money will spend just as well as the tax revenues from other retailers new to Oro Valley.
Chili's is open and doing a very brisk business. Must be a lot of folks that wanted that kind of eatery. A new tenant has been found for the old Osco/CVS space. Lease negotiations are in the final phase. A long overdue hardware store is going up just north of LaCanada and Lambert.
General feeling on the street is that the Naranja Park project will be pared down to needs rather than the nonsensical $150 million wish list previously proposed.
So there are many things to be happy for in Oro Valley. Let's be positive and collectively work on reaching common ground on those items on which we disagree. We could collectively accomplish so much more.
And probably the best news (although this is an inside subject between Richard, Art and myself) is that the Oro Valley softball team whipped the hell out of your team in our last game. Admittedly you had your way with us over the other 4 or 5 games but we closed the season by taking you out to the proverbial wood shed!!!
Life in Oro Valley is good!! Let's act that way.
Don
Hi Art & OV Objective thinker.
Yes this program was voter approved, but none of us think the outcome would have been the same if Vestar had been more forthcoming, I can't use the "l" word, can I?
Majority of the council keep saying their hands are tied, well that did not keep their mouths from telling us to vote "yes", so no I hold those same council members accountable to us, I want them to make Vestar keep up their end of the bargain. So far that silence is interesting but telling.
Thinker, if you would have liked another anchor, you are welcome to sign the pledge, hey why not join in, its worth a try.
About Chili's, well its ok for lunch, but truthfully its just another bland chain eatery. It is doing well because we don't have much to chose from in OV.
I guess we all talk to different people here in OV, I keep hearing people who are upset about Splendido, especially that lighting, have you checked it out, it practically sings" You light up my life" when you ride by at night. Also the crematorium is still a sore subject, along with most being unhappy about a Wal Mart coming to the so called "unique" or upscale shopping center, people feel like they were duped
Personally there is nothing so far going in the shopping center that even remotely tempts me to spend my money!
I would never shop at the Wal Mart, unless I had no choice.
I will shop at stores that give the full amount of the required sales tax to ov, not at stores that benefit Vestar by sharing our sales tax.
Hey did you read up in Kingman, they turned down Vestar's attempts for an eda to share sales tax.
guess their politicans were smarter then ours were.
Happy Easter to all. If you are not an Easter celebrator, Happy Spring to all.
I believe my memory serves me correctly, but I don't think any of the Council members not involved in the Council election offered an official opinion on whether to vote yes or no on the economic development agreement (EDA). And keep in mind that is what we voted on NOT THE INDIVIDUAL TENANTS. We seem to lose sight of that fact. From purely an economics standpoint, to vote no on the EDA was fiscally irresponsible. That's why it passed by a 58% to 42% margin. The numbers made the case then and the numbers still make it a wise move. The tenants are the tenants. Surely there must be something more important on which to expend your energy.
I understand the negative comments about Splendido. The height of the buildings is a code splitting nightmare but it is definately within the spirit of the building code. The night lighting most likely meets code and if is a tad brighter, then if there ever was a place where lighting and public safety should be compatible, Spendido is the place. But since you like to hold people accountable, please remember that I was the only Planning and Zoning Commissioner that voted against the Splendido conditional use permit as presented.
As for Kingman versus Oro Valley, you can't compare the two. Kingman is experiencing a huge growth curve and housing permit/impact fee money is flowing into the Town coffers. They have little need for incentives at this time. As with Oro Valley, when that source of money dries up they will probably consider EDA's of some kind.
Please take a look at my response to Art's latest post for some more interesting FACTS!!!
The crematorium should be a 'dead' issue. The only winner now will be the attorneys who are fighting the case. That group lost any of my support when the came out and stated they would picket future funerals. How disgusting and STUPID is that? And the Realtor up there that keeps telling them that their property values will fall as a result is bordering on (if not already violating) a code of ethics violation.
Any way have a great day, week month. It's a pleasure to discuss the many facets of issues before us.
OV Objective Thinker
I do recall several members of our town council who appeared in ad's urging us to vote Yes on the EDA!
I understood what we were voting for and its my opinion that we would have been far more prudent to have a shopping area that was not subsidized with taxpayer funds. Ok, call the tax sharing whatever you want to, you can disagree/agrue about the terminology, but our town made a stupid decision and I am entitled to my opinion.
People seemed resigned to the EDA because the believed the hype by Vestar about it being upsscale unique, etc.
Thank you for your concern about my time and energy, I could use more of both however I truly believe that more of OV needs to look at issues and not just accept what they disagree with because either "its a done deal", you can't fight city hall, etc
Government needs to be watched and watched closely
If our town officials can't tolerate citizens disagreeing, or attempting actions to correct their misactions, then they are not voices of the people.
Thank You for voting against the conditional permit for Splendido, that really has turned into a diseaster.
Ok, so I do understand Kingman & OV are apples and oranges. But the shopping center in Kingman will go thru and that town of Kingman will get the full benefits of the sales tax, not sure what it is , they were smart enough to deal without getting into an eda when it was not necessary.
Also there was some legislation that now limits and or restricts eda's, don't know the specifics, but has to do with the eda being a necessity to attract business. Maybe you know more about this.
So far as the crematorium issue, you say they lost your support, well did you ever support them anyway? Not sure.
You really don't seem to support any citizen groups who speak up or voice their opinions. correct me if I am wrong, but from your postings that is the impression I get.
So back to the crematorium, I support those people,but that was not smart to say that they would picket funerals, I think it was just an emotional statement, I don't take that seriously
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