March 4 Oro Valley Council Meeting--- Utility Tax On Agenda

In a recent blog poll, Majority Respond To Our Poll: Let Utility Tax Expire On 4/1/09
the responses overwhelmingly favored letting the Utility Tax expire on April 1.

At the March 4 Council meeting, agenda item 2 will be on this issue.

2. DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO EXTEND THE TOWN OF ORO VALLEY'S 2% LOCAL SALES TAX ON ELECTRICITY, NATURAL GAS AND WATER UTILITY SERVICES

You might want to attend this meeting and have your voices heard. From what I know, none other than Mayor Loomis put this item on the agenda, as this 2% tax on our gas, electric & water bills would have expired with the April 1, 2009 "Sunset Clause."

Nice going, mayor! More taxes is just what the average homeowners needs now!!

New Proposed Apartment Complex: It Smells Like Another Rotten Vestar Deal For Oro Valley

The last time we heard a developer wanting to meet with the neighbors to get their input for their development, it was Vestar. Everyone that "bought into their snake oil" sales pitch got "snookered."

I don't need to remind anyone, Vestar gave us, not what we wanted, but what they wanted: Not an "upscale, unique" shopping experience, but an ugly mall anchored by Walmart and their roof that is an eyesore to anyone driving through the scenic corridors of Tangerine or Oracle roads.

Now, we hear the same exact "pitch" from a residential developer. This time, it's the entry way to Oro Valley on 40 acres at the NW corner of Tangerine & La Canada.

The developers have plans to request rezoning of low density to one of high density multi-story, cluster apartment dwellings on 12 acres of the old Miller Ranch.

A neighbor of the parcel, Chris Campabello has this to say on last night's meeting with the developer.


"Hello all who attended last night's Applicant/developer presentation, or should I say justification to do whatever they want. I am insulted that they couldn't answer our concerns and questions, but are going to submit the request anyway. How arrogant can they be?

They used the every popular developer tactic, evasiveness. They claim they want our input, and to hear our concerns, but then she is quick to quip some justification for affordable housing, as if our investment isn't more important than some possible future resident.

Part of living in an exclusive neighborhood is the price and there are plenty of areas that should be developed with affordable housing--this is NOT one of them. Okay, I'm done."


Please email Chris Campabello at yoshibello@me.com and let him know you support him & his neighbors, and Oro Valley citizens won't get "snookered" again as we were by Vestar.

Remember---- next time it might be your "backyard" where unwanted development will negatively impact you!