John Musolf Says: "Loomis Never Met A Tax He Didn't Like."

Our Oro Valley neighbor John Musolf points out what most of us know in his letter to The Explorer----John writes "Mayor Loomis never met a tax he doesn't like."

If Loomis kept control over our out of control expenditures, we'd manage, as we always have, without coming to the citizens for more taxes.

This is another reason to vote for MIKE ZINKIN FOR MAYOR


Here's John's letter.
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Mayor never met a tax he doesn't like


Quoting from the Explorer news article, "OV candidates offer views, make cases," Jan. 20:

"Oro Valley Town Council and mayor candidates were asked Saturday if they would 'consider' a first-ever property tax to bolster a lagging general fund."

Mayor Paul Loomis said Oro Valley is the largest town in Arizona that does not have a property tax.

It seems that Paul Loomis had the same "mind set" when the mayor and council passed the utility tax in 2006. The third slide in that utility tax presentation at that time stated: "Oro Valley is one of only five other communities that does not currently tax utility services."

More recently, on Nov. 2, Mayor Loomis wrote a letter to The Explorer stating: "Raising our utility tax from 2 percent to 4 percent would put us in alignment with other southern Arizona towns."

In my opinion, Mayor Loomis likes to make sure Oro Valley taxes keep up with other Arizona towns.

Mayor Loomis has never met a tax he didn't like (especially if Oro Valley is one of the few communities in Arizona that does not have that particular tax or he thinks that tax should be increased).

Some of the same reasons for wanting a property tax today are the same reasons that were given for wanting a utility tax in 2006: 1) lack of diverse funding sources and an over-reliance on one time construction related revenues, 2) 10 percent reduction in states shared revenues in FY2009/2010 (the percent of state shared revenue reduction has grown astronomically since 2006), 3) an alternative funding source for capital improvement plan, 4) to achieve better bond ratings and thereby lower interest rate costs.

The fifth reason was insufficient recurring general funds to support 18.5 new positions. The 18.5 new positions had been turned down twice in previous budgets. The utility tax was an end run by the mayor and council to secure that revenue without voter approval. It is fortunate that property taxes require voter approval.

In my opinion, Mayor Loomis likes taxes, not justifying expenditures or cutting them.

John Musolf, Oro Valley