I would encourage ALL our readers to log on to the Oro Valley web site and watch the March 23 archive video of the Town Council Special Session. The meeting ran for 2:22 butif nothing else, please tune in at the 2:16 mark.
You'll hear discussion on why the council wants to put a 1/4% increase on to our OV 2% sales tax. The rationality is that folks outside Oro Valley will help subsidize us.
It seems no one on the council realizes that the folks who come to Oro Valley to shop at the "high end" Walmart, for example, will travel a little further to the Foothills Mall Walmart and eliminate paying ANY Oro Valley sales tax.
Then there's the issue of PAY RAISES to the employees. This issue was encouraged by Mayor Hiremath & Council Members Solomon & Snider, in particular by adding it to a future agenda.
Specifically, raises totaling $200,000 for employees and an additional $180,000 for the police.
Is this mayor & council members aware of what is going on with our economy?
How could they, in good conscience even consider these increases while increasing the taxes on the resident's gas, water & electric bills; considering a sales tax increase, and let's not forget, the potential for an Oro Valley property tax.
Too bad the majority of THIS council doesn't think the people should be the ONLY Special Interest Group that deserves their attention!
7 comments:
I watched the video and I'm apalled. Not a single council person there showed any concern for us taxpayers.
Most cities and town in this state and accross the country have cut personnel, salaries, benefits, and hours. So have many private businesses.
Seniors just found out that they won't be getting a social security cost of living increase for the third year in a row, but our gasoline, groceries, and utility bills keep going up.
We just gave the state a 1% increase to keep teachers in the classroom. Now I'm supposed to pay more so that town employees can get a raise?
At one of the budget reviews, they said that sales tax collections were DOWN about $1 million from last year. Doesn't that mean sales are down? So how will raising the sales tax CLOSE that million-dollar hole in the budget and make the town enough money to give employees a raise?
Is Oro Valley's new slogan going to be "Shop Oro Valley--Our Employees Want Your Money"?
I think that with the cost of gas, the lack of interesting shops, and the greed of town hall, I'll just shop online from now on.
The OV TC has got to cut some fat. I would guess that the police needs less than 10 take home vehicles. There is NO way we need more Motorcycles than the entire county. COME ON. No new taxes and cut the fat.
This is really outrageous. Most cities and towns, and most private sector employees are cutting jobs, hours, wages, and benefits.
While holding local government accountable on spending is very prudent (100% subsidy on health insurance, really??), I've seen little or nothing on these posts to suggest any alternatives...just passionate whining about raising taxes. For anyone to suggest that someone would drive the 5-10 miles round trip to another Wal-Mart at $3.50 to save $0.25 for every $100 they spent is, well….really?
My intention is not to cast stones toward any blogger or individual, but rather call attention to the need for more meaningful dialogue. City council members owe it to their constituents to take the first step. It would be great (and actually expected) if city government officials could blog or post their perspectives, ideas and in this case specific root causes of budget shortfalls. I find the current information on the town web site about council members interesting but not at all relevant to the important discussions necessary to inform the public short of attending a council meeting. While it’s great that the entire meeting is available on line, a summary of the content and perspective by council member on their page on the town web site would be more informative and likely accelerate dialogue exchange by aligning with the community on proposed actions. By taking this step, city government could take the high road and provide greater transparency to the community about the critical issues facing the town and what actions the community would support to, in this case, deal with budget variances. One voter’s opinion…..
Mike Zinkin listed a lot of alternatives to raising taxes:
"having the employees participate in their health care expenses, eliminating three holidays, eliminating the Special Task Force, reducing the motorcycle detachment to four, eliminating the take home vehicles, and reducing the training/travel expenditures, reducing the SRO’s to one at each High School"
In addition, Art is now suggesting another: Not spending $380,000 on raises for employees.
Social security recipients have just learned that they won't be getting a cost of living adjustment for the third year in a row. With the cost of gas being what it is, and now the council wanting to raise the cost of utilities and purchases, it's really difficult to imagine how retirees are going to be able to shop in Oro Valley or anywhwere.
I for one will save the cost of gas and sales tax and shop online.
I watched the meeting online, and I'm appalled. Hiremath wants to "educate" us on the need for higher taxes to give employees raises? Solomon says that there are people leaving for other "agencies." (Details? Sources?) It's very obvious who is running our town.
In the previous comment by "Ann," she closed by stating---
"It's very obvious who is running our town."
Does the term, "Quid pro quo" ring a bell? I'm sure we all know enough Latin to understand it means: "The concept of getting something of value in return for giving something of value."
This blog was proud to have supported Mike Zinkin for mayor while all those elected in the last election were supported by almost every Special Interest Group including OVPD union, GRFD, N Pima C of C, Developers, Builders (They appointed one to the vacant council seat), Realtors & Tucson C of C.
I may have missed one or two, but they're all getting their "rewards" for getting "their" candidates elected.
Who's paying the price?
"We the people," that's who!
Erich states that our bloggers do not offer alternatives to tax increases. I think that suggesting a cut in the number of police take home vehicles, a cut in the number of police motorcycles, a freeze on city pay increases, fair contributions to health insurance and retirement funding ARE alternatives.
Erich is quite correct that enhanced dialogue between the city council and the taxpayers is needed.
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