Take Back Oro Valley has recently updated and improved their website. Similar to LOVE, they are a group of Oro Valley residents who are volunteering their time to inform residents of Oro Valley issues. Articles, short videos, and charts are designed to give Oro Valley residents a better understanding of the key issues facing our town.
Topics include the Community Center Golf Courses, Over-Development, the Main Streets Project, Special Interest Campaign Donations, and Fiscal Responsibility.
You can visit their home page HERE and then navigate to the items that interest you the most. A link to their website can always be found in the right side-bar on LOVE along with links to other websites of local interest.
The video that follows was produced by Take Back OV. It discusses the history of how the Town came to own the golf courses, the financial drain they have caused, and some potential changes being considered by the Town to stem these losses.
Sometime this month, the town manager is planning to give her recommendation to the Town Council. That recommendation will be based on the town's $50,000 golf study plus feedback from the town manager’s "invitation only" meetings with approximately 250 golf members and residents who live along the golf courses.
That’s right. There are 43,000 Oro Valley taxpayers being forced to subsidize these golf courses for 250 people; yet, these 43,000 people have NO VOICE at the table. Begin watching at the 7:10 mark to learn how YOU have been kept out of the process.
The video includes maps and photographs, but for those who prefer reading to watching videos, here are some highlights:
In December 2014, when Mayor Hiremath and Councilmembers Hornat, Waters, and Snider voted to purchase 3 golf courses from Humberto Lopez, their largest campaign contributor, the courses were already losing $1.5 million per year.
The facility immediately became a financial drag on Oro Valley. Losses have exceeded $2.5 million for each of the last two years with losses of $2.3 million budgeted for FY 2017/2018.
By June 2017, the Town had already lost $5.7 million in golf and restaurant operations. That’s $200,000 per month. When this budget year ends in June 2018, the total losses are projected to be $8 million dollars.
These excessive losses are FOUR TIMES the original Town forecast, meaning that the increased sales tax isn’t covering the operational expenses much less the required repairs.
Recommendations from the $50,000 National Golf Foundation Study.
Option A: Retain 36 holes on La Canada and reconfigure them. Cost: $5.2 million with continued annual losses of $1.4 million. (This does not address the overcapacity problem.)
Option B: Reduce from 36 to 27 holes (three 9-hole courses). Cost: $4.6 million with $1 million in losses annually. (This does not address the overcapacity problem.)
Option C: Reduce from 36 to 18 holes. Cost: $4.2 million with $1.3 million in annual losses. This reduces the overcapacity to a level supported by members, resort guests, and open daily play.
This option dramatically reduces irrigation requirements, operating costs, and frees up 83 acres of land. The study projects greater losses on the assumption that more members would drop out with only 18 holes available. This assumption is questionable since many members live adjacent to the courses and own their own golf carts.
Option D: Close both La Canada courses and convert it to a park/trail system. Cost: $3 million plus ongoing park maintenance. This is the only option that addresses the generational decline in golfers. It is also the only option that truly benefits the 43,000 residents of Oro Valley.
Pusch Ridge Course: Reconfigure to a 12-hole, Par 3 course. Cost: $3 million. This option was well-received by Humberto Lopez because it benefits the Hilton Resort while the Town bears all the costs.
The current irrigation system is leaking and outdated. Troon, the golf management company, reported that each 18 hole course uses 300,0000 gallons of water per day.
Invitation Only Meetings
Special “invitation only” meetings for golfers and residents living along the golf courses were held by the Town on May 4th, December 12th, and December 13th to get their feedback on how the Town should proceed…..to spend YOUR tax dollars in order to protect THEIR property values and THEIR desire to play golf. In other words, the Town wants YOUR money but you have NO seat at the table!
Table for 43,000
LOVE suggests that our readers demand a seat at the table. Attend the January 17th town council meeting and be prepared to speak. Or send an email to the mayor and council with your thoughts on what YOU think should be done with the golf courses. What do you think would be in the best interest of the majority of Oro Valley citizens and taxpayers?
Let’s begin with some history of the 2016 General Plan: Your Voice, Our Future
The Town began to allocate funding for the development of the State-mandated General Plan beginning with the FY 2013/14 budget. Several hundred thousand dollars were set aside to hire people to assist with development of the Plan. Councilmember Hornat and I were designated as Council Liaisons for this effort.
A multitude of Town residents volunteered to help ensure that the citizens were given ample opportunity to provide input to the Plan. Coffees were held and tables were set up at the Farmer's Market and at Town events in an effort to reach as many citizens as possible. Councilman Hornat and I attended over 15 staff meetings as the General Plan developed. During those meetings, we worked to ensure that the town staff did not have an inordinate amount of influence over the new General Plan. As council liaison on this project, I wanted to ensure that the Plan was derived from public input – not council and staff input.
Voters approve new General Plan in November 2016
The General Plan, now called Your Voice, Our Future (YVOF), was approved by the Planning and Zoning Commission and Town Council following two public meetings. The Council placed it on the November 2016 ballot and YVOF passed by a large majority of those who voted in that election. The people were told that YVOF was a guide for all elected, appointed, and town employees to inform them that this is what the citizens desire for OUR TOWN.
The new developer-friendly Town Council amends the plan just two weeks later
On November 16, 2016, the new council (ALL of whom were financially supported by developers and builders during their election campaigns) was sworn in and they immediately voted to amend the new General Plan that was not even two weeks old! You can read the details HERE.
While it had been reasonable in the waning years of the 10-year General Plan for the Town Council to amend it using the argument, "The General Plan is almost 10 years old; times have changed; demographics have changed; values have changed,” those arguments were not valid on November 16, 2016 when the Plan was LESS THAN TWO WEEKS OLD.
More General Plan amendments on the agenda for the December 6th Town Council Meeting
Now YVOF is a year old. Nothing has changed. It is still fresh. However, at the December 6th Council Meeting, there are 4 proposed amendments to YVOF including a related rezoning.
The Town spent untold hours over 3 years and hundreds of thousands of dollars attempting to obtain YOUR thoughts on how the Town's land should be utilized. Now, once again, your wishes are in jeopardy of being overthrown by a Council that is beholden to developers and builders.
IT'S TIME TO TAKE BACK ORO VALLEY. Let your voice be heard. Email the mayor and council with your thoughts on these General Plan Amendments or speak during the Public Hearing portion of tomorrow evening’s Town Council Meeting.
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Editor’s Note: A new citizens group has been established
The landslide defeat of the $17 million dollar Naranja Park Bond (71% to 29%) has energized the group "Axe the Tax" to reorganize into a new group called, "Take Back OV."
Take Back Oro Valley has recently updated and improved their website. Similar to LOVE, they are a group of Oro Valley residents who are volunteering their time to inform residents of Oro Valley issues. Articles, short videos, and charts are designed to give Oro Valley residents a better understanding of the key issues facing our town.
