The Watchdog Report: And The Bleeding Continues

Should we believe Mayor Winfield when he tells us that golf is making money? We have heard this time and time again, yet the facts prove otherwise as seen in two October reports. One is the  profit and loss statement for the golf courses. The other is the report for the general fund report.

Highlights from July 1 through October 2022 (33% of the way through the fiscal year)
• Golf expenditures exceeded revenues by $605,000. (This is $61,000 more than last year’s loss for the same time period which was $544,000.)

• El Conquistador Golf had 310 less public rounds and $1,394 less in green fee revenues in October 2022 than in October of 2021. Golf had 450 fewer total rounds played this year than last year.

• Even more significant, for the fiscal year to date (July 1 – October 31) the public rounds are 2,536 less than this same time in 2021, and $50,740 less in collected green fees.

Losses have continued since the golf courses opened in May 2015
You might remember that our previous mayor (Hiremath) asserted that we would only lose major money in the first two years but that things would even out by year 3. He also said, “In year 4 or 5 or 6, are we going to project a profit? You’re darn right, we are.” [Source: December 17, 2014 Town Council Meeting]

Well, it’s now 7.5 years later and these losses have continued. We, the citizens, just invested $7 million in irrigation upgrades. The golf members are doing all they can, but it’s not enough.

Still waiting for ADA Compliance
Money still needs to be spent on making the Community Center ADA compliant, as well as the tennis courts at Pusch Ridge. The proposed capital outlay for the CCF still proposes to spend $2,666,700 of which only $312,105 has been spent. This means that the Town is expecting to dish out an additional $2,354,595. Where is this money coming from?

Draw your own conclusions

The Council has already spent over $28,000,000 for the Naranja Park amenities. They have done nothing to diminish the amount of potable/drinking water that we use to irrigate Town properties [panel left] and the mayor tells us golf is making money. Read the attachments we linked above. These are the town's numbers.  Draw your own conclusions.

On top of all this, the General Fund is forecasted to end the fiscal year with a decrease of $12 million. (Although the FY 2022/23 budget forecast showed an expected decrease of $13.8 million, so this is better than expected). This is the fund which pays for the operation of the Town. The ghost of former Town Manager Mary Jacobs is still haunting us. However, the Town Manager cannot do anything without the concurrence of Council.

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Mike Zinkin and his wife have lived in Oro Valley since 1998. He served on the Oro Valley Development Review Board from 2005-2009, the Board of Adjustment from 2011-2012, and the Town Council from 2012-2016. He was named a Fellow for the National League of Cities. He was a member of the NLC Steering Committee for Community and Economic Development and a member of the Arizona League of Cities Budget and Economic Development Committee. He was an Air Traffic Controller for 30 years. Mike has a Bachelor’s degree in history and government from the University of Arizona and a Master’s degree in Social and Philosophical Foundations of Education from California State University, Northridge.