States’ Rights Coalition of Northern Arizona: Happy New Year (Let’s Continue Building Momentum Going Into 2010)
by Elisha Dorfsmith
In November 2009 Flagstaff residents voted down a 10% property tax increase for the FUSD. The voters spoke but our elected officials refused to listen. Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard sided with FUSD lawyers, who sought an exception to state law limiting school districts to one override vote every 12 months. In a typical display of arrogance, School Board President Deborah Harris urged the board to ask for a 15% increase the second time around. 15% is the maximum amount allowed by law. Obviously, the will of the people is not important to these elected officials.
Recently the City of Flagstaff began pushing a Meet and Confer ordinance for it’s employees. The majority of employees opposed the ordinance. The Mayor and a majority of the council passed the ordinance anyway. Only Joe Haughey and Scott Overton voted against it. Fortunately Bob White and others stood up for the people of Flagstaff and successfully circulated a petition to get Meet and Confer on the ballot so Flagstaff citizens could have their say.
A couple weeks ago the Coconino County Board of Supervisors voted to raise the county property tax by 18%. They did not send it to the voters for fear that the voters would reject the tax hike the same way we rejected the FUSD tax hike in November. I personally sent emails to the Board of Supervisors asking them to please reject the new tax and never received a response. It is easy to conclude that they could care less about what their constituents think.
Are you as fed up as I am at the way our elected officials refuse to listen to the people? We elect them and they are supposed to represent US. Instead we have a bunch of elected officials who, for the most part, will do whatever it takes to get THEIR way. Let us remember how we have been treated when election day comes and we have a chance to vote these politicians out. It is time to make our voices heard and say enough is enough!
It is my hope that we can continue to build momentum heading into 2010 and start cleaning house one election at a time.
