Diane Schoen, Corrie Cooperman, Nazih Hazime
Sedona, AZ – (May 16, 2012) The last-elected Sedona Fire District Board of Directors was chosen on promises to bring spending into line with the current economy, which, for the most part, meant cutting spending. The prior board had cut spending significantly, but appreciation of that had not filtered down into the community—the jury of public perception.
Fire District income is a percentage of local property taxes, which means it is tied to property values. While the Sedona Fire Distrist and Board realized they had spent freely during a real estate run-up that could legitimately be called a ‘bubble,’ soon after property values began to plummet, they cut the budget by approximately 30 percent (similar to the cuts of the city of Sedona itself)
However, the last-elected Board chose to keep the percentage of property values dedicated to supporting fire and emergency services at the same rate. In fact, they lowered the percentage, also known as the mil rate.
Still In Office
The Board of Directors still in office/service, claim that raising the percentage of property value collected as a tax (mil rate) is the same as raising taxes. The new board of directors, consisting of three replacements elected by a landslide at 7:00 pm May 15, view the same facts, yet translate them differently. They say, if the mil rate is increased, but the total amount you as the property owner pay is not more that you paid last year, we have not raised your taxes. Both credible positions, but from different outlooks with vastly different impacts on the community. Some of that has been discussed in prior issues of The Sedona Citizen.
