Cochise County Clarion

Local Newsletter

published BI-MONTHLY

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April 2015 Issue 29
CAC to present to City Council
Douglas Behnke
It was predictable, next Tuesday April 14th the Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC) will
present four options to the City Council: Option A, a small option that raises revenue
(read taxes) by $2,750,000, Option B a medium option that raises revenue (taxes) by
$3,292,000, Option C, a large option that raises revenue by $3,834,000, and Option D an
extra-large option that raises revenue (taxes) by $4,369,000. The above information was
in draft form and could change in the final document. Additionally they were talking
about raising revenue by increasing a fee. The only fee I know about is the SSVEC fee.
The complacent CAC performed as directed by the City Staff. What is missing is the
CACs freedom to go outside the Staffs constraints. For example, where is Option 0
(zero), what happens if the city does not raise any taxes? This was not considered. Nor
was there an attempt to shrink the city expenditures to guard against a worsening
economy. It was the same old tax and spend government. The City says we need
economic development and I agree. The first step should be to take the City out from
competition with private businesses. Trash pickup, vehicle maintenance, HVAC
maintenance, electrical maintenance, plumbing, printing could all be performed by local
business. There will be a City Council work session Thursday April 16th, you cannot
comment, but you can be present. You can comment to their individual emails about
raising taxes and not cutting any nonproductive programs. The session will be televised
on channel 12.
A County Resident views the CAC Process
Yvonne Mayer
As a resident and taxpayer of the Greater Sierra Vista Area, I have attended several Citizens
Advisory Committee and the two public meetings in regard to the budget. Learning that onethird of Cochise County population lives in Sierra Vista while two-thirds of the county population
shops in Sierra Vista, it is clear that taxpayers outside the city share an equal burden with those
in the city! We provide as much support for business owners and pay as much in sales taxes as
city residents.
As a taxpayer and concerned citizen I would like to ask, and receive, answers to questions that
were not proposed at the public meetings. We were told that the purpose of the CAC was to look
at increasing revenue and that someone else was looking at cutting expenses. Who? Is there
another group or advisory committee looking at cutting expenses? If so we havent heard about
it.
We are told that police retention was a problem and salaries need to be raised. Are you aware
that the study prepared by Segal Waters Consultants compared salaries for ALL city positions? Is
this proposed increase to include ALL city workers? The report is available from the city.
We are all aware that government, federal, state, county and city has grown over the last 15
years, and I have no doubt that these employees accomplish their duties as directed, but how

many of these jobs are actually required? As one group stated at the Saturday public meeting,
staffing needs were presented to the CAC by the staff. An independent audit is needed to
determine which duties are redundant, which can be combined and which are not needed.
(continued next page)
Your taxes (and mine) supplement two money-losing city-run enterprises: the COVE and the
transit system. Why has the city not tasked an advisory committee to look at options sell or
lease out the COVE and down-size the transit system? Perhaps the city just wants to keep the
status quo and expects you to pay more for it.
More Questions than Answers
Jere Fredenburgh
The recent Citizens Advisory Committee held two public meetings to get input on how to raise
revenue (from you as the taxpayer) and where to spend it.
The tentative proposal is to move $1.2 million from the Capital Improvement Fund (which has
been, according to City staff used for maintenance these past 3-5 years) to salaries. So where
will the maintenance money come from next year? (The CIF fund is replenished each year from
your sales tax, but will be committed to on-going salary increases for city staff.)
Remember the SSVEC franchise tax of 4%, it was to go to street maintenance, yet, the city wants
to put more money (from an increase in sales tax on retail and restaurant/bar) for street
maintenance.
Salary studies (comparing Sierra Vista to cities like Glendale, Sahuarita a suburb of Tucson, and
Apache Junction) indicate that our city staff receive between 96-98% of the compensation paid in
much bigger cities.
Regarding Police responsiveness, I reviewed a sample of the police blog for this year, and 52 of
152 incidents were traffic stops, we live in a very low crime city. The city has 34 officers and
according to national statistics if we have between 24-34 officers we are well staffed.
There was discussion by those who attended the public meetings, that services that do no
support themselves (the Cove costs $800,000 annually; and the transit system costs $500,000
annually) should be modified, sold, privatize.
So the City wants to raise your taxes, raise your taxes for services (streets) that were funded by
the SSVEC franchise tax, and not cut or modify any non-productive program.
Editors note: All our readers are encouraged to use the political power guaranteed them by
Article 2 Section 2 of our state constitution which reads: All political power is inherent in
the people, and governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed,
and (governments) are established to protect and maintain individual rights. Attend
City Council meetings, a large crowd scares them! Or voice your opinion via email direct to the
Mayor and Council members. If you want to send an email but do not know what to say. Use the
following quote from the Sulphur Springs Valley Electric Cooperatives 2014 Annual Report page
4; Decreasing costs while increasing service are ongoing goals for your electric cooperative.
Only substitute City for electric cooperative. Suggest to them that the city goal should be,
Decreasing costs while increasing service are ongoing goals for our City. Flood them
with emails, the addresses are below. Or another one would be Dont compete against the
private sector, privatize some of you functions!
rick.mueller@sierravistaaz.gov
Alesia.Ash@SierraVistaAZ.gov
rachel.gray@sierravistaaz.gov
Craig.Mount@SierraVistaAZ.gov
robert.blanchard@sierravistaaz.gov

(Mr. Blanchard indicates he prefers contact at Council

Chambers)
gwen.calhoun@sierravistaaz.gov
hank.huisking@sierravistaaz.gov