The Opinion page contains selected comments sent to Sedona.biz. The comments are linked to the story. To contribute to the comments page please go to the story and use the comments box found at the end of the story.

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http://www.sedona.biz/news-from-sedona/city-of-sedona/owner-occupied-housing-rehabilitation-program/

Dear Ms Bouvier,
Our roof is leaking and needs repairs. I am 81 years old and my wife is 76. She has stage 5 breast cancer is mostly bed-ridden and requires my constant attention. The doctors tell me she will be doing chemo for the foreseeable future.When I talked to a roofer a while back, he estimated the cost of repairs at $15,000. I believe we qualify for a grant as our household income is below $36,950.
Regards,
Ron Bacon

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http://www.sedona.biz/news-from-sedona/youre-wrong-mr-wright/
View all comments:  http://www.sedona.biz/news-from-sedona/youre-wrong-mr-wright/#comments

You’re Wrong, Mr. Wright

Sedona, AZ (December 16, 2011) – In a Letter to the Editor in the Red Rock News and circulated on the internet, Serge Wright  makes the case that Councilor Hamilton is pushing a  lawsuit to challenge the constitutionality of Proposition 411, which was passed in the November 9, 2011 election.

At the Sedona City Council meeting held November 10, 2011, the issue of the constitutionality of Proposition 411 was discussed. Note that citizen approval does not make a law constitutional, no matter what the margin might be. The final decision at the meeting, after discussion with city attorney Mike Goimarac and members of the city council, was that the new law is indeed unconstitutional. Challenging the law at this time would be unnecessary and, if a circumstance does arise in the future, then the law could be challenged. Any challenge to Proposition 411 would be initiated by the city clerk, not by the city council. MORE

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“The FLREA is an extremely comprehensive and precise statutory scheme clearly delineating specific instances in which the public may be charged an amenity fee for use of the National Forests, and other public lands, and quite plainly prohibiting the agency from establishing any system which requires the public to pay for parking or simple access to trails or undeveloped camping sites.”
While this smaller fee area is a welcome change, it does not address the problem of people being charged a fee for simple access to trails. A policy that is less illegal than the previous one is not the same as a legal policy. If you are merely parking and accessing a trail the law and the judge say you do not need to pay a fee.
Typically, the Forest Service will avoid having to deal with this conundrum in court by not issuing Violation Notices, which can be disputed before a judge. Instead they generally issue Notices of Required Fee. A Notice of Required Fee is NOT A TICKET and can be safely ignored.

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Totally agree with OWS! OWS has brought the inequality issue to the forefront finally. Hopefully the movement will get us actually “thinking” again. The 99% were made to suffer because greed got out of hand.
I have watched this situation develop over the last 30 years – you know, when ‘beloved’ Reagan began to change the meaning of words in the English language! Greed became “good” – as did blaming government and blaming others – everyone except ourselves. Even religion, especially Christian fundamentalism in the US, got involved hypocritic behavior by OK’ing greed. This situation has been helped along by schools afraid to teach certain subjects (offend segments of our society?) and the rise of homeschooling and religious private schools where SOME prefer to brainwash their children. It has been disheartening to watch this rise of “stupid” us and mnaipulation bu others where we are today – visible everywhere, including Sedona.
I agree with Elizabeth Warren that “None of us were successful all by ourselves”. Success in a democracy depends not only on us individually, but on the bedrock of stable government, good roads/transportation, public schools, decent health care, environmental protection, and government investment in the future (like satellites , infrastructure, etc) – all things for the common good which we cannot easily accomplish individually.
I have a lot of respect for successful people who ‘got there’ for their brains, good ideas, hard work and entrepreneurial instincts. I do not have respect for those who further warped the system by behavior (whether environmental destruction, financial leadership, or government responsibilities) which should have been considered unethical and illegal by most any standard. Just because the behavior is not  clearly written in US law, does not mean we are free of responsibility from ethical behavior in all we do. That goes for politicians and public personalities who lie too……
However, the biggest problem we have today is getting people to understand that a successful representative democracy requires an educated and involved public to actually examine issues. The fact that we as a society have abdicated that responsibility means we got what we deserved – the 50% or more who either have a financial ‘stake’ in the gamed system or don’t pay attention – are too lazy to actually think, and are easily swayed by repeated, loud and unreasoned rhetoric (especially words like TAXES – except for what they personally want, of course).
 In the process we also got a lot of bad government and selfish people running it, who do not feel the responsibility for the future of our democratic society, but simply want to keep their power and control the money for themselves. You know ­ things like public money for privatized schools (even that on-line learning thing), privatized school lunch at public schools, and privatized prisons – I won’t even go into local issues. In all cases no money is actually saved the taxpayer, but profits are made at the expense of society in general – workers get lower salaries and no benefits! It is a sad commentary on “us” today whether here in Sedona or at the state and national levels.
Thank you, Jessica and others, who have been out demonstrating here in Sedona! Thank you OWS for finally rising to the threat and demanding change for the future.

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http://www.sedona.biz/news-from-sedona/what-does-occupy-wall-street-want/

By Jessica Williamson

Sedona, AZ (December 1, 2011) – You might have heard about the Occupy Wall Street movement. You might also know that the movement has spread across the country and the world. Residents in the Verde Valley have supported Occupy Wall Street by organizing protests in Sedona and Cottonwood. Many people are not sure what the movement is about or what those of us involved in the movement want. Two members of Occupy Sedona put together the following information that explains why we became involved.

1. Corporate money flowing into politics is destroying our democracy. Because corporate money can now flow so freely to candidates, the amount of money needed to run for office is exorbitant. Candidates need millions – now billions – of dollars to compete. They can only get that amount of money from corporations, and the result is that they are “owned” by the corporations who got them into office, not by the people who they are supposed to represent. Corporations and government become indistinguishable and democracy threatens to become plutocracy.

2. Corporations do not act in the public interest. Corporations exist to make money for their owners and stockholders. They should not be expected to act in the public interest. Government is supposed to act in the public interest to balance the corporations’ goals with our values as an American people. When corporate monies control the government, that balance is lost.

3. The huge amount of corporate money in campaigns has distorted our democracy. Because candidates rely on corporate money, corporations “own” them and they don’t represent the people who elected them. We want our votes to count.

4. The actions of Wall Street and the financial industry seriously damaged our economy and the economy of the world. The American people bailed them out, yet they continue to collect huge salaries and huge bonuses while the American people suffer high unemployment, stagnant wages, foreclosure, and uncertainty about the future.

5. No one in Wall Street or the financial industry has been held accountable. They successfully lobbied to prevent regulation that would keep them from doing it again. We want them held accountable.

6. The middle class is being eliminated. The top 1% of Americans control an ever bigger share of America’s wealth while the rest of us see our wealth stagnating or declining.

7. The movement includes people of all ages, from all occupations, and from across the whole political spectrum. The goal is to correct a corrupt and unresponsive political process, not to further the goals of any one political party. We want to put the “We” back in We the People.

8. Government regulations protect America from exploitation by corporations. Effective regulations ensure balance in a civil society. Regulations are not responsible for the unemployment in this country. Only 1,119 layoffs during the first half of this year were attributed to regulations; 144,746 were due to poor consumer demand.*

9. Medicare, Social Security, and unemployment insurance must be preserved. The middle class, the poor, and the vulnerable should not be the only ones to sacrifice in this economy.

10. The tax burden should be fair. The people who have the most – millionaires and billionaires – should pay their fair share to support a society that reflects American values. Tax loopholes must be closed.

11. Corporate tax loopholes must also be closed. Those loopholes allow multinational oil companies to post billions of dollars in profits yet pay no taxes while outsourcing jobs.

*U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Occupy Sedona rallies every Wednesday at the corner of 89A and Coffee Pot Road starting at 3:00. Occupy Cottonwood rallies every Thursday at the corner of 89A and 260 starting at 3:00.

Join the discussion. Visit Occupy Sedona on facebook or join the rallies. Direct comments or questions to occupysedona@gmail.com.

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It’s taken awhile to reply. It has taken this long for some of us to recover from the initial shock and sadness of seeing our town being overrun with fear; fear generated by greed.
Greed and Power-seeking few have generated a campaign of fear that caused ill-advised and mis-informed citizens to vote against their best interests, their better natures.
Fear worked before on a national level in 2010. Fear created the most regressive Neanderthal Congress ever. Why not try it locally – they did – it worked.
We citizens of Sedona now have no say in how much of our sky, skyline, roadway, crossings, and safety measures will be forever harmed by the spot-lights, road destructions, and other dangerous “improvements” imposed by ADOT.
Those nefarious few who succeeded in fooling the many, knew history. =
“No passion so effectually robs the mind of all its powers
of acting and reasoning as fear.” — Edmund Burke

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Sedona: An Idea

by Paul Chevalier

Our world has always been a place of uncertainty and outside factions affect our lives. In Sedona we are not immune to what happens in places such as Phoenix, Washington D. C., New York City, Greece, Italy or even China. We can’t do anything to fix problems created in such places. We can minimize their impact on Sedona.

Today in Sedona our greatest uncertainty is our economy. Tourism, at least for the immediate future, is our key business. Sedona is competing for this business with vacation destinations throughout the United States at a time when the amount of money tourists spend is shrinking.

The tourists who come here for a couple of hours or less and then head off to the Grand Canyon will not sustain us. We need tourists who stick around for a while. So, the question is what more should Sedona do to attract a larger number or higher spending tourists to stay for at least a few days and, while enjoying themselves and doing business with our lodgings, restaurants and stores?

Our local businesses and Chamber of Commerce efforts on this subject are critical. And yet, if this were supplemented by wise active involvement of our local government, business would increase more. So let’s ask our government to be more involved.

The big question is how? What should our local government do to improve our economy? There could be long term involvements, such as building a conference center, but financially those are out of the question for now. Our government’s immediate focus needs to be low cost and short term. We need fast payback if some of our businesses are to survive.

So here are just a few ideas that could be quickly implemented at low cost. Some are mine, others have been suggested by our neighbors.

1. Our government and our city businesses needs to put out the welcome mat to our visitors in obvious ways. In particular, city government should do all it can to insure that our festivals are well promoted within our city (i.e. e. uptown banners for major festivals, lodgings and restaurants displaying appropriate festival signs or flyers, citywide festival perks etc).

Governments of other communities doing these things reap the benefit of increased business, particularly by its lodgings and restaurants. In turn, higher tax revenues from the increased business can be used to fix things like city drainage problems faster.

We need to have festivals in Sedona that people want to come back to. The ‘no festival parking’ signs that pop up are a negative that marks us an unfriendly city. Our government needs to find a way quickly to fix that problem.

2. To help businesses and residents reduce their everyday expenses, our government needs to reexamine the various taxes and fees it charges. For example, the wastewater fee for restaurants is indeed strange. It is based on the number of chairs in the restaurant. That makes little sense and might be a temptation. Wouldn’t it be fairer and more logical to base the wastewater fee on the amount of water used by the restaurant? Our city government should be able to get this info from the restaurant’s water company. I believe it is looking into that now. If not, it should.

3. And our city council should sponsor a community-wide competition for the best low cost short term ideas to increase tourists spending over the next twelve months. Even if just one great idea gets implemented, it would be worth the effort of the competition. We have very clever people in Sedona. Government should encourage them to help with this subject.

I will stop here and encourage you to add your own low cost short term ideas in the comments below. Many members of our city council and city staff read SedonaBiz regularly. Your ideas could influence the actions of our government and also the candidates for council. What can you lose by suggesting them?

We are a great community but we need to improve our economy. Let’s offer all the help we can.

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Residents have not heard the last word on “raising property taxes” (which we do not pay to the City, but to the county) and/or “sales taxes.” If Sedona citizens will respond to the City’s Department of Parks and Recreation’s survey, you’ll see those recommendations given as ways for the city to raise funds to initiate any of the recreational “services” we suggest.. http://www.sedonaaz.gov/Sedonacms/index.aspx?page=769
The survey first asks questions regarding what kinds of improvements or expansion of services you want, including a question of whether the resident wants more outdoor entertainment, or an indoor community center. Then it asks the responder how the City should pay for the improvements suggested. Some of ways it “suggests” are initiating property tax and an increase of sales tax to pay for anything anyone notes as desirable. If my memory serves me correctly, the issue of the community center was roundly defeated something like nine years ago.
Also included is a question concerning a park by the creek and a creek walk.that had already been determined to be unsafe for development by the council headed by Pud. Furthermore, this was another strategy proposed in lieu of Sedona paying back the $586,600 to AZ Department of Parks after failing to secure the grant the city received for the Cultural Park.

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er strategy proposed in lieu of Sedona paying back the $586,600 to AZ Department of Parks after failing to secure the grant the city received for the Cultural Park.

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Excuse Me Bobbie, but I saw and heard You, when You went up to the Council bench at intermission, and spoke to Councilman Rayner.  The camera and sound were still on.  Did You forget?

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Bobbie Surber says:
Hi Bettye ­ I did not speak to Councilor Rayner, only McElroy and that was
to share all 64 lights were dark sky compliant and that the light fixture
the city of Sedona selected for Hwy 89A was IDA’s second choice out of the
64 dark sky compliant lights offered by ADOT.
International Dark Sky Association literally wrote the book on the
protection of dark skies and we cannot trump their expertise on this
topic.
I also stated we cannot strive to become an International Dark Sky City
while stating IDA research is not valid.
Bettye ­ to state this as plainly as possible, I am not arguing the point
of lights vs. no lights, everyone is entitled to their opinion on this
topic and it is my goal to respect each person’s viewpoint. What is a fact
is the lights selected by the city of Sedona and approved by IDA are dark
sky compliant lighting and will protect our starry skies.
Respectfully,
Bobbie Surber
Reply

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The City has hired a “consultant” to draft a new Master Plan for our Parks. The survey  asks the survey taker for anything that any household members may deem desirable for that Department to include, or expand, AND how to finance that suggested thing. Some of its suggestions for financing include; initiating a property tax, raising sales tax, etc. I suggest all residents to respond to this, otherwise we will certainy be stuck with expenses we do not authorize the city to make.
BTW, any questions dealing with creek walk I believe should have been eliminated entirely since a previous council headed by “Pud” deemed it to be a risk due to flash flooding.

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Here again, Sedona has been lied to, sold a bill of goods, and the taxman will soon have his hands deeper into our pockets. We were told that this was for safety, when we were already safe as long as we were vigilant drivers. This is the nanny state at work. We look to uptown, a pitiful mess after millions of dollars of “improvements.” There was little improvement: the traffic still backs up into the canyon and behind the twin round-abouts, visitors still find the need to jaywalk, and people still stop in the middle of the street looking for parking spots. The round-abouts are a joke, especially the two were 179 dead ends into 89a – right at the “Confusion vortex” as if someone wanted to make a point of it. There was no compromise here. Sedona was blackmailed into accepting lights that were originally purchased for a defunct housing tract in Flagstaff. ADOT looked to Sedona to bail out the State, and we did, which makes me wonder who counted those votes. Things have not changed in the many years I have been here. This is a repeat of Rachel’s Knoll, the Cultural Park and 179. We have no voice at all.

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I suppose the reason I find the final vote so disappointing, is that a very large percentage of the residents chose to ignore the Facts that were presented, to believe in the fear and contrived misinformation.  This was very obvious at last Wednesday’s City Council meeting, when during the discussion on ADOT lights, Councilor McIlroy suggested that We could ask for shorter poles, lower wattage bulbs and crosswalks.  He hadn’t been listening, and the answer was No, ADOT is finished with us.  Then during the same meeting, at break, I suppose that Bobbie Surber thought the camera and sound was off when She spoke to Councilor Rayner, and asked Him if we could ask ADOT for shorter light poles and lower wattage bulbs.  The answer is No, we voted, that’s it.
Now even here under the ‘comments’, Paul Chevalier is saying that ‘our council members are anxious to work with ADOT to add daytime safety improvements’.  Perhaps McIlroy, Ninunzio and Adams feel that way, but to the four of them I say, You should have been listening, the answer is No, we voted, that’s it.
So here it is, we get 108 additional lights on 35 foot high poles, no daytime safety, and an additional bill at the end of the month for the added electricity.  I can’t calculate at this time what the added cost of maintenance and electricity will be, but at the end of the year you can bet it will take a large chunk out of our budget.  Yes, money that could have been used for other things like promoting tourism, arts, infrastructure, etc..
When you look at the big picture, what we’ve given up, and what we’re going to get, you have to say, What a Shame.  And, I personally, don’t want to hear your complaints later.

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http://www.sedona.biz/news-from-sedona/sedona-youre-getting-lights/

Dear Mayor Adams:

You have stated publicly that the City can work with ADOT as was done on Highway 179 where the City invested 378,880 for the cute pedestrian lights we love there and $62,500 to upgrade those lights to Visionaire.  West Sedona has many lodgings, restaurants, grocery stores and New Age shops frequented by tourists who pay the bulk of our City budget.  Enhancing the look and walkability of West Sedona is good for business and our tax revenue.
While you are coordinating with ADOT, perhaps you can insist we get at least a couple of safe crosswalks to enhance daytime safety and some sidewalk amenities such as benches and attractive landscaping  to encourage a community feeling in West Sedona where most of us live.  The need for the latter will become glaringly evident after ADOT tears up 3 1/2 miles of their road right-of-way installing the continuous strip of lights.
I expect to see you take leadership on this.
Thank you for your prompt attention to this,
Sandra Cosentino
Sedona, AZ

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Yes. Let the People Decide the Fate of SR 89A, not ADOT. Do people really want to put their City’s future in the hands of the State of AZ? The State of AZ is not economically sound. It’s monetary policy is not even mediocre. It raided the AZ Department of Parks funds and transferred them to the General Fund and Sedona citizens actually want to allow the State to manage our road? Remember, who shut down a majority of rest stops due to lack of funds? I do. It was ADOT.

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http://www.sedona.biz/news-from-sedona/sedona-youre-getting-lights/

Excellent coverage of this exceedingly disgraceful effort on the part of a few to control the many. It appears to be the case that fear alone can stop a person from educating themselves about anything, while awaiting inevitable entropy.

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http://www.sedona.biz/news-from-sedona/sedona-youre-getting-lights/

This is the time for neighbors who were on opposite sides of this important issue to bury the hatchet. I was at our City Council meeting on Wednesday November 9, the day after the balllots on 401 and 411 were counted, and I felt that all our council members have accepted the will of the majority with grace and are anxious to work with ADOT, as the economy improves, to add 89A daytiime safety improvements.
All members of our community should adapt accordingly. To come together as a community the leaders or supporters of the winning side should not crow about the decision made by the voters and the leaders and supporters of the losing side should not complain about the majority decison of our community.
It is in the best interest of everyone in Sedona to make 89A safer day and night. The message received from our Council members on November 9th was that they all motivated to do just that. Let’s support their approach and adopt their demeanor.
Paul Chevalier

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http://www.sedona.biz/news-from-sedona/sedona-youre-getting-lights/

The article above states very clearly the results we can expect by turning down ownership of our Main Street. Please, citizens of Sedona don’t complain when the road right-of-ways are torn up in the months to come, and not a single safety crosswalk or pedestrian bench is installed, and our small town charm turns to urban USA look and feel along with 14% diminshment of our night skies.

This No vote to owning our Main Street portrays a deep distrust of our City government. I wonder how many people actually went to the in depth presentations by the City Manager when he gave a financial analysis after months of research along with successful examples of how local ownership has benefited other cities. Clearly it was stated at the meetings, there would be no round-abouts installed and nor were continuous medians were planned. That in fact, citizens of Sedona would have input in the redesign of 89A.

We turned down millions of dollars that would have funded our road for the next 15 years and allowed us to install site appropriate safety features and have use of the 33′ on either side of 89A to benefit our citizens and businesses.

Perhaps with such distrust of City government, we should consider disbanding the City and reverting to County management of Sedona. We could sell the sewer system and school buildings to private enterprise to run; lease out our City offices to businesses. We would save a lot of overhead that way. It would be a lot easier with County management to raise the zoning densities and types so we could increase development in West Sedona.

The only part of Sedona that requires planning, a Sedona look and feel and pedestrian safety is Uptown and the Gallery District. That has already been taken care of. So what do we need a new 10 year plan for? Do we even need to be a City?

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http://www.sedona.biz/news-from-sedona/sedona-youre-getting-lights/

This is a real tragedy for our city. That people would want to eradicate that which brings tourists to enjoy our clean air and dark skies indicates complete disregard for our natural environment as well as those who come here and need to cross 89A safely. Their votes essentially eliminate more tourism, Prior to this vote, half of the city’s sales tax revenue came from the businesses located along the West 89A corridor. Sedonans who did not educate themselves adequately ultimately may cause the city to implement a property tax (which we do not have and never had) in order to meet the city’s operating costs. How ridiculous is that?

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Sir, you must be kidding with your statement suggesting politicians choosing not display signs in order to “help Sedona remain unique in its desire to protect its scenic beauty.”
Why would this even be a consideration after Mayor Adams and Councilor DiNunzio publicly supported 108 35′ tall streetlights that will give off the equivalent of 30 acres of development, forever diminishing Sedona’s distinctiveness?

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While I disagree on your viewpoint of the motives of our fellow residents I most heartedly agree about longing for a return to civility.
All the best,
Bobbie

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Mr. Boch is quite the curmudgeon.  I miss the banter!  Bring back the website!

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http://www.sedona.biz/news-from-sedona/stolen/

Dear Bobbie Surber,
While that fact that the only remaining signs, as far as my neighborhood is concerned, are the three or four in front of Serge Wright’s may not be dispositive, it does make one wonder. And it’s good that your years have taught you things. Mine have, as well. In the context of this issue, it is that if there is a short cut to winning an argument through fear and intimidation, some people are bound to take it.
I remain hopeful the the people of Sedona will recognize the benefits in retaining control over our main street and I look forward to a return to civility in our community, whatever the outcome.

Cynthia Paster

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http://www.sedona.biz/news-from-sedona/stolen/

I have been reading with interest the responses to this email about disappearing signs and finger pointing. Some of the comments have been vulgar and accusatory. Sad. I appreciate the fact that Bobbie has been above this type of comment. Thank you. I would, however, like to say a couple of things in my defense, and why I took umbrage to the type of activities going on in my home town:
1. I know for a fact that owners of business properties on 89A have been coerced to take down “yes” signs and have them replaced by “no” signs. I would be glad to give detailed information to anyone who is interested. It seems that the NO vote has decided that 89A in West Sedona is “their” domain, and please, do not let anyone else try and rock the boat…
2. I was very angry and upset by the goings on at the library last week, as were others who had signs stolen from their cars and had their car doors muddied where signs once were. It would have been the good if everyone had decried this type of behavior.

It is sad that folks have to descend to slogans such as “socialist” (I bet the person does not even know what that means), when all I am trying to do is make a point about the low levels this campaign has reached. That person’s reaction is a wonderful example of this.
I try and do a lot for this community and do not expect any thanks, I do what I think is right, whether it be litter lifting or registering voters (yes ALL voters) or being a docent or working for causes I believe in. I recognize those qualities in others. We all I hope would work for such things as our Community Plan, and devote time to developing it. That is the kind of activity that matters.
I do believe a yes vote on 410 is the right action – please do not denigrate me or my reasons for supporting this!

Angela

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Hi Cynthia – You might want to ask the property owners why the signs are no longer on their property. I think you might find the same answer as was stated by John Miller in the RRN that signs were repeatedly placed on his property without his permission.
Also have learned when signs on side-street are placed between properties and in the city right- away homeowners do not know this is not their property and remove signs.
I know the above reasons are not as dramatic as a massive conspiracy to steal signs but are some of the lessons I have learned over the years. Also know what it is like to replace sign after sign, very frustrating indeed!
Thankfully this will be behind us next week as we all find out what the residents of Sedona want in regards to ownership of the road.
Respectfully,
Bobbie

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http://www.sedona.biz/community-events/james-bishop-jr-book-launch-at-the-well-red-coyote/

Congratulations on the publication of your book!  I can’t wait to get the book, I know it will be a great read.
Enjoy your success!
Juliette Colangelo

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http://www.sedona.biz/news-from-sedona/open-letter-to-robert-larson-publisher-red-rock-news/

Dear Sanford Bach:

How nice of you to chime in on this. Tell us, how much money did you make last year from your investments in the U.S. Military Industrial complex? Why would someone as rich as you are even bother to care about the lights on 89A?

Surely, we are insignificant to you. But there is such a thing as justice in this world even if you tip the scales at will.

We shall see about this referendum. Yes, I am naive believing eventually good triumphs over evil. The people of Sedona will vote for the 89A takeover just like they swept your friends out of office.

And how dare you lecture me on living in a reality-based existance? You are a dynasoar Bach, too steeped in the past to realize your are sinking into a morass of your own ignorance.

You think that with a well-wielded pen you can bully the gramatically challenged in this community but I can out-write you any day of the week, wise guy.

Our fight begins when sedonaelection.com comes to life. Lunch? Name the day, hour and minute and I’ll be there!

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http://www.sedona.biz/news-from-sedona/open-letter-to-robert-larson-publisher-red-rock-news/

Bobbie is right. More people should listen to her. Signs come and go but the Surbers have been oversized pillars of this community in more ways than those that are most obvious? Some of you newcomers can learn a thing or two from them.

Bobbie is right. Angela is a socialist and her accusations should be discounted. Where is your proof Angela? Dirty politics indeed by you making accusations with no basis. Even if no other group or individual has any motive to steal these signs…prove it! Car magnets can easily fly off in breezy conditions and should be outlawed as hazards. What kind of losers deface their expensive automobile with vile slogans and bumblebee colors. How childish.

Signs don’t matter. The herd of citizens don’t vote because of a bright sign. They vote because the Surber’s tell them how to vote.

We should applaud the Surbers for being leaders and we should support them and their candidates for City Council in 2012. Who are we to question their moral or ethical character? When the Surbers, Pud, Scagnelli and Frey come around again in 2012 we should embrace them and their candidates and follow our leaders without question. That is how we will wrestle this City back from “these people.”

Sanford Boch

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http://www.sedona.biz/editorial-and-opinion/vote-yes-on-prop-410-its-a-win-win-for-sedona/

Thank You Tommy, for bringing Your perspective to the table. It’s wise and warranted.

Bettye

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http://www.sedona.biz/editorial-and-opinion/vote-yes-on-prop-410-its-a-win-win-for-sedona/

In addition to the paper version of the Red Rock News, I also receive the electronic version. When it sent out the editiorial against Prop 410, I sent in several comments. 1. Since most accidents occur during the daytime, how do these lights help to prevent them? 2. Wouldn’t conveniently located, pedestrian controlled crosswalks serve pedestrians both during the day and night? 3. Why would the Red Rock News call those who would disagree with their position ‘insane,” because that seems at least a bit strange.
My comments were never published but one that was supportive of their position was along with one that as basically neutral. Mark Twain said to never argue with people who by ink by the barrel. It is unfortunate that the Red Rock News lacks objectivity and tries to stifle dissent. Additionally, it appears that they cannot accept any criticism no matter how polite, objective or valid it is. It reflects poorly on both the publisher and editor. Running a newspaper doesn’t make one a journalist or objective; it just provides the opportunity to do so.

Don Gay

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http://www.sedona.biz/news-from-sedona/stolen/

I/We walk our dog down Soldiers Pass every day. There were signs for both sides for a week, then the ‘Yes” signs started to disappear. My husband and I stood up a ‘Yes’ sign at St. John Vianny driveway, but it was thrown in the bushes overnight. Meanwhile, the other sign for ‘No’ remains, as well as the ‘No’ sign in front of our Vista Montana driveway. That one is on Serge Wright’s property and, although I am confronted with it every time I drive in or out, it would not occur to me to remove or deface it.
When people argue the case for fear, they act in fearful, childish ways themselves. I think this sign stealing is so emblematic of the LTPV position; fear based, falsely motivated and selfish.

Cynthia Paster

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http://www.sedona.biz/news-from-sedona/stolen/

The problem with the deniers of the concerted campaign to remove signs is that they know without video of the actual thefts, there is no proof. However, overnight disappearance of many signs all at once seems like a concerted effort to me. Maybe the $400 reward will help find the perpetrators and tell us who directed the effort. The law states that taking campaign signs from the city right of way is a felony. It is polite to ask the homeowner.

West Sedona Resident

 

                                                                                                            ####
October 31, 2011
Hi Angela -
I have looked forward to your run for City Council seat but am so very disappointed that you would participate in accusations without proof. Stating someone or some group has broken the law is such a serious allegation and not one to be made lightly. City leadership requires a calm evaluation based on facts not third party rumors and gossip.
How would you or I feel if someone made the same quote as you did about members of the local Democratic Party?
“but it seems that this trend of threats and law breaking seems to be endemic in the other side. Folks have been threatened who display Voice of Choice for 89A signs. And many, many signs have been taken down and stolen.”
Please be an advocate for fact based allegations of such a very serious nature as breaking the law.
Thanks,
Bobbie

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October 31, 2011

I have repeatedly replaced the same signs over and over again in support of a No Vote for 410. I have not once accused anyone of theft as I have NO proof that anyone broke the law and I am not in the habit of pointing fingers at people without proof.

Many other people have reported their signs missing as well. Again, I do not know of anyone making unfounded accusations against their fellow residents.

I have been involved with more elections than I can count. From the very first election that used yard signs they have come up missing from both sides. Often the result is storms, someone placing a sign near a property owners home then property owner removes and in a few very rare cases (only one that I know of) it was proven that someone actually unlawfully removed a sign.

Let’s take a deep breath and stick to the issue; regardless of what side you are on the issue is will you vote and how will you vote?

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http://www.sedona.biz/news-from-sedona/will-sedona-be-the-winner-%e2%80%93-or-the-loser/

Very well said. Thank you for being the voice of kindness and honor in our community.

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Letter to the Editor October 28, 2011


Dear Friends and Neighbors,

Tonight, while conducting a free informative session on Prop 410 issues at the Sedona Public Library, all of our Voice of Choice magnetic car signs and most of the road signs along the Dry Creek Road were removed.  Not only is this dirty political gamesmanship, but it’s also a felony.  But this is simply par for the course with Let the People Vote.  After all, even their name is a lie.  They don’t want you to vote.  Their entire purpose in running the referendum was to thwart your voices from being heard.  How democratic is that?  Consistently LTPV have resorted to name-calling and outright lies.  Why?  Because they think that you are nothing more than “cash poor dirt busters” and “fixed income retirees in trailers.”  See an actual comment taken verbatim from Sedona Eye below for proof.

So how can we stop this ugliness, this plainly anti-democratic behavior?  1)  VOTE loudly and proudly.  Of course I’d love your vote to be YES on 410 and NO on 411, but either way, don’t let LTPV silence you!; 2) No matter which way you vote, refuse to allow LTPV to commit felonies.  IF you see someone stealing anyone’s sign, please call and report it to the non-emergency number at the Sedona police department.  982-282-3100.  This sort of thing simply cannot be tolerated.  3)  Refuse to listen to anyone who sinks to name-calling.  They consistently seem to think that you are not clever enough to figure out what’s right for yourselves without being bullied into a position.  But that’s just not true, is it?  You’re all smart, educated adults.  You don’t need to listen to people who are sinking to such lows and resorting to thuggery.

We cannot, and should not be bullied or silenced in our own town.  Please stand up and be counted!

All best wishes,

Dr. Samantha Ruckman
In support of the Voice of Choice (YES on 410.  NO on 411)
(If you are interested in more information, please get in touch.)

“Mike says:
September 29, 2011 at 3:31 pm do people from podunk ohio think the city of sedona survives on hikers, bikers & retirees??? go home!

sedona is a tourist town & needs people in our businesses 24/7

why pander to cash poor dirt busters climbing our rocks for free, fixed income retirees in trailers & renting bedrooms from out of state wealthy property owners, hikers that never change underwear or a $10 bill (bag of granola & a bottle of water purchases don’t pay sedona rents!)

ambush? how about getting your head out of the bush & seeing stores and restaurants and outlets and thriving commercial districts need lights & lots and lots of car traffic

give me a break on the eco, dark sky crap – president obama couldn’t make it fly with solyndra & millions and millions of dollars

sierra club & benefactors & other old hippies without real jobs better wiseup and fall in with real world economy

####

Jeremiah
Nice to see you have come out of your liberal cave after a summer hibernation to chime in on this issue
Unfortunately, you have not evolved since the last election.
Littrel and Hamilton, as intelligent as they seem, are simply political hacks who only care about getting re-elected.  They don’t represent me or my friends on the Chamber Board.  We will not be bullied by elected representatives regardless of whether they were duely elected by wide margins.  The minority of us in this town still control the City.  Jeremiah your naive nature is endearing.  But you are still in your utopian cloud.  Try a reality based existence.
Lights will go up.  The YES people are so enthralled with themselves they can’t see the forest.  Money still rules and power is still with my friends Scagnelli, Surber, Pud and Frey.  They run the show like puppeteers for the Sedona Chamber, School district and Main Street.  Can’t you see the strings hanging from DiNunzios head at City Council or from Bobbie Surbers fat ($&@9/? at the school board meetings.
Wake up and smell the coffee.  Here come the lights and a beautiful industrial type roadway like Grand Ave.  Let ADOT do their job and Sedona residents should be happy we don’t have to pay anything ever.  Who cares what it looks like.  People look at the rocks not the road.
What do say we get that guy to put up that sedonaelection.com website for the next election.  It’s just around the corner.  Let’s do lunch.
Sanford Boch

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http://www.sedona.biz/news-from-sedona/will-sedona-be-the-winner-%e2%80%93-or-the-loser/

Sedona SCENE – Sedona SOUL

A Sharing With Barbara Mayer

Sedona, AZ (October 30, 2011) – The word “Politics” has become associated with all sorts of sleaziness, underhanded dealing, ego-driven lies and fear-mongering, illegal antics and various kinds of “dirty tricks”. And here I state with some kind of civic pride that I’m originally from Chicago, even though it still carries the reputation of being a city where, on election day, people vote “early and often”. In fact, as editor of my high school newspaper, I once had the honor of a personal interview with Chicago’s original “Hizzoner”, the first Mayor Richard J. Daley himself.

Those were the days. But this is Sedona.

I, like many sister and fellow citizens of our little city, left family and friends – former careers and many areas of my own comfort zone — to come here. Something in me knew I needed to become part of this gentle place of magic and magnificent beauty nestled in one very special valley of Northern Arizona.

This is my home now. And this is my pain now, to watch with a very deep sadness the actual fear-mongering, lies, and personal attacks of character assassination which I thought I had left behind in the less civil and more ignorant world I used to know.

My heart keeps telling me that this is Sedona. This is the gentle place of healing, wholeness, compassion — and a place where people want to serve in government because they desire to be part of that healing, wholeness and compassion. They want to serve in order to help build a new kind of community where less attractive parts of that community can be given a chance to blossom with new vitality and vibrancy, and where people who live here can stroll in pleasant areas as neighbors greeting neighbors, sharing the special ambiance — and where people from all over that world out there can come to visit – just to get even a little taste of what this magical place called Sedona can become.

I write these words over a week before results of the Proposition 410 referendum are revealed. I write them now, however, because I face shoulder surgery in the next few days, and because for an indefinite time to come I won’t have use of the right arm which is working this keyboard right now.

Yet I must bear witness to the ugliness, pettiness, and absolutely illegal actions of some – not all – who have turned the Proposition 410 referendum into a pitiful display of juvenile — and felonious – stealing of signs, breaking of artistic copyright laws, and rampant intimidation of businesses and individual citizens who simply happen not to agree with those who just want to wield their power once again.

This is Sedona. This is not just another distant suburb of Phoenix, and Sedona deserves better. I don’t know at this date what the outcome of the Prop 410 election will be. But I do know that whatever the outcome, there will be other elections in this city – one happening just a few months away, during another magical springtime in this Sedona which I love.

I hope that next election will not again arouse the nastiness and pettiness which has occurred this October. I hope we can all learn to approach the honor of being part of government — and the right to vote without facing intimidation or false pretenses which too many in this country have already given their very lives to protect — with the integrity and the blending of Head and Heart which every true community deserves.

I hope we can all learn to present our ideas for a better Sedona in truth and integrity, rather than with false statements which carry no truth and predictions which come from fantasy rather than fact. I hope we can rise above the despicable antics we have seen in these past few weeks. And I hope each person who resides in this magical place will step up to demand that future elections be ones of true fact and true decency.

As I write this I don’t know which side – Yes on 410 or No on 410 – will gather the most votes. All I know is that the only true winner — or loser — in this referendum is Sedona herself. And that remains to be seen.

And, by the way, if you haven’t voted yet, please do vote now. Be a positive part of the real Sedona you love.

Barbara Mayer is an InterFaith/InterSpiritual minister, author, teacher and poet who resides in Sedona, Arizona.

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www.sedona.biz/editorial-and-opinion/vote-yes-on-prop-410-its-a-win-win-for-sedona/

Vote Yes on Prop 410: It’s a Win-Win for Sedona

By Tommy Acosta

Sedona, AZ (October 30, 2011) – This editorial is not for those who have made up their minds and voted early on the 89A referendum but for those who are against the lights but fear the cost of assuming responsibility over the scenic route will be too much for Sedona; for those who have yet to cast their vote.

Sometimes knowing what to do can be harder than finding a snowflake of truth in a blizzard of lies, especially when facts are turned inside out and deception rules the day.

Whether we take over 89A or not, there is no guarantee ADOT will come to the bargaining table with the same offer as before. They may give us more. They may give us less. They may even force us to take 89A without a monetary carrot attached.

If Prop 410 wins then what those who fought against the 89A transfer accomplished is to mess up the prior 89A deal with ADOT, possibly resulting in less or no money for Sedona if ADOT decides to play hardball if anticipated-highway revenues further tank.

If Prop 410 is defeated, then its proponents may have wasted valuable city funds on a special election that will not, in the end, guarantee the erection of the lights.

Since the 89A fight is all about the lights and everybody knows it, has anyone considered the possibility that the Fed money allegedly earmarked for the light poles might not be there anymore?

Could it be we are fighting over an illusion?

The money for the lights is supposed to come from the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient, Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU). This Act funds needed highway improvements states cannot afford.

SAFETEA-LU, which expired in 2009 and extended eight times since, allocates about $41 billion per year on transportation projects.

The Congressional Budget Office estimates the shortfall in transportation revenue for the Act will reach $14 billion in FY 2012.

That means the Feds have only $27 billion to throw around for SAFETEA-LU. There will be priorities. Lights for 89A might not be on the Fed’s short list. The whole lights fight and referendum could be for nothing.

For those who fear the dough ADOT offered us to take 89A will be spent on vainglorious safety improvements, let us suppose Prop 410 passes and ADOT lives up to its original deal.

There is nothing, no one, no government agency forcing the city to blow the $10 million-plus bundle ADOT originally offered on expensive medians and roundabouts. We can stash the cash and use it when we really need it.

The city can pick and choose, with public input, how much to spend and what to spend it on. Sedona owns the road and no one but its citizens can decide what to do with it.

Now…what to do? You don’t want the lights but you are concerned about the costs of 89A ownership?

Let logic rule your vote.

Vote yes on Prop 410 and the city gets to go back on the bargaining table. Maybe we get a better deal or maybe not. Makes no difference! We still have the option of letting ADOT keep it and walk and away from the bargaining table if we don’t get the offer we want. Nothing is lost and the fear of taking it over is no more.

Vote yes on Prop 410 and even if ADOT says screw you, no deal, they still can’t get the lights up because they ain’t got the money. Even if they do, we can tie them up in court for a few years. By then the economy will be so miserable they won’t have the money for sure.

If we lose in court and somehow they get the funding, we make them pay for the electricity. They may not even have the cash for that and we still get to keep our dark skies.

Voting yes on Prop 410 is a win-win for those who don’t want the lights. Period!

The answer to your dilemma dear conflicted Sedonans is simple. You don’t want the lights? Vote yes on Prop 410.

Oh, and one last thought for those who fought valiantly for Sedona dark skies that are still on the fence.

Don’t let the other side win.

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http://www.sedona.biz/news-from-sedona/open-letter-to-robert-larson-publisher-red-rock-news/

OPEN LETTER TO ROBERT LARSON, RED ROCK NEWS

By Sedona City Councilor Barbara Litrell and Vice Mayor Cliff Hamilton

You are entitled to your own opinion, not your own facts

Sedona, AZ (October 24, 2011) – Robert Larson, owner of the Red Rock News, filled his October 21 editorial with unfounded generalities, misstatements and twisted facts. As the only printed news source in town, the Red Rock News would better serve the residents if it used accurate information in the right context. If we didn’t hope for better we would think the opponents of Prop 410 wrote the editorial, or Larson simply used the misinformation in their ads and made them his facts! Below in this open letter to Robert Larson is his editorial evaluated sentence by sentence with our comments underneath each statement.

Dear Mr. Larson,

You filled your October 21 editorial with unfounded generalities, misstatements and twisted facts. As the only printed news source in town, the Red Rock News would better serve the residents if it used accurate information in the right context. If we didn’t hope for better we would think the opponents of Prop 410 wrote the editorial, or you simply used the misinformation in their ads and made them your facts! Below in this open letter is your editorial evaluated sentence by sentence with our comments underneath each statement. We would be happy to discuss the information in this letter in person.

Larson: It is really all about the money when it comes to your decision regarding the takeover of SR89A.

Money is one element of the decision but, there are other important considerations as well. With appropriate financial support from ADOT (they had offered $10.6 million cash upfront plus $5 million in projects) and identified future funds from city revenue streams making ownership affordable, the benefits of owning our main street becomes the important consideration. These advantages include installation of attractive 24-hour safety measures, a long term development plan for the 89A Corridor to make it a more attractive area, an enormous advantage to businesses when the city owns the 32 ft right-of-way on either side of the highway, city control of signage, landscaping, and access management. All these become important to creating what the Corridor could and should be if the city has local control. If you attend any of the community planning meetings, you will hear what the community wants – a safer, more attractive 89A that welcomes visitors and enriches the businesses and the neighborhoods of West Sedona.

Larson: The city of Sedona taking ownership of a state highway in West Sedona would be a major financial mistake.

In your office last February, just before the Council voted on the transfer, you said to Barbara Litrell that if ADOT gave us $10.6 million in cash upfront, we’d be set for 30 years! Why is it now a financial mistake? With the money safely in a restricted account to manage the road and make improvements based on an established budget, the money we currently spend to maintain the road becomes available for other projects and the city does not have to put up city matching funds as ADOT ownership often requires. Funds provided by ADOT would meet the management, operations and improvement needs for the next 15 years or more.

Larson: It is impossible to project exactly how much it would cost the city to own a major state highway, and now isn’t the time to take financial risks.

W89A functions as a local city street, not a state highway, as evidenced by the fact that the city currently pays half the annual maintenance costs (about $35,000) and has for many years. If 89A were truly functioning as a state highway, ADOT would be paying for all of it and maintaining it, too. The cost of maintaining and operating 89A is a well-known amount. We can also project, based on history, that about every 15 years the road needs a resurfacing. It won’t be a surprise in 2026 or 2027 that the road needs resurfacing. The current estimate for the upcoming resurfacing is about $3 million. In the contract negotiated with ADOT, they provided $3.2 million for the next resurfacing in 15 years. Let’s not repeat the mistakes of the past in turning down Federal funding to begin sewering the city or the APS offer to help underground power lines along 89A. Let’s recognize a good deal when we see one and take the opportunity to move forward rather than be paralyzed with fear.

Larson: On the verge of what some say could be the second dip into recession, biting off a multi-million dollar project with no end in sight and more staff needed to manage the project would not be “fiscally responsible” as candidates for Sedona City Council – including those currently seated – always claim is their goal.

“Fiscally responsible” means having a balanced budget, a long term view of the expenses and revenue sources and a plan for meeting the city’s needs. Sedona has all of these. Sedona came thru the recession in excellent shape. Despite everything, the city had a $1.6 million surplus for the fiscal year ended June 30. The prior year, in the midst of the recession, we had a $750,000 surplus. And the General Fund currently has over 100% reserve to budget ratio. At the same time the city continues to fund drainage, sewer and street paving projects plus support for the arts and other non-profits. While the message is mixed about state and national economic indicators, the City Manager and staff have managed Sedona revenue streams and expenses in exemplary fashion. “Fiscally responsible” means using funds wisely, not locking up the piggy bank! Instead of sending out a “Sky is Falling” message, Mr. Larson, you should be encouraging ongoing investment in our community to ensure a sound future for residents, businesses and visitors. Local control of 89A is such an investment.

Larson: Many of the roads the city currently owns need attention. This needs to happen before adding miles of highway to the equation should even be considered, not to mention other high-priority or absolutely necessary projects to be funded, such as fixing our drainage issues.

What city roads need attention? Your generality begs specifics. Perhaps you are unaware that Sedona has a regular ongoing repaving program for all Sedona streets that is planned as a 5-year program. Citizens can find out if their street is scheduled for repaving in the next 5years by calling the city. Routine repairs also get done quickly by notifying the city of a need. Perhaps you are also unaware that the city has a 15 year master drainage plan and is spending about $1.7 million this year on drainage. The drainage plan is currently being reviewed and updated. You may also not realize that many streets in the city are privately owned – and thus not maintained by the city – and may indeed be in need of repair.

Larson: If the city can’t afford routine maintenance on Sedona’s side streets, how will it pay to maintain a roadway used not only by residents but by the thousands of tourists who visit Sedona each year?

Again it would be meaningful if you cited what evidence you have that the city is not able to afford routine maintenance. It seems you are also unaware that the city has an annual contract with a local firm to do routine maintenance and repair of streets, sidewalks, and city parking areas. As noted above, the city has a routine repaving program which is funded annually. As you acknowledged in your February conversation with Barbara Litrell, maintenance of 89A would be well covered for perhaps 30 years by the funding package ADOT offered, leaving the $35,000 the City currently shares in maintenance costs with ADOT for other projects.

Larson: Add to the equation a stripped-down staff and other expenses surface. The city engineer currently serves as the head of the public works department and oversees wastewater treatment operations for the city. Will he also be responsible for SR89A? Or, more likely, will he have to hire staff to help him? And who will do the actual work on the road? Will the city contract out all the work – filling potholes and cracks, resurfacing, maintaining sidewalks, clearing debris off the roadway including snow? Or would the city buy heavy machinery to do the jobs in-house? Either way, it’s going to be very expensive.

The Public Works Department has 27 employees and the Director currently oversees wastewater, drainage, streets, sidewalks and other city construction and maintenance projects. Owning our main street would not change that. The city currently maintains 106 miles of local streets; adding 4.8 miles of 89A is a small percentage of that. Sedona already does the routine maintenance, snow removal and sidewalk repairs. Many Sedona residents are apparently unaware of the city’s current role on 89A. Apparently you thought that ADOT was doing that. Sedona, like ADOT, contracts out much of its road maintenance. Brewer Bros. currently is under contract to the city for those services. There would be no effect on staff size by assuming control of 89A and the purchase of heavy equipment is totally unnecessary.

Larson: Now, we ask those in favor of taking over the road, how will the city pay for all of this? Over the past few years the city cut staff and programs because it collected less sales tax than in years past.

Again, we ask you to recall the February conversation with Barbara Litrell when you acknowledged that ADOT’s $10.6 million cash upfront offer would set us up for the next 30 years. Actually, ADOT offered us enough money to handle 89A for full maintenance of the road for 15 years; additional money was also included to assist with repaving the road 15 years from now. So why are we asking how the city would pay for it? The ADOT funding should be sufficient but, if not, nearly $10 million a year will be freed up for other projects over the next 16 years when the bond debt is paid off and the wastewater system is more self-sustaining. One year of that is enough to cover road expenses for the next 10 years.

Larson: Eventually the city will need lots of money if it takes over ownership of SR89A. A higher sales tax won’t be the answer. With a combined city, county and state sales tax of over 10 percent in the city, raising the sales tax is out of the question. Do these road advocates also condone a city property tax to pay for their desires?

With an ADOT financial package that you yourself acknowledged could last Sedona for 30 years, it’s surprising that you ask these questions. Surely you are aware that city property tax has to be approved by the voters. $6 million will be freed up for the general fund after the sewer bond debt is paid and the $3-4 million per year that will be accrued to the general fund as the wastewater treatment system becomes more self-sustaining will both be new revenue options if needed. But again, 15 years is an adequate time to plan for future funding issues even without the up to $10 million extra cited above. Keep in mind, too, that the overall city budget is about $30 million a year which, over a 20 year period, adds to $600-700 million. The cost of adding 89A to the over 100 miles of roads we already have is a very small part of the overall expenses for the city. The benefits of local control or our main street far outweigh the costs of ownership. And we haven’t even included the possibility of increased sales tax revenues from businesses that will thrive in an upgraded West Sedona corridor. The economy in West Sedona has been siding for years because many tourists don’t go past Soldiers Pass Road due to the unattractive nature of the area.

Larson: The bottom line is the city can’t afford the roadway, period.

The bottom line is, in fact, that the city can’t afford NOT to own our own main street.

Larson: Even if it could, it would be the most financially irresponsible decision made since the incorporation of Sedona.

Are you still fighting the decision Sedona made to incorporate 23 years ago? Surely you don’t think Sedona should still be subject to the whims of two different counties who have other priorities. Who can imagine the city not controlling its own destiny?

Larson: The city has over $60 million in bond debt that will not retire for 20 years. Add to that more than $25 million in critical infrastructure projects, which is just over half of the $40 million needed for all identified capital projects.

All your statements here are false. The city has less than $60 million in bond debt and it will be retired in 16 years, not 20. As far as the $25 million in critical infrastructure projects, your implication is an insult to our city staff. Sedona never had a capital projects plan prior to last year. The city staff expended a major effort to establish one for the first time ever, looking 5 years out. It totals about $25 Million over that 5 year period and includes such items as a Parks and Recreation Master Plan, the Barbara Antonsen Pavilion and publicly-available wi-fi at city hall. Hardly critical infrastructure projects. This long range capital plan allows the city to be proactive. The plan is funded each year by the General Fund. Your comments diminish the staff’s commendable effort to create the first long range capital improvement program in Sedona’s history. To say these are unfunded critical projects is a gross exaggeration and distortion of the facts.

Larson: Which necessary projects will be pushed to the back burner? Who is going to tell the homeowners whose houses flood every time it rains that ownership of the highway is more important than drainage problems?

We’re sure you realize that a city manages roads, sewers, drainage, police force and other needs and services for the community. It’s about managing simultaneous priorities by having a plan for each and following it. Plus houses don’t flood every time it rains. That’s a gross misstatement like so much of the rest of your editorial. Drainage is a shared responsibility between the city and the private property owners who are responsible for maintaining drainage ways on their property. In addition to the Master Drainage Plan, the city is embarking on an education program for homeowners to help them recognize their responsibilities in drainage issues.

Larson: It’s not about street lights vs no streetlights anymore.

You’re right. It is ALL ABOUT SAFETY. 95% of our accidents happen during the day. Street lights do nothing to help. Furthermore, we should not diminish the importance of dark starry skies to Sedona residents, visitors and businesses. 108 additional streetlights with bounce back light pollution equivalent to lighting a 30-acre industrial park and will give Sedona a new, unwelcome glow that will be seen from Flagstaff and neighboring communities.

Larson: Proponents of taking ownership of the road claim Sedona will be able to do whatever it wishes with the roadway which is not true.

Where do you get such false information? The City Manager has made it clear that, if Sedona takes ownership of 89A, the city will fully control whatever happens on that street. ADOT will NOT have a say in the matter. What ADOT WILL have a say in is the requirement that the city protect the funds provided by ADOT and allocated for the road from misallocation to other projects in the city. The funds must be spent on the maintenance, operation and improvements in the West 89A corridor.

Larson: The report commissioned by the city and issued by CivTech clearly states the minimum recommended improvements are continuous raised medians, pedestrian barriers throughout the length of the medians and enhanced pedestrian crossings.

CivTech confirmed what the 89A safety panel found –that there are more effective alternatives to continuous street lights to improve safety on 89A where most of the accidents occur during the day. What Civ-Tech presented was a menu of options, not a set of requirements. It is ultimately up to the city to choose improvements through a community planning process. Cities around the country are reclaiming their streets to improve safety, walkability, beauty and commerce. The Federal Highway Administration endorses a new Complete Streets Program, (a program that recognizes the need to serve not only vehicles but pedestrians and bicyclists as well) and offers grants for related projects. This is the kind of forward thinking vision West Sedona needs. Learn more about this new approach to highways at: www.completestreets.org.

Larson: Anyone who votes to take ownership of the road can’t claim fiscal responsibility as one of their desires for the future of the city of Sedona. Committing to spending large, unknown sums of cash to prevent dark-sky-compliant lighting from saving lives is insane.

Anyone who opposes ownership of our main street ignores the real safety needs especially for our children, our seniors and our visitors, whose daytime accidents will not be helped by 108 new light poles. Anyone who opposes ownership of our main street endorses a “suicide lane” and lacks the vision for how West 89A must be redeveloped if businesses in the W89A corridor are to survive and thrive in the future. As far as dark sky compliant lighting is concerned, the International Dark sky Association promotes use of lights only where absolutely necessary and in the lowest wattage required to meet the need. Lastly IDA recommends that if lighting is absolutely needed, then use dark sky compliant fixtures . Note, only the fixture is dark sky compliant, not the lighting system which includes the pole number and height, pole spacing, bulb wattage, type of bulb, plus the reflectance off road, sidewalk and building surfaces.

West 89A is our road and what happens on it should be our choice. ADOT builds roads, people build communities.

Please give your readers the correct information. You are entitled to your own opinion, but not to your own facts.

Sincerely,

Cliff Hamilton and Barbara Litrell

*The above statements reflect our personal opinions and not necessarily those of the City Council or City staff.

####

 City Talk from Barbara Litrell

http://www.sedona.biz/news-from-sedona/city-of-sedona/sedona-city-talk-councilor-barbara-litrell/

October 24, 2011   It’s unfortunate that there is so much fear and misinformation spread throughout our City, unintentionally or intentionally. I’ve heard it Myself, and it’s very hard to dispute with My word against Theirs. Since knowledge is power, I would like to make a suggestion; the City of Sedona has made it extremely easy for us to keep up on all topics by televising the City Council meetings. No more wondering what’s going on, or rushing down to City Hall, just grab your dinner and sit down in front of the TV, tune in on your Local Information Station (cable is channel 4) and watch for yourself. For the calendar of Council meetings, you can refer to: http://www.sedonaaz.gov/Sedonacms/index.aspx?page=25&returnURL=%2fSedonacms%2findex.aspx . Not only will you be informed, you’ll have the best view of proceedings. Try it, it’s fun.

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Sedona Needs to Say YES to 410 and NO to ADOT

Comment on Oct 14 Red Rock News editorial

Sedona, AZ (October 25, 2011) – In the Oct 14 Editorial comment ” Guest perspectives” RRN states, “we will not print multiple guest perspectives by a single individual within a short period of time”, in that same editorial comment she states “Documents supporting any number or statistics must be provided”. I wonder how in the issue just previous on Oct 12, she would characterize the allowance for a FRONT PAGE article “89A will bankrupt the city”, giving the vice chairman of “Let the People Vote on 89A” the freedom to make unsubstantiated statements about $25 million of unfunded projects or who the “individuals that specialize in road costs” are? In the same issue the RRN gives another forum to the same individual that then make even more unsubstantiated comments about $60 million in 20 years and then goes on to use the now typical fear mongering about “more taxes”, “gamble with your and Sedona’s future”. Perhaps the RRN could set about the time honored duty of an editorial column and do some FACT CHECKING and not “just the facts” as the Editor’s note suggests on page 3A Oct 12th issue. I am pretty certain the statement of the obvious does not qualify in any journalistic circles as the final statement of the facts. It would be refreshing to have a real discussion as to the need for traffic calming efforts on 89A, which would be helpful to the business community and would add to the safety. Nothing thus far has addressed the real issue on this Freeway and that is TRAFFIC CALMING, not lights or signals. ADOT has no interest in calming methodology as that has never been the primary objective of any D.O.T. nationwide. If Sedona wants to make a business climate and safety corridor work it will do that without the interference of ADOT.

Dewey Akers 5 Caswell Dr, Sedona AZ

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LTPV Statements Made with No Facts

Comment on LTPV ads in the Red Rock News

Sedona, AZ (October 24, 2011 – I’m sure you’ve been seeing the ads in the RRN, indicating that those of us who support a “Yes” vote on Prop. 410 are lying, that we only want to stop lights because we’re irresponsible, that the lights are the same as the ones on the 179 roundabouts, so they’re fine, and won’t make a “river of light”, etc.

One of the most egregious misstatements made by these ads is that owning the road will cost the city $60 million. Nowhere, ever, have they said how they got that figure. When questioned, they say that a highway engineer said it would cost that much to repave the road at the time it needs to be taken down to dirt. Any engineer can say anything he or she wants to say. Any number can be pulled from any hat. In fact, CivTech, the engineering firm hired by the city as part of its due diligence in investigating the possibility of a route transfer, has stated, in its report (available at the city website, www.sedonaaz.gov) that the next TWO repavings, which will take us to 2042, will cost approximately $19 million. (This figure might turn out to be lower. The bids that ADOT is currently receiving for repaving W 89A are coming in at much lower rates, and would not add up to $19 million for two repaving. Bear in mind that these bids include installation of a traffic signal at Andante, not just repaving.).

In the terms of the route transfer agreement that the city and ADOT finalized, ADOT would pay completely for the next repaving, the one that will happen within the next year. Then, the City will not have to do any major work on the road for the following 15 years. When it is time for the next repaving, in approximately 2027, the City will be able to use the money ADOT would have given to the City as part of the route transfer agreement. The total cost of this repaving would be c. $7.5 million), leaving the City with only the cost of the repaving in 2042. As part of the negotiated agreement, ADOT was to have given the City $10 million upfront, which money the City would have invested. The same contract (Intergovernmental Agreement) drawn up by ADOT and the City, dictates that this money, and interest gained on this money, MUST be used for the road. This is as secure as is possible. The City would have to put aside approximately $100,000. per year in order to pay for the first repaving, in 2027, and $750,000 per year in preparation for repaving in 2042. This is such a small percentage of even today’s City budget, it certainly would be no hardship in the future.

How did Serge Wright and company come to $60 million? They won’t document this because it is not possible to do so. Saying it does not make it true. Check out the CivTech report on the City’s website. There are actual figures, by a neutral, professional agency, dealing with W 89A, not an engineer making a hypothetical statement.

The ad in the paper says that the lights will be dark sky compliant, so there is nothing to worry about, and that they make us safer. Let’s look at these statements. The only thing that is Dark Sky Compliant about the intended lights is the fixture itself. The lights are not the best, they are high pressure sodium, which is not the chosen type of lighting for true dark sky compliant lighting. Also the “bounce-back”, or uplighting that will result when the light that emanates from these lights hits the pavement and then bounces back to the sky, passing the compliant fixtures, is a major component of the “river of light”. Chris Lugenbuhl, of the Naval Observatory in Flagstaff, and an official of the International Dark Sky Association, has stated that the lights and light fixtures currently planned to be installed on W. 89A by ADOT, would produce lumens that would be the equivalent of a 30 acre industrial site. Think about it. 108 new lights on 2 miles of 89A, which would be additions to the existing lights on 89A, bringing the total in that stretch of W 89A to 136 lights! Now compare this to four lights at a roundabout. Even if the lights are exactly the same, how can 136 lights compare, honestly, to 4?

The picture in today’s ad (October 19, 2011) in the RRN shows W 89A in front of the Heartline Cafe with an enormous and ugly orange median. Indeed. Whose idea is this? No one on the side of a “Yes” vote has ever suggested a median like this. These type barriers are used to separate traffic lanes on major highways. They are also used in construction zones. No one in their right mind would propose the barriers depicted in their picture for applications in Sedona. Again, if you read the CivTech report, it suggests two small and strategically placed medians, one between Andante and Rodeo, one between Mountain Shadows and Soldier Pass Rd. NO WHERE is it suggested that these would be big and ugly. In fact, medians normally are 6″–8″ high. They would not be visually intrusive. They would simply serve as guides for traffic in places that have already been noticed as difficult and dangerous. These small, strategically-placed medians would not require roundabouts.

In fact, we already have medians, medians that we ignore, and drive over regularly. One of these is on 89A just outside the entrance to Harkins. It is illegal to enter the Harkins parking lot when driving West on 89A. To do that, the driver must drive over the median. What is the median? It is the two solid lines painted on the street. The only thing a raised median would do in this location is to enforce a median that is already there, but ignored by drivers. Anyone who lives here knows how dangerous and cumbersome that area of 89A is.

Now to the manipulation of the sympathies and sentiment of the public. The touching memorial with the teddy bear, and the copy saying that it is negligent to leave the commercial corridor unprotected, and suggesting that to do so is inviting the death of a senior, or child is really playing dirty pool. In fact, over 95% of our accidents happen in the daytime, and we have not had a nighttime fatality since 2006! Our nighttime accident rate is so low that installing lights would eliminate 0.55 nighttime injuries per year, and it would barely affect the number of nighttime accidents, according to a national database called Crash Reduction Factors. This database was put together by the Federal Highway and Works Administration (FHWA) and states’ DOTs. It is the database used by ADOT and other states in assessing danger and efficacy of solutions. Putting this touching picture in the ad is pure manipulation. This is what people resort to when they do not have facts on their side! WHAT WE NEED IS 24 HOUR SAFETY REMEDIES!!!! Both CivTech and the 89A Safety Panel came up with safety measures that are meaningful for our road, in our town. If we install lights, we get negligible change in safety, for $2.2 million, or we can spend less and eliminate 13 times as many accidents and 18 times as many injuries per year, according to CivTech and the Safety Panel. It is untrue and unfair to paint those who support a “Yes” vote as promoting negligence. In fact, the Let the People Vote folks are the ones who are promoting negligence. Lights? Please.

DON’T BE MANIPULATED!!!

Vote “Yes” on Proposition 410!!

Juliette Colangelo, Sedona