New Taxes on Scottsdale Property Owners

ARGUMENT “AGAINST” THE BONDS

Bonds equal Debt.

Federal debt, deficits, and borrowing are bad. Are they not equally bad in Scottsdale?

Borrowing has its place, like for construction of new infrastructure. Maintenance however, should be budgeted.

Scottsdale’s had years and tens of millions of dollars’ worth of unconstitutional, taxpayer-funded subsidies for the PGA, the NFL, polo matches, and a private cultural arts management business with 20-year no-bid contract. We’ve had years of structural deficits AND chronically under-budgeted/underfunded infrastructure maintenance.

Scottsdale’s had years of urbanization, new bars, and high-rise housing projects, thanks to zoning concessions and erosion of Scottsdale’s traditionally high building standards; all to benefit political campaign contributors. Urbanization increases strain on infrastructure for which YOU paid taxes. And new development doesn’t come CLOSE to paying its own way for infrastructure.

Now Mayor Jim Lane and council members Virginia Korte (commercial property owner), Linda Milhaven (Wells Fargo banker), David Smith (former city treasurer), Suzanne Klapp (Chamber of Commerce), and Kathy Littlefield tell us that we NEED to tax ourselves MORE to address “critical infrastructure needs” which they’ve ignored?

Should we trust THEM to spend that ADDITIONAL tax money wisely? They aren’t even honest enough to give you a line-item vote on the individual projects.

Furthermore, friends of the mayor and council profit from the bond issuance process through fees. For example, Wells Fargo has issued almost all of our city bonds. Construction company execs who make generous campaign contributions will get contracts on which bond money will be spent.

Scottsdale already has over a BILLION dollars in debt, more even than financially-troubled Glendale and the highest per capita of any major city in the Phoenix metro area. Scottsdale citizens already have the second highest tax burden in the Valley.

New taxes are the methamphetamine of government. Just say NO to these bonds.