Local News

Tusayan To Hold Budget Override Election After Series Of Mishaps

February 28, 2019

 Voters are expected to go to the polls May 21st in Tusayan to decide of the Town has permission to exceed state spending limits. The matter was supposed to be settled in November when voters approved the “Home Rule Option.” However there were numerous errors in the way the Town handed the issue and the state Auditor General rejected the election. The series of errors is outlined in an article we ran in January. Here is a link.

According to the Auditor General, “The Town did not prepare and submit detailed and summary analyses of the proposed alternative expenditure limitation to the Auditor General for review at least 60 days prior to the election in accordance with A.R.S. §41-563.03. In conducting a cursory review of the untimely worksheets the Town provided to our Office after its election, it is evident that the detailed and summary analyses the Town completed were deficient as the worksheets are incomplete, contain internal inconsistencies, and lack the necessary supporting documentation.”

Without Home Rule the town budget would be capped at $1.4 million. The Town Clerk is seeking statements both pro and con on the budget override. A notice reads,  “Please submit any pro or con arguments, of 200 words or less, you would like to see included in the publicity pamphlet to: tusayanclerk@gmail.com, or by mail to: Tusayan Clerk, 845 Mustang Drive B709, by 5:00 PM, March 22, 2019.”

Further complicating the issue is the fact that the Coconino County will not be holding the election. That duty will fall to the Town of Tusayan. That’s because the Town missed the deadline to notify the County of its intention to hold an election. The rule requires a 120 day notice. We reported on that mishap February 12th. Here is a link.