Budget Override Election Will be Held In May
December 18, 2019
The Tusayan Town Council has voted to hold a budget override election on May 19th enabling the town to exceed state spending limits. Right now the town can only spend about $1.7 million a year. The override would allow the town to spend as much as $22 million a year.
The town got into this mess because a previous home rule election was not properly conducted. A subsequent budget override election was rejected by voters.
That rejection followed some controversial expenditures, including millions for the 10X affordable housing project which was halted because the town ignored county flood plain rules.
The town also took some heat for failing to invest in sports fields for the Town Park.
Former Mayor Pete Shearer told the Town Council concerns about former Town Manager Eric Duthie may have played a role in the rejection. Shearer claims Duthie threatened to hold key projects hostage to help a developer with road and utility easement applications.
Shearer said, “It’s time for you as the Town Leaders to work for the Town residents and for the benefit of our youth. Currently the Town is investing millions of dollars of town tax dollars for what will mainly benefit the developers and not the current Tusayan residential community. Stop the lies. Stop the shameful waste of tax dollars. Stop building a housing project that will mainly benefit the developer and their future employees. It’s time to start to build a safer and more appealing community, wisely using tax revenues. Perhaps once you change your priorities you may once again gain public trust and Home Rule may once again be passed.”
Tusayan Sanitary District Bob Petzoldt urged the council to focus on positive projects like assisting the Tusayan Fire District and avoid projects that are currently not feasible such as the 10X housing project.