It is amazing to be part of a community that is so apathetic. I suppose everyone is living their lives with the hopes that others will watch out for their interests. In the past, one might expect the local media to be the watchdogs of local news. Yet such is life in 2014 in a time where media and people are all about the flash of news that is easily served up and consumed by the masses.
It is this which allows “people in power” to readily accept that the repercussions to actions that may be disliked by people will pass and soon be forgotten since everyone’s lives are sooo busy and there are plenty of other distractions at home and abroad. It’s the shiny penny theory. Oh, look over there….
This is where we’ve landed in time. It is a place where Pima County can ask and receive without much outcry an increase in property taxes of 11% in order to cover its projected needs for their 2014/2015 budget. Woe is the county since it has lower property values than in the past. Woe is the county in that it has already reduced its “employees” by over a thousand. Woe is (insert one of forty-seven ready-to-gorehearsed-talking-points).
But did anyone look at the final budget and follow up with questions?
The budget is on the county’s website so locating it is not difficult. Hello Arizona Daily Star. Hello Biz Tucson. Did any of you review the final budget which was adopted? If one did, there would be questions that could be/should be asked of the county. Just by comparing 2013/2014 final year end numbers there are questions that need answers:
I can accept that one two year comparison does not paint the entire picture. How about comparing the same items from the year end 2012/2013 financial to 2014/2015 to see if there is a trend:
There is a trend in the increase of some items but also tremendous ranges as well. The questions at a minimum are:
1) Why is there a significant increasing trend in some items – ie. “General Government Services” and “Non-Departmental”? And why is it 8% of the current budget?
3) Why is there such a tremendous fluctuations in some items – ie. “Office of Medical Services” and “Community Development Grants”?
There may be adequate explanations for some, but what if not all? The county raised property taxes to cover over $20m of expenditures not able to be covered by the projected revenues. A subsequent property tax increase was “invoked.” Yet if the county kept its General Government Services and Non-Departmental items at the same level as 2013/2014, there would have been a $36m savings. As a result, there may have been a $16m in surplus that could have resulted in a reduction in property taxes or at least an appropriation to roads in that amount. However, the county continues to assert that roads are not a “core” function yet buying lands apparently is.
And here we are. An increase in property taxes placed upon a silent county. We accept and move on with our lives. Nothing to see here folks. Don’t worry about our failing roads that the county feels $5m each budget year will be enough despite their cries it’s a fraction of what it needs, and those funds are at risk if the BOS and Administrator find another piece of land they want to buy. Then they will use those funds as they see fit best for the county because, you know, it doesn’t matter what the people think is important – they know best. They are the visionaries. That’s what we elected them to be, or for one, appointed by the elected ones.
And be prepared for the sales tax proposal to solve our road issues. It won’t get approved but the county will just shrug it off and tell us they tried. Just don’t ask questions.