BY LINDA BENTLEY | MARCH 28, 2012

Property tax opposition amps up before May 15 election

The No Tax PAC in opposition to Question 1 that will be appearing on the May 15 ballot, a property tax to support fire protection services in Cave Creek, has amped up the debate with signs throughout town urging voters not to approve the proposed new property tax. 
Photo by Linda Bentley


CAVE CREEK – April 16 is the last day to register to vote in the May 15 Cave Creek special election to ask voters if they will support a property tax for a master fire service contract with the town rather than the current subscription service pro-vided by Rural/Metro.

Early voting in the all-mail election begins on April 19.

While proponents of the property tax assert it will make it less expensive for homeowners because every property owner will be forced to pay, opponents point out it will be at the expense of vacant land owners, who are assessed at 16 percent and commercial property owners, who are assessed at around 20 percent.

Homeowners are assessed at 10 percent.

Vice Mayor Ernie Bunch is chairman of the No Tax PAC, a political action committee formed to help defeat the ballot measure, and is carrying through on his long-standing oppo-sition to property taxes.

Former Councilman Adam Trenk is treasurer of the PAC.

In December, council voted 4-3 in favor of sending the ballot measure to voters with Bunch, Mayor Vincent Francia and Councilman Dick Esser dissenting.

So far, there does not appear to be any organized effort in support of the property tax.