OCTOBER 24, 2012
Mayors and council members throughout Arizona join coalition against Prop. 204
SCOTTSDALE – Scottsdale Mayor W.J. "Jim" Lane recently announced he would be forming a statewide coalition of mayors and council members in opposition to Proposition 204; 34 leaders from across Arizona have already signed on to support the "No on New Taxes, No on 204" effort. Coalition Members as of 10/18/2012 include:
Mayors & Vice Mayors
Mayor W.J. "Jim" Lane - Scottsdale
Mayor Jay Tibshraeny - Chandler
Mayor Linda Kavanagh - Fountain Hills
Mayor Scott Lamar - Paradise Valley
Mayor Kenny Evans - Payson
Marlin Kuykendall - Prescott
Mayor David Schwan - Carefree
Mayor John Salem - Kingman
Mayor Lana Mook - El Mirage
Mayor Thomas Schoaf - Litchfield Park
Mayor Mark Nexsen - Lake Havasu City
Mayor Mike LeVault - Youngtown
Mayor Gail Barney - Queen Creek
Vice Mayor Ernie Bunch - Cave Creek
Vice Mayor Michael Hughes - Payson
Former Mayor Hugh Hallman - Tempe
Councilmembers
Councilman Ron McCullagh - Scottsdale
Councilman Jim Waring - Phoenix
Councilman Bill Gates - Phoenix
Councilman Cody Beeson - Yuma
Councilman Don Callahan - Lake Havasu City
Councilman Jim Buster - Avondale
Councilman Sam Medrano - Bullhead City
Councilwoman Vallarie Woolridge - Florence
Councilman Victor Peterson - Gilbert
Councilman Eddie Cook - Gilbert
Councilman Jordan Ray - Gilbert
Councilman Bridger Kimball - Maricopa
Councilman Joe Hornat - Oro Valley
Councilman Scott Stewart - Wickenburg
Councilman Sam Crissman - Wickenburg
Councilwoman Cassie Hansen - Fountain Hills
Councilman Jim Brown - Queen Creek
Councilman Dean Barlow - Lake Havasu City
Councilman Bill Bracco - Sahuarita
"Municipal leaders from all across Arizona, from all backgrounds, are joining together to declare in one voice that Proposition 204 is bad for Arizona," said Mayor Lane. "This overwhelming opposition from our elected leaders is a testament to just how poorly thought-out Prop. 204 really is. Not only could Prop. 204 destroy job growth by causing Arizona to have the second highest sales tax in the nation, it would also rob our cities and towns of state shared revenues which could force them to either raise taxes, or cut services. And when it is all said and done, there is still no guarantee that any of the dollars from this $1 billion permanent tax increase will ever reach the classroom."
Few leaders have a more enduring track record of supporting education than Mayor Kenny Evans of Payson. "As a former High School teacher, Community College Instructor, School Board President, and education advocate and supporter of education and technology, I am saddened by this poorly drafted ballot proposition," said Mayor Evans. "I cannot support this ill-conceived and poorly worded permanent tax grab."
These 34 mayors and councilmembers add to a growing list of elected officials including Gov. Jan Brewer, U.S. Congressman David Schweikert, Senate President Steve Pierce, Speaker of the House Andy Tobin and many others who have already joined State Treasurer Doug Ducey in his effort to defeat this permanent tax increase.
"In only one week, Mayor Lane's coalition has garnered a powerful and influential list of civic leaders in opposition to Prop 204," said Doug Ducey, State Treasurer and Chairman of the No New Taxes, No on 204committee. "This coalition reinforces our concerns that Prop 204 is bad for local municipalities, and is especially bad for Arizona taxpayers. Passing a $1 billion blank check for special interest giveaways with almost no accountability standards and no real education reform does nothing to help Arizona's teachers or its students."
If passed, Prop 204 will result in Arizona having the 2nd highest sales tax in America, only behind Tennessee, a state with no income tax. This is only one of the many reasons why the State League of Arizona Cities and Towns opposes Prop. 204. The lack of accountability and the heavy input from special interest groups make Prop 204 wildly unpredictable. Prop 204 also earmarks hundreds of millions of tax payer dollars for programs and special interest groups that have nothing to do with public education.
