By Paul Frommelt
While living in Flagstaff over 20 years ago, my wife and I were already planning for our retirement. We both believe in planning ahead, and being fiscally responsible.
We decided that Payson was the place for us. It had the small town feel to it, that Flagstaff had when we first moved there back in 1990. It had clean air, clean water, and it appeared to have a balance budget. We weren’t looking for a “Cool Mountain Town” or an “Adventure Where We Live.” We were looking for our home!
While Payson lacked sidewalks, curbs, gutters and street lights in most residential areas, we were ok with that. We weren’t looking for those things. We knew about the lack of those items before we came here. We didn’t ask for them then, nor do we need them now. We DO however, require roads that won’t destroy the suspension of a non-four-wheel drive vehicle. We also really need residential roads that are wide enough for two vehicles to pass by each other in opposite directions at the same time. Twenty years ago, that wasn’t such an issue. However, after over twenty years of neglect, our roads have mostly crumbled to a width, not wide enough to be safe. Twenty years ago, that wasn’t such an issue. However, after over twenty years of neglect, our roads have mostly crumbled to a width, not wide enough to be safe, especially for pedestrians and cyclists.
The tax rate was comparable to other small communities, although even back then, we saw little return for the taxes paid. We never saw coming, the tax and spending increases to come, just a few years after we moved here. We did not want a small “city style” community. We wanted the town we knew when we first came here. If we wanted a city, and all the issues that come with that, we would have moved to one. Perhaps, even Commerce City Colorado! But that’s not what we wanted. And we feel we are not alone. We believe most Payson residents long for the same things we do. A simpler life. A cost of living that is sustainable. And a friendlier town than we now find ourselves in. We see rising taxes, with ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to show for it. In 2017, our sales tax rate was raised .88%, bringing in between 4 and 4.5 Million Dollars annually, by the town’s own admission. The purpose of the tax increase was stated to pay down the $20 million PSPRS deficit. It was documented at that time, that we really needed only around .42% increase to pay down the debt, but they had other projects in mind at the time. Now, after almost five years of that tax increase, bringing in between $16 and $22 Million dollars, our debt to PSPRS is even higher than when we started, at $22 MILLION dollars, as stated by our town manager. And now you want more!
Now I ask you, please: Return some fiscal responsibility to our town government. Spend less. Don’t tax more! Put your personal agendas and pet projects aside. We ask that you pave our streets. Clean up our parks and town properties. Support our local businesses, who in turn, support our local charities with their generous support.
We’ve been hearing about this “buildout population of 42,000” for decades. It isn’t going to happen if you drive residents and businesses into poverty. You keep telling us you want to turn Payson into a destination, and not a ‘pass through’ community.
To do that, you need to represent those of us who did, in fact, make Payson a “destination”!
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