By Dave Golembewski
I was able to attend the Town’s first question and answer forum at the Tea Party Meeting on Tuesday night with the Town Manager and new Mayor. They gave me a honorable mention as being an advocate of the grocery tax repeal.
“I certainly am.” I replied, “and I hope it passes through the state without the wicked witch 🧙♀️ of the Wests’ Veto.” (That is the Governor of our beautiful state of Arizona.) All the Town Manager and Mayor could say is that we can’t afford to drop the 2.88% tax on groceries. No surprise, as it funds their growing bureaucracy and Yuuuge raises including the Town Manager’s raise and if I’m correct he is just south of 200k a year including all perks. What I was shocked at is, they both talked about raising our taxes AND keeping the grocery tax. They both claim doom and gloom is here and we don’t have enough tax money to fund the town as it is.
People in the audience reacted asking, “What have we got for our taxes?” No pool, No Mudder, No bathrooms at parks, and bad road conditions. We have added quite a few administrative jobs and given some yuuge raises. The staff or workers of the town deserved raises and are doing a good job. I mentioned looking at the salaries over 100k including the town attorney’s contract that is over 250k I believe. All I heard in 2 hours was Tax And Spend but with no extra town amenities or services except for the Beeline Bus 🚌which may lose money . I get it. The grocery tax is the slush fund, without it the Council and Town Manager really have to budget. I’m ok with putting all the taxes in the voters hands . We The People decide where we want our tax monies spent and choose the level of services and amenities we want. But the multi-million dollar maximum stupidity question goes to the voters. Do you believe raising our sales tax will provide better services and amenities? I personally think it won’t matter as the Council and Town Manager will just spend whatever we give them with zero accountability to the taxpayers. We are just the peasants they collect the tax from, nothing more.
They don’t feel like they work for us. The town manager said what is $2.88 more on your $100 grocery bill? P.S. When your groceries are $350 it is close to $10 tax and groceries are easy $350 month or more. That $10 could get you almost 3 gallons gas ⛽️ thanks to Hidin’ Biden. So, I leave it up to you voters to decide. Do you trust the town government to pay more taxes to, if any ? Now you know why I want my grocery tax back. I would pay 10% sales tax to live in Payson I love it here 🌲❤️🌳. But unfortunately I don’t trust the Powers To Be with my tax money especially my 🍔 🥧 grocery money. The town lawyer and Mayor tried to give me the Maximum Stupidity award for questioning them 🤷♂️? You decide who gets the award this Month. 🙏🇺🇸
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