Verde Valley will get back only 10 percent of excess primary taxes paid to the Community College in next 12 years
Clarkdale resident Bill Regner addressed the District Governing Board at its November 1, 2016 meeting in Sedona about the unfair allocation of resources flowing to the Verde Valley from the College. He specifically recalled a conversation he had with West County Board Member Ray Sigafoos at the dedication of the Southwest Wine Center on the Verde Campus. During that conversation, Sigafoos said to Regner: “You are trying to take money away from our campuses.” Mr. Regner responded: “No, we are just trying to keep more of our money here in the Verde Valley.”
Mr. Regner pointed out during his brief address that over the next dozen years the College intends to return to the Verde Valley only about $9 million dollars from an estimated $99 million of excess revenue that will come from Verde Valley property taxes during that period (“excess revenue” meaning revenue in excess of payment of total operating expenses for all Community College projects in the Verde Valley) .
Addressing Mr. Sigafoos directly, Mr. Regner asked: “Who here is taking money from whom?”
Mr. Regner also added that the three-member Governing Board majority had “disrespected” Al Filardo in the treatment afforded him along with his supporters. Mr. Regner was referring to the three-member West County majority who voted in an almost secret meeting at the end of a retreat in September to suspend the Verde Valley Board Advisory Committee.
The complete three minute address by Mr. Regner to the Governing Board can be viewed by clicking here.