Advisory Committee recommends that College Governing Board not impose a property tax increase on Verde Citizens
The Verde Valley Advisory Committee to the College Governing Board is composed of outstanding citizens appointed by local and County officials. They represent a cross-section of residents of the entire Verde Valley. After deliberation at its Wednesday meeting, the Committee voted 4-0 with one abstention and one absent to recommend to the College Governing Board that it not increase property taxes on Verde Valley residents at this time.
The Committee was created to advise the Governing Board and has already made several recommendations including this one. So far, the Governing Board has not acted on any recommendations made by the Committee.
The Committee vote was sparked when Committee members heard the College administration state during the March District Board meeting in Sedona that it was going to recommend a 2% property tax increase at the May meeting this year. The Governing Board has a long history of rubber stamping any recommendations coming from the College Administration.
The Committee expressed concern that Verde Valley taxpayers are not “getting their money’s worth” from the Community College. Using College financial data, the Chair of the Committee pointed out that from 40 to 50 percent of property taxes now being paid to the College by Valley residents is not being returned to them.
The Chair pointed out that one of the reasons the Committee was created was to see to it that Verde Valley citizens are “treated fairly.” To impose a tax increase on them at this time was in his judgment a “mistake.”