College Verde Valley Advisory Committee again recommends no tax rate increase at this time
For the second time in two weeks, the Verde Valley Advisory Committee to the College Governing Board has recommended that the Governing Board not increase the property tax rate when it considers this issue for a final vote in June. At an earlier meeting this month on April 1, the Advisory Committee had also recommended no tax increase. However, it added to the April 1 motion that it would revisit the tax rate increase issue after hearing from the Community College’s Vice President of Financial Affairs, Dr. Clint Ewell, who was scheduled to speak at the Committee’s April 15 meeting.
After hearing Dr. Ewell’s presentation this morning (April 15), the Board was unanimous in voting to recommend no tax increase at this time. On April 1 there was one abstention from the vote and one Board member who disqualified himself from voting on the issue. (There was one member who disqualified himself from voting on this issue today.)
The Board is composed of outstanding citizens appointed by local and County officials from throughout the Verde Valley. They represent a cross-section of all the residents of the entire Verde Valley.
The Committee vote against raising property taxes at this time was initially sparked for discussion and action 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 in property taxes.
Unfortunately, the District Governing Board has a long history in Yavapai County of rubber stamping any recommendations coming from the College Administration for a tuition or tax increase.
The Wills’ administration is pushing extremely hard to increase property taxes just after raising student tuition by 4%. No doubt, the Wills’ administrators will be doing a lot of arm twisting and quiet politicing with Board members before the final vote is taken on this issue in June.