According to the Parks and Recreation Department, staff has heard from hundreds of residents over the past several weeks, including more than 60 that spoke at the August 28 Parks and Recreation Board meeting, on ways to manage crowding at heavily used hiking areas, especially the Echo Canyon area of Camelback Mountain. Because of public feedback opposing the addition of parking meters, the department will continue to work with its contracted consultant and the Parks and Recreation Board over the coming months to identify other management tools to address crowding and trail and resource impacts and improve the visitor experience at Echo Canyon, Phoenix Mountains Park (Piestewa Peak Summit Trail access) and the Pima Canyon area of South Mountain.
“In the past week, more than 500 people have taken the time to contact my office to voice their opposition to this senseless plan. I have fought hard to ensure that their voices were heard, and am very pleased that the City has listened and reversed course,” said Councilman DiCiccio.
“This is great news for our taxpayers and our parks system, but this proposal should never have been brought up in the first place. Instead of looking at internal efficiencies, City management has instructed departments to find new ways to raise revenue from hardworking taxpayers. Because of that, this proposal to grab more money from Phoenix residents is likely the first of many,” continued DiCiccio.
“The problem is not that the City does not collect enough in taxes and fees, the problem is that the City spends too much,” explained Councilman DiCiccio, noting that this past year, Phoenix brought in the second highest amount of revenue in its history and this year is expected to bring in the highest revenue in history. My office worked hard to inform the public about this new revenue grab and the public responded to help defeat it. My office will continue to be a watchdog for the public and alert them to any new revenue grabs that are proposed in the future.”