The numbers are in on the furniture and equipment Pima County taxpayers forked out for the balloon company, World View Enterprises. The residents of the fifth poorest metropolitan area in the Country have spent a total of $873,230 for fancy furnishings, fixtures, and equipment unique to the near space travel industry.
Today, the Pima Board of Supervisors will meet at 9:00 a.m. for a regular meeting and again at 1:30 p.m. for a budget hearing.
Related article: Pima County Residents Pay For Fancy World View Furniture, Equipment
During the morning session, the supervisors will be asked to approve a lease-purchase agreement with World View Enterprises and amend contractual language. The agreement includes an amendment to:
1) memorialize the Commencement Date after the substantial completion of construction of the building
2) establish the square footage size of the finished building which is necessary to calculate the rent amounts during the lease term
3) provide an inventory of the furniture, fixtures and equipment provided by Pima County.
As the ADI reported on Sunday, the inventory included for the supervisors’ review expensive furnishing, purchased mostly from retailer, Goodman’s Interior Structures. New documents reveal that taxpayers also purchased a tracking antenna for $90,845, a weather station for $148,936, window coverings for $28,015, systems furniture for $190,339, manufacturing specialty furniture for $109,150, and lockers for $10,337.
The ADI reached out to one area commercial landlord who advised that normally a lessor would not purchase furniture for a tenant for no other reason that the value of the furniture at the end of the lease would be worth pennies on the dollar.
The County’s unusual arrangement with World View has resulted in a lawsuit by the Goldwater Institute on behalf of Pima County Taxpayers. To date, the Institute has prevailed in court, and the County is now appealing the ruling.
“It should not surprise anyone that Chuck Huckelberry is able to find $15 million to build the World View facility which includes close to a million dollars of lavish furnishings and decorations for his cronies, yet he is never able to find monies for the failing roads. This contract has been deemed illegal by a superior court judge, and I sincerely hope the taxpayers will finally see what the Board majority is doing to their community and demand change,” stated Supervisor Ally Miller.