Pima County Supervisors Set To Raise Taxes Again

Pima County Supervisors Ramon Valadez, Steve Christy, and Richard Elias. [Photo from Pima County Facebook]

The Pima County Board of Supervisors is expected to approve another property tax increase during their Tuesday, June 18, 2019 meeting. The supervisors are expected to reject a proposal by Supervisor Ally Miller that would have provided pay increases for County employees while dropping the tax bill of residents.

Miller had proposed a tax neutral budget plan to County Administrator Chuck Huckelberry and her colleagues on the Board at the June 4, 2019 meeting.

During the Board’s budget hearings last month, Pima County Assessor Bill Staples, a Democrat, called on the Board to “be honest” about their intention to raise taxes on the residents of the fifth poorest metropolitan area in the country. While fellow democrats on the Board, Sharon Bronson, Ramon Valadez, and Richard Elias seem to have ignored his plea, Miller praised his concern for residents.

For Miller, who has been fighting against the nearly annual increase of taxes on residents, Staples’ words only echoed what she has been saying since before she was elected in 2012.

Currently, Pima County residents pay the highest property taxes in the state. They also pay a sales tax through the County-wide Regional Transportation Authority.

Not only do Pima County residents pay the highest taxes, those taxes cover the salary of Huckelberry, who is the second highest paid county administrator in the country. Huckelberry’s salary, like the increasing tax rate, is a result of his many years of control over Elias, Bronson, and Valadez.

“It is time they are held accountable,” said Republican Party Executive Committee member Chris King. “I hope the public will turn out on Tuesday and speak against this property tax increase. We have a lot of new families and seniors on fixed incomes who can’t take these annual increases. The supervisors talk about fairness and compassion, but they show none for the hard-working residence of Pima County.”

The June 18, 2019 meeting will begin at 9:00 a.m., at 130 W. Congress on the 1st floor in the Board of Supervisor hearing room.

[metaslider id=65385]

 

About ADINews Service 1692 Articles
Under the leadership of Arizona Daily Independent Editor In Chief Huey Freeman, our team of staff reporters work tirelessly to bring the latest, most accurate news to our readers.