249 for 10 ASAP... hanging by a thread as of Sept 13th
Hi Friends:
Two years ago to the date together we wrapped up a miraculous 5,500 signatures in about 15 days, which made for a very happy birthday for me as we dropped those signatures at City Hall.
This weekend as I get over the hill, I've been very humbled--in one way because I'm in the job market again, but in a greater way following Michael and his daughter's journey to get back on their feet--they've now made over 270 Instacart deliveries working together in that time--almost "platinum level" with 5-star reviews, but the full-time opportunity has remained elusive for all of Michael's efforts--and here again they are literally within days of eviction. Michael has read all the reports and learned it happens extremely fast--based on timing, an officer will likely show up as soon as Tuesday, September 17th telling them they have 30-minutes to remove all their items and leave.
The bright spot is Michael had a couple of interviews late last week with a growing company in Mesa http://www.rollitmotors.com , and having established good rapport with their managers, appears very close to signing on with them. He definitely has the skills to be successful with them as you'll see with his online resume here: Michael Chapin resume (Indeed.com)
While I'm in the job market myself, I personally cannot do much more than I've done in helping him search, promoting his skills, and in the short-term I gave $10, so we just need 249 more of you to decide to do the same. I'll be devastated if I get a call after my birthday that they've been kicked out of their home with nowhere to go. I won't know what more I can do for them at that point, so if you can please:
Give - 249 more of us to give $10 here: https://www.givesendgo.com/GD7EB
Network - Michael now has his profile built up on LinkedIn and needs connections in his network to allow for recruiters to find him (recruiters need to be at least a 3rd connection), so please visit his profile page here and select "Connect": https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-chapin-3bb4752a3/
Grassroots effort prevails: 61% of the vote went to Kevin Sartor for Mayor of Surprise
On July 30th the people of Surprise overwhelmingly supported Kevin Sartor to be their next mayor (61%), a man who began and ran his campaign from the grassroots of citizens banding together in support, and building momentum towards victory.
FUN FACT: On August 12, 2024 the City of Surprise Council ratified the election results and Kevin Sartor won all but one precinct in Surprise (Aly Cline took just one of the precincts inside The Grand). See all the precinct results here by selecting "Surprise Mayor" from the pull-down menu: https://cinycmaps.com/index.php/22-livemaps/az-24-primary
Read more about it in the Surprise Independent:
* Kevin Sartor becomes official Mayor Elect August 12th
* Sartor felt big Surprise mayoral win coming early
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Congrats 2024 Graduates!!!
A #shorts message to our Surprise City graduates from Kevin Sartor (on the ballot for mayor July 30th)--CONGRATS TO YOU ALL!!! and quick a reminder you can and should get involved in your community right away with likely your first opportunity to vote by registering by July 1st -- Just visit: https://azsos.gov/elections/voters/registering-vote/registerupdate-vote and follow the directions there.
Two meetings on June 4th - increased taxes and budget
Tonight's the night where a $1B budget for 2025 is being voted on, and a Sales Tax Increase (not including groceries which remains untaxed) of 60-cents to every $100 (0.6% going from 2.2% up to 2.8%).
There's also a paired proposal with the sales tax increase to decrease your primary property tax from $0.7591 per $100 assessed value to $0.5693 (decrease of 25%).
Here's a picture of our city budget history next to our population growth of about 3% per year. See the problems here? Source: TransparentSurprise.com
While it won't be linear in the macroeconomy, this is extremely disproportionate which begs the question--why are we making up a $14.3M shortfall with a Sales Tax increase on all of us in these hard economic times, while the proposed budget is going up 17% YTY (or $147M), when the GO Bond Approved in November covers $100M of that? ... or go directly to this page
We encourage all of you to make a best effort to show up tonight to tell your city officials what you think about the tax, the budget and more. Here are the agendas--I just got clarity from the City Clerk right now that codes and laws require a separate meeting for the budget--HOWEVER while this is out of order logically to put it first because it assumes the sales tax increase as part of that 2025 budget, we'll try to have them sort that there (maybe the council can recognize that and defer it the budget approval until after--a third meeting? LOL), but in the meantime let's not miss the opportunity to speak. You can fill out a form if you arrive early before the meeting and hand it to the clerk or use the online link below up to an hour before the meeting.
Special Meeting #1 - 6:00 pm
Agenda Link https://surpriseaz.portal.civicclerk.com/event/4218/overview
Sign up here to speak.
#1 City's intent to levy primary property tax in the amount of $0.5693 per $100 of assessed valuation and secondary property tax in the amount of $0.3880 per $100 of assessed valuation. Resolution #2024-93
This is reducing the primary property tax by 25% and leaving the secondary the same (which will be the same the next 25+ years because of the November 2023 $100M bond that passed
#3 City of Surprise final budget for Fiscal year 2025. Resolution 2024-94
Regular Meeting #2 - 6:15 pm
Agenda Link https://surpriseaz.portal.civicclerk.com/event/4062/overview
Sign up here to speak.
#10 Transaction Privilege Tax Rates; Ordinance # 2024-09
Increased Sales Tax in Surprise!!!--prepare to SHOW UP on Tues., Jun 4th, 6 pm.
Thankfully, after a lively debate in Council Chambers by our City Council on Tuesday, April 2nd, all present at least realized (for compliance purposes) before any vote could be taken, a 60-day public notice needs to go about about the proposed increased City Sales Tax--to move it up from 2.2% to 2.8%. Supposedly to "soften the blow" and attempt to "tax the more rich" (because we don't and still won't charge a sales tax on food--because that's all that poorer people need to buy, LOL), they are combining it with a reduction of 25% in primary property taxes. Remember, our current secondary property tax rate was just solidified to remain unchanged (cannot go down) over the next 25 years due to the November bonds for $66M (roads) and $44M (public safety) that Surprise just passed months ago.
Public Notices surpriseaz.gov/Notices are located at the VERY BOTTOM of the Surprise City Webpage--the webpage is written very poorly, so you'll have to go to this link surpriseaz.gov/Notices and then search for this one posted on Thursday, April 4th: "Notice of Intent to Increase Certain Transaction Privilege Tax Rates"
The city also posted this Public Notice on Social Media, and you can read and react immediately there:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/C5W6Rd7vmyO/?igsh=Z2Frdjc0Nm5kZzFl
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/4DNh7zkcWi4zN2By/?mibextid=oFDknk
X(Twitter): https://twitter.com/AZSurprise/status/1776031244373143665?t=vR_ax0RWeZS5IUnJQp5qDA&s=19
NOTE: Jack Hastings righfully noted that to balance the upcoming 2025 budget, the city should at least consider a reduction in expenses--which the City managers did not.
Tax games are very dangerous--remember Boston Harbor!
Here's Jason Stone's article in the Surprise Independent (or click "read more" below): https://www.yourvalley.net/surprise-independent/stories/surprise-sales-tax-increase-on-hold-for-now,488490
An article about that debate is here by Shawn Raymundo in Arizona Republic, but it left out many of the council members and mayor mentioning a recent "retreat" where they all spoke about this proposed tax ahead of April 2nd, and also failed to point out the legal concerns raised by R. Massie during the public hearing portion.
(Subscription Required): https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/surprise/2024/04/04/surprise-city-leaders-debate-property-sales-tax-changes-to-make-up-loss/73166380007/
Voice of Suprise / Arizona's Voice calendar
Below is a calendar of events, meetings, and service opportunities, where having citizens present and active matters. Please have a look at each calendar entry for details (particularly City Council ones--they very often have agenda items of interest). Please volunteer for the Service activities in the community also where you can. Watch for regular updates to the calendar below.
Latest Highlight: Tuesday, April 16 City Council meeting with 3x votes on PADs and rezoning affecting District 1 (northwest Surprise)
You're unbelievable!!! ... 110% = 5,509 signatures
September 16, 2022
We had hours upon hours of time taken by volunteers to reach out to our community for support, and in just 15 days:
* 125 unique volunteers submitted signature sheets
* 5,509 signatures were collected and notarized with a requirement of 3,114
* Tomorrow will we submit 177% of the required signatures for this referendum
As we reflect on this journey together, two things come to mind:
* Take back time again to spend with your families and loved ones enjoying your time with them
* Get back to serving in our community as you've done before or maybe as you've been longing to do more of going forward
The poor representation by our city leadership has been extremely disruptive to our lives--for some of us dating back well over a year ago now. The citizens of Surprise would not have been required to submit this referendum were it not for this lack of representation in the chambers of our City Hall. We have more to do in this area together; this referendum has taught us how we can make those impacts, and we will take the necessary actions in order to give place again for the voice of the people to direct our city government in Surprise.
In the meantime, love your families, your friends, and give back to our community in the many ways you have and will continue to do.
Thank you for showing us all what a great force for good we can be together, and that no enemy can silence the Voice of Surprise.
Progress to 5000+
Updated Friday, September 16, 12:47 am
NOTE: Thanks for all your financial help in getting past our goal of $3000 to get packets prepared and printed. We ended up spending all of that and a little more for 130 additional copies made. Our site is still up here https://www.givesendgo.com/G6G3D for those many of you who have offered to help. Some funds may get applied to our next venture as the Voice of Surprise--otherwise it will be used to help a local food bank.
100%
Fri. Sept. 16 - 454 of 334 (136%) packets needed for 5000 signatures distributed.
89%
405 of 454 Returned & Notarized Packets
100%
5509 of 5000 (110%) signatures Notarized & Returned
You might want to know a bit more about Dominium who will be building and managing these apartments...
Learn more at dominium.news
Let's get to 5000+ by Thurs. Sept. 15th
We are uniting as a community to drive Dominium to provide a better alternate proposal for their future residents with lower density and more amenities--instead they wish to exploit an accidental loophole in the 2008 PAD and maximize their profit under Section 42 and LIHTC with a whopping 21 units per acre--that's way above anything this City has ever seen--just to maximize profits with no consideration for the safety, comfort, and living experience of its future residents. This kind of density will be dangerous to public safety and emergency response and there are no plans to add more schools which are already overcrowded in our area.
On August 16th (thanks to those who showed up) our City Leaders said yes to Dominium. We only have 30 days from that date and the referendum CAN STOP IT but we need everyone's help gathering signatures together to do it. PLEASE TAKE OUT A SIGNATURE SHEET.
On Jun 16th the P&Z Commission Meeting (thanks to those who attended) said they couldn't vote against this because the law didn't let them.
You can still contact your City Council Member, and let them know that the people of Surprise will no longer tolerate our leadership not listening to us. Get your neighbors and friends to sign the referendum TODAY so we send a clear message back to City Hall that their power and authority lies with us, the people.
What has Dominium been saying about YOU and our City Leaders? The Phoenix Business Journal tells us...
Despite Dominium grossly abusing an unintended loophole allowing them under the 2008 PAD Zoning to put have 15-21 units per acre, they are pushing the max at 21.
"Despite our best efforts to work with the community, we
feel the city has created roadblocks to us utilizing the
existing PAD zoning and that we are not being treated
equitably compared to other projects with similar PAD
zoning approvals from the same era," [Owen] Metz [of Dominium] said. "Instead, the city's actions appear to be more of a direct response to
strong NIMBYism — not the fair and equitable application of
zoning laws."
"Dominium hitting glitches with Surprise" by Angela Gonzalez - Phoenix Business Journal https://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/news/2021/11/03/affordable-apartment-glitches-west-valley-city.html
Wednesdays 9 pm Zoom calls:
After Sept. 16th, we'll plan to meet weekly at 9 pm (so we can give our kids the evenings they deserve) while we determine a path forward for our group and monitor the referendum status too. Meeting links will be posted here below at voiceofsurprise.com
Join Zoom Meeting every Wednesday at 9 pm:
Meeting Link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83897247047?pwd=WENhSm5YRVUwUmN3cVFJckIrRTNiQT09
Meeting ID: 838 9724 7047
Passcode: 883322
One tap mobile
+16699006833,,83897247047#,,,,*883322#
Dial in (audio only): +1 669 900 6833
Meeting ID: 838 9724 7047
Passcode: 883322
Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kec4nXqG3Y
Surprise Independent article about June 16th P&Z meeting
Your outstanding efforts to show up were recognized and Richard Smith did a great job here covering the events of the June 16th Planning & Zoning Commission here covering all the voices that were active that night.