2008-07-16

Impact Fees - Your action needed

It is your tax dollars that is being spent for new growth in this community!
Your sales tax that is already reaching a tipping point, your property tax
that funds the general fund!

On August 4th, the New City council goes to vote to implement impact fees.
It will be a close vote. I need letters of support sent to Sara Presler,
Coral Evans, and Rick Swanson to point out the positives of impact fees.
Here are the talking points to use:

Impact fees can be used to offset the true cost of growth including the cost
for capital projects needed with new growth such as police, fire, and
library needs.
Currently money out the general fund pays for this and comes from sales tax
(which hurts low to moderate income people the most) and property tax. When
those funds are tight, the city asks voters to vote for higher taxes.
Impact fees can offset that cost to citizens.

The cost is passed down to new homeowners. This will not affect
affordability for those houses that are considered affordable by city
definition (150% Average Mean Income) or houses in the $150,000 to $250,000
price range. The impact fees will continue to be paid for by the city for
those homes.

Second homeowners that come and buy new development in Flagstaff only pay a
portion of the cost it takes to provide infrastructure to them year round.
Impact fees ensure that they help pay the cost.

This creates an incentive for developers to build on land that is considered
infill (where infrastructure is already in place) instead of building out
and causing urban sprawl.

F3 has already been willing to compromise and accept a lower rate of impact
fees than what the paid consultants Tischler-Bise recommends. If you care
about keeping Flagstaff from losing its level of service to the community,
urge your mayor and council members to consider impact fees as a viable tool
to fund infrastructure that comes with new growth!

Please write a letter or call your elected officials.

Sara Presler-spresler@ci.flagstaff.az.us
Coral Evans-cevans@ci.flagstaff.az.us
Rick Swanson-rswanson@ci.flagstaff.az.us

Or call 779-7600 to leave a message!

2007-02-19

Taking the Next Step -

Taking the Next Step -

December 6, 2007 F3 conducted a workshop for citizens interested in volunteering. One attendee said it was just what she needed to motivate and jump into volunteering. We will be conducting more workshops in early 2008 to bring you detailed information and know how about how to become a more involved citizen through hands-on volunteering, serving on boards, commissions, or running for public office. If you are interested in receiving our handout from December 6th, please contact us at 556-8663. It will be available the first week in January.

2007-01-10

Comment on the Draft Environmental Impact Study on Black Mesa Mine

Draft Environmental Impact Study on the Black Mesa Mine Released. Comments due Feb. 6- Public meeting in Flagstaff Jan. 11

The Black Mesa draft EIS has been released. You can read it at: Office of Surface Mining. A limited number of CD and paper copies of the draft EIS have been prepared and are available upon request. For more information, contact Dennis Winterringer, Leader, Black Mesa Project EIS, Office of Surface Mining (OSM) Western Region, at (303) 844-1400, ext. 1440, or by e-mail at Dennis Winterringer.

Among the actions proposed by the applicants, is the request for permission to pump groundwater from the Coconino aquifer-the aquifer used by Flagstaff and surrounding areas for drinking water. This is from the Executive Summary of the DEIS, “Salt River Project (SRP) proposes to construct and operate a new water-supply system, including a proposed well field near Leupp, Arizona, and a 108-mile-long water-supply pipeline to convey the water from the Coconino aquifer (C aquifer) to the Black Mesa Complex for use in the coal slurry and other mining-related purposes. C-aquifer water would be used to replace much of the water that has been used from the Navajo aquifer (N aquifer) for those purposes.”

The meeting to be held in Flagstaff on Jan. 11 will take place from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Little America Hotel, 2515 East Butler Avenue.

You may comment in one of several ways: in writing, email, orally at one of the public hearings. All comments are due into OSM by February 6th, 2007.

Email comments to: Dennis Winterrider. In the subject line of your email, please indicate that comments are for the “BMP Draft EIS Comments.”

Letters can be sent to: Dennis Winterringer, Leader of the Black Mesa Project EIS, Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, Western Regional Coordinating Center, P.O. Box 46667 Denver, CO 80201-6667.