NENA Update
February 4, 2010
Groundhog’s Day Event This Saturday
Update on SB1166 Legislation
Dear Neighbors,
Groundhog’s
Day Potluck This Saturday
This Saturday, February 6th
from 11am to 2pm (Catalina between 16th Dr & 17th
Ave) Come join in the fun as neighbors get together to enjoy
each others company and eat some great food. Councilman Tom
Simplot will be arriving at 11am to visit with neighbors. The
Phoenix Fire Department will be joining us with their fire
engine….how cool is that! Chris Divine will be singing and
will provide recorded music when not performing. There will be
some “special” activities too!
Don’t be shy….come meet your NENA
neighbors!
Donations or pot luck dishes are OPTIONAL
NENA will provide hot dogs, hamburgers, chips, water, sodas
and lemonade!
Update on
SB1166 Legislation
Below is the message forwarded to
me by Brad Brauer, Willo President, who attended the
stakeholders meeting on Monday, Feb 1st to discuss
SB1166.
Friends and Neighbors,
I spent the afternoon at the AZ
Senate meeting with Senator Linda Gray to discuss her bill to
reclassify our Historic Properties. What I take away from
this meeting will probably not surprise a lot of you – the AZ
Legislature is looking for money wherever they can find
money. The proof that this system has been successful in
creating neighborhoods, increasing property values (and tax
revenues) and cleaning up years of deterioration does not seem
to have an effect on Senator Gray. In a meeting with
approximately 15 people, including representatives from
Medlock Place, Willo, Encanto Palmcroft, FQ Story, the City of
Phoenix Historic Preservation, the City of Glendale, AZ State
Historic Preservation, Maricopa County Assessor, the AZ
Association of Realtors, a Tucson historic neighborhood
resident and a representative of the Arizona Education
Association – only two people were supportive of this bill.
Senator Linda Gray and the Rep from the AZ Education
Association. The state budget is slashing the education
funds, so it’s not surprising that the AEA is supporting Sen.
Gray.
A great group of people truly
explained the benefits of these neighborhoods, to their Cities
and the state, the limitation put upon homeowners by HP and
the difference between maintaining and restoring these homes
versus the simple slab homes built in the 60’s , 70’s and
today. It was brought up that the increase in a tax to
historic neighborhoods would provide a negligible increase to
the state. Also that without the tax break there is nothing
to require homeowners to retain the historic character of
their homes, but none of this information really changed
Senator Gray’s mind. She asked for suggestions from the
meeting on how to prevent fraud, a sunset on the tax break or
a reduced reduction. The response from the group was that a
sunset was unacceptable as was a reduced tax break (example –
25% instead of 40-50%). It was suggested that we somehow
prove annually to the county that we are putting money into
our homes and that they are a primary residence not a rental.
I’m sure that the county would be unable to accommodate that
request, as they can’t afford the staffing to review homes
that are coming up on their 14th year in this
program. Rentals are not supposed to receive the tax benefit,
but Keith Russell, Maricopa County Assessor, could not find
that requirement in the statute nor could the State HP
director, they just assumed it’s in there.
Leaving the meeting - it is
apparent to me that we will see some form of amended version
of this bill before some committee in the AZ Senate. If this
stays with the Finance Committee – we have “no” votes
currently from Sen. Leff, Sen. McCune-Davis, Sen. Russell
Pearce, Sen. Miranda and most likely Sen. Gould. Currently,
Sen. Cheuvront has stated that he would vote against this bill
as it is written, but if amended, we may lose our Senator’s
vote. Senator Waring and Senator Gorman have resigned to run
for the US House in Shadegg’s place. That leaves Sen. Steve
Pierce and I’m not sure how he will vote. I think we still
have all the votes necessary to kill this bill in committee,
but will need to keep our eyes on it to prevent it from
advancing under the radar. Contacting your Senator and other
Senators on the Finance Committee is highly encouraged.
Brad Brauer, President
The Willo Neighborhood
Association
Additionally,
Brad wrote Representative Debbie McCune Davis and here is what
she responded:
The bill may reappear on the
Finance committee agenda when Senator Gray has language to
amend the bill. The feedback from the stakeholders would not
indicate an agreement among participants. This means that
Senator Gray cannot represent an amendment as a consensus
proposal. Keep working with the other members of the committee
to prevent this bill from advancing.
When asked if
there is any way that Senator Gray could attach this to
another bill and slide it under the radar, her response was:
Yes. We'll have to be vigilant.
Nothing is dead until the legislative session ends.
So we need to
keep communicating with this committee and specifically,
Senator Cheuvront. For those attending the Groundhog’s Day
Event, we will have a letter you can sign on to and we’ll mail
to the Finance Committee. Brad also mentioned that Robert Pela
(FQ Story) will be writing something in the New Times,
regarding the short sightedness of this bill.
Here are contact numbers for all
the Finance Committee
Warmly,
Nicki Kirkeby
NENA President
480-586-8556 C#
nmkirkeby@cox.net
Past Updates
