Vote Yes on 403, Yes on 404!

Click here to read the WLP Acquisition Summary

August Mail-In Election, Town of Pinetop-Lakeside

Statement of Save Our Park Inc. on 403:
The restaurant and bar tax was implemented in 2003 as a fair and equitable means of allowing visitors to our Town to share in the cost of the Town’s recreational facilities. Since then, revenue from this tax has been applied toward retirement of the bonds issued to fund development of the Mountain Meadow Recreation Complex. But these bonds are not yet retired.

A “yes” vote would merely continue the tax paid by restaurant and bar patrons at the current level, thereby allowing the Town to meet its debt obligations. Upon retirement of the bond debt for the Mountain Meadow Recreation Complex, two-thirds of this revenue would be available to fund Parks and Recreation operations and maintenance expenses. One-third of the revenue would go toward acquisition of Woodland Lake Park, open space preservation, urban trail development and parks capital improvements. Read more...

A “no” vote would risk default on the Town’s debt obligations, leave the Town without sufficient funds to operate and maintain either Mountain Meadow or Woodland Lake Park and would severely impact the Town’s financial position. Festivals and tournaments which bring visitors and businesses to town would be jeopardized.

Please vote “YES” to maintain financial stability in Pinetop-Lakeside. Please vote “YES” to preserve for years to come the lifestyle and environment loved by residents and visitors alike.

Statement of Save Our Park Inc. on 404:
Woodland Lake Park is essential to our quality lifestyle in the Town of Pinetop-Lakeside. But the Park is Forest Service land and has been repeatedly listed as excess Federal property.

If action by the Town is not taken soon, the Forest Service and Congress will assume that the Town is not committed to acquiring the Park and will otherwise dispose of the property. The loss of the Park would mean the loss of $4 million in park facilities and handicap-accessible improvements already made by the Town. Value of the required environmental study now underway (much of which was funded by citizens and businesses) would be lost. The Town and local businesses would also lose the revenue now being generated from many events at the Park and from tourists in town to attend these events. Read more...

The mission of Save Our Park, Inc. is to facilitate the acquisition of Woodland Lake Park by the Town. To accomplish this, the Trust for Public Lands recommended a minimal increase in sales tax because it would have negligible impact on residents, given that 85% of the Town’s sales tax revenues are paid by visitors. The 0.4% increase in sales tax implemented by this ordinance results in no additional cost on a $1 purchase and only 2 cents on purchase of a $5 pizza. Even on larger purchases, the minor increase in sales tax would not discourage shopping in Pinetop-Lakeside. For example, the additional $1.60 tax on a purchase of four $100 tires is less than the cost of a round trip to Show Low.

Please vote “YES” for this and future generations. Vote “YES to preserve the legacy of picnicking, hiking, fishing, bird-watching, sports and recreation that we now enjoy in Woodland Lake Park.

Save Woodland Lake Park

Yes on 403, Yes on 404

August Mail-In Election, Town of Pinetop-Lakeside

 

Statement of Save Our Park Inc. on 403:

The restaurant and bar tax was implemented in 2003 as a fair and equitable means of allowing visitors to our Town to share in the cost of the Town’s recreational facilities. Since then, revenue from this tax has been applied toward retirement of the bonds issued to fund development of the Mountain Meadow Recreation Complex. But these bonds are not yet retired.

 

A “yes” vote would merely continue the tax paid by restaurant and bar patrons at the current level, thereby allowing the Town to meet its debt obligations. Upon retirement of the bond debt for the Mountain Meadow Recreation Complex, two-thirds of this revenue would be available to fund Parks and Recreation operations and maintenance expenses. One-third of the revenue would go toward acquisition of Woodland Lake Park, open space preservation, urban trail development and parks capital improvements.

 

A “no” vote would risk default on the Town’s debt obligations, leave the Town without sufficient funds to operate and maintain either Mountain Meadow or Woodland Lake Park and would severely impact the Town’s financial position. Festivals and tournaments which bring visitors and businesses to town would be jeopardized.

 

Please vote “YES” to maintain financial stability in Pinetop-Lakeside. Please vote “YES” to preserve for years to come the lifestyle and environment loved by residents and visitors alike.

 

Statement of Save Our Park Inc. on 404:

Woodland Lake Park is essential to our quality lifestyle in the Town of Pinetop-Lakeside. But the Park is Forest Service land and has been repeatedly listed as excess Federal property.

 

If action by the Town is not taken soon, the Forest Service and Congress will assume that the Town is not committed to acquiring the Park and will otherwise dispose of the property. The loss of the Park would mean the loss of $4 million in park facilities and handicap-accessible improvements already made by the Town. Value of the required environmental study now underway (much of which was funded by citizens and businesses) would be lost. The Town and local businesses would also lose the revenue now being generated from many events at the Park and from tourists in town to attend these events.

 

The mission of Save Our Park, Inc. is to facilitate the acquisition of Woodland Lake Park by the Town. To accomplish this, the Trust for Public Lands recommended a minimal increase in sales tax because it would have negligible impact on residents, given that 85% of the Town’s sales tax revenues are paid by visitors. The 0.4% increase in sales tax implemented by this ordinance results in no additional cost on a $1 purchase and only 2 cents on purchase of a $5 pizza. Even on larger purchases, the minor increase in sales tax would not discourage shopping in Pinetop-Lakeside. For example, the additional $1.60 tax on a purchase of four $100 tires is less than the cost of a round trip to Show Low.

 

Please vote “YES” for this and future generations. Vote “YES to preserve the legacy of picnicking, hiking, fishing, bird-watching, sports and recreation that we now enjoy in Woodland Lake Park.