IDEAS NO on Home Rule – argument ideas

Posted on by Donna Joy

Why vote no on home rule July. 21st, 2026

  1. The city redirected to a “Tourism first agenda” without the proper infrastructure in place. The city council raised the city bed tax to market Sedona, However, they gave it to a regional chamber. That city was pouring millions of annual dollars into the regional Sedona Chamber of Commerce members. It was waste. The chambr marketed everything and everywhere including short term rentals STRs.
    RESULTS: TRAFFIC TRAFFIC TRAFFIC and increased the day trippers, and drive thru cars. Tourism remains the same level of tourists. It hasn’t increased.  Only traffic and day trippers have increase.
  2. Then the City Council raised the city sales tax to fix the traffic they created.
    RESULTS: NOTHING has worked the increased sales tax affects us all.
  3. Roundabouts don’t work. And there is no traffic solutions that the city can do for two roads access points.
  4. Let’s look at some other mismanagement.
    Forest road extension. Uptown barriers and slip lanes. Uptown parking garage. Purchase of the Sedona Cultural Park, more Roundabouts coming, destroying Brewer Road, Free shuttles for tourists. Sidewalk for hikers.


  5. The only thing that’s growing in the last 13 years is the city staff and the city budget.
    OVER 200 city Employees with an over 100 million budget. 45 staff earning over $100,000
  6. They have done so without performance metrics, no efficiency information, no Total quality management programs, NO transparency and no clear process controls in place
  7. The rapid growth and the mismanagement have created a very chaotic City Hall. With toxic negative comments made about residents calling them nimbies.
  8. The City staff has doubled. Budget has over 200 now.
  9. The city has 45 people making over 100,000 a year and 28 are right behind that. Plus benefits. The average city employee makes more than a Sedona household of 2+
  10. The Sedona City employees are the highest paid in Sedona. Yet, hospitality is the normal jobs in Sedona. The hospitality industry is the lowest paid.
  11. Sedona’s population dropped 3% to 9,778
  12. The City used taxes to market Short Term Rentals
  13. Projects they have messed up.
    1. Forest road Extension. – Many lawsuits.
    1. Building the Uptown parking garage. Original cost 6million Now it’s up to 26.5 million. Originally it was going to be free parking for the employees. Now it’s going to be paid parking and most likely the employees will be shuttled in.
    1. Brewer road a new round about.  They’re going to destroy the heart store on Brewer Rd, a national historical property. They want a roundabout there, and they want to be able to run shuttles around the roundabout.
    1. They bought the Cultural Park for $20 million. It wasn’t worth that.
    1. Forest road extension started out with the budget of. 2.77 million and ended up costing. 17.69.
    1. The city used imminent domain to take people’s property away from them. Forest road. Many sued the city lost that cost the taxpayers money
  14. Government waste. No accountability.
  15. Traffic drove. Businesses, residents and special events out of town.


STOP the DAMAGE with NO on home rule

NO Home Rule arguments
VOTE NO on Home Rule 2026



No restriction to city of residency.

CALL FOR ARGUMENTS – Home Rule option
City of Sedona Call for Arguments for Alternative Expenditure Limitation (Home Rule Option)

On March 10, 2026, the City Council passed Resolution No. 2026-03 proposing an Extension of the Alternative Expenditure Limitation (Home Rule Option). Voter ratification of the proposed extension is required. This issue will appear on the July 21, 2026 ballot. Information regarding this issue will be included in a publicity pamphlet.

Arguments supporting or opposing adoption of the Extension of the Alternative Expenditure Limitation (Home Rule Option) may be submitted to the Sedona City Clerk at cityclerksdept@sedonaaz.gov. Arguments cannot exceed 200 words in length and must also be submitted in electronic format. Individuals submitting arguments must provide their name, physical or mailing address, and a telephone number. Only your name will be included in the publicity pamphlet. Each argument filed shall contain the sworn statement of each person sponsoring it. If the argument is sponsored by an organization, it shall contain the sworn statement of two executive officers of the organization or if sponsored by a political committee it shall contain the sworn statement of the committee’s chairman or treasurer.

The deadline for submission of supporting or opposing arguments is Wednesday, April 15, 2026 at 5:00 p.m.

NEWS RELEASE https://www.sedonaaz.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/55862/639088427641900000

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