Fire District Tables Lobbying Dues Again
Chairman absent, $5,000 fee for former fire chief’s organization is point of contention
By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski
The News
The Apache Junction Fire District (AJFD) governing board during its Wednesday, January 21, meeting once again tabled an item related to the payment of $5,000 to the Arizona Urban Fire District Association (AzUFDA) for a year-long membership.
   With Chairman Todd House absent, the remaining four members were concerned if there was a tie vote, the item would automatically move to the next meeting. It will now be discussed and voted upon at its next regular meeting Wednesday, February 18.
   Before the board tabled the item, member Justin Jackson expressed his opinion.
 “I haven’t taken this decision lightly,” Jackson said. “It’s not something I think I can support at this point.”
   Board member Mike Weaver, who is also joined on the board by Jeff Cross and board Clerk Mike Cooney, said he has not taken this decision “lightly,” either. However, he added, “I’m not 100 percent decided yet.”
   The AzUFDA contracts former AJFD Fire Chief John Flynn to act as its lobbyist to represent its interests at the legislative level. Fire Chief Dan Campbell said it’s beneficial for him to learn what’s going on at that level.

See A-1 and See Fire Board, A-3

County Pulls Speed Cameras
Supervisors vote to end contract with provider
By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski
The News
The Pinal County Board of Supervisors voted Wednesday, January 21, to pull speed cameras out of the county immediately, ending a monthto- month contract with the provider.
   “The program was initiated (in mid-2007) with two photo enforcement vans placed in various locations in the Queen Creek and Gold Canyon areas,” Sheriff Paul Babeu told the supervisors.
   “The vans were mobile units without any stationary components for aspects like redlight monitoring. Thus, the vans specifically tracked only speeds going 11 mph or more over the posted speed limit.”
   The cameras have not been in use since Babeu took office January 1. The county’s program is separate from the one operated by the Arizona Department of Public Safety on freeways statewide
   The photo enforcement vans were run and monitored by the private company Redflex, with whom the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office had a contract. Part of the revenue from the tickets generated by the vans went to Redflex, averaging about $25 to $45 of each paid citation, and the contract was on a month-to-month basis, allowing for cancellation with a 30-day written notice.

See A-1

Home Rule On March Ballot
Issue on ballot every four years, allows City to spend general fund monies
Home Rule is the option under which citizens and the elected City Council make annual budget decisions for their city “at home” rather than using a State-imposed limitation.
   Otherwise known as the Alternate Expenditure Limitation and Proposition 100, Home Rule began in the summer of 1980 when the State Legislature referred to the voters a constitutional amendment designed to limit the annual expenditures of all Arizona cities and towns by a formula. To determine the expenditure limitation, the State established 1979-1980 as a “base year.” Added to this base year is an adjustment for population growth and inflation.
   1. The Base Year:
       • The base year is critical because it is the foundation upon which all future budget adjustments are made. Apache Junction is unique in Arizona in that the base year was the City’s very first complete fiscal year. The 1979-80 fiscal year was not a typical year for the City – as it was for most communities in Arizona – it was the year we were just getting started, as a result we had a very small budget and population.
       • Looking at library services for example, there was no money in the 1979-80 budget for library services. For library services today, therefore, the State limitation would allow zero dollars to be adjusted for inflation and growth. Zero times zero is still zero.

See A-1 and see Home rule, A-3

Boys, Girls Hoops Fall Twice In Region
By Chuck Baker
The News
The Prospectors dropped both of their Desert Sky Region basketball games this past week, losing at Scottsdale Chaparral 63-37 on Tuesday and falling to Tempe Mc- Clintock 59-46 at home on Friday.
   In Friday’s game, Apache Junction got off to a terrific start, taking a 12-4 lead over the Chargers six minutes into the game. The Prospectors held a seven-point advantage, 18-11, with 5:45 left in the first half, and when guard Colt Grandstaff completed a four-play play by knocking down a threepointer and then added the ensuing free throw with 3:26 to go before half, the Prospectors took a 26-15 lead and an upset was brewing.
   But right after Colt’s four-point play, McClintock went on a 15-0 run and took a 30-26 lead right before halftime. Grandstaff hit a last-second three-pointer and the Prospectors now trailed by one point at halftime, 30-29.
   Michael Cano opened the second half hitting a jumper as Apache Junction quickly re-took a 31-30 lead. McClintock then put together their second huge run of the game, this one an 18-2 flurry for a 48-33 lead, with just over two minutes left in the third quarter.
   The Prospectors would never get closer than the final margin of thirteen points, falling 59-46.

See B-1 and see BOYS, page B-4