Festivities includes fireworks, free watermelon, other activities
By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski
The News
Thanks to the efforts of a group of Apache Junction citizens and businesses including Allied Waste, residents will be able to enjoy a top-notch Fourth of July celebration, City officials said this week.
   “Allied Waste is our presenting sponsor this year,” said Chrystal Sawyer, C.P.R.P., recreation coordinator II, City of Apache Junction. “They did a huge thing by donating money.”
   The company gave the City $20,000 to cover the cost of the fireworks this year.
“Allied Waste was extremely crucial in the City continuing to give the community a Fourth of July celebration,” Sawyer said.
   “Without their funding, it is likely that we wouldn’t be having this wonderful community event. With that being said, Allied Waste, is one of many companies that stepped up to the plate. Other local businesses stepped up to the plate to support this event. Other local supporters include: Frontier Ace Hardware, Mediacom Communications, Apache Junction Little League, County Supervisor Bryan Martyn and Parks and Recreation Commissioner Tess Nesser. Not to mention the numerous agencies who allowed us to place donation bins at their places of businesses and community member, John Kantowski’s volunteer group who coordinated that effort. A special thanks also goes out to community residents who were able to drop their spare change into the bins, as well as, to those who will come out and participate at our event.”

See A-1 and see July, A-5

Fire District Tax Rate To Rise By 17%
Drop in property valuations causes modest budget increase to excessively impact homeowners
By Betty Swanson
The News
The Apache Junction Fire District’s proposed 2010- 2011 budget is up an overall modest 1.1 percent.
   Total budget amount, including General Operating Fund, Capital Fund, Bond Proceeds Fund, Special Revenue Fund and Debt Service Fund, is $19,721,323.
   But, due to the drop in local property’s assessed valuation following the declining real estate market, the proposed AJFD tax rate levied to fund this budget will be rising considerably.
   According to Deputy Chief Dave Montgomery, the expected tax rate needed to support the 2010-2011 proposed budget would go up approximately 34 cents from last year’s $2.00 to $2.34 per $100 Assessed Valuation, an increase of approximately 17 percent.
   The General Operating Fund Budget portion of the total proposed budget is $14,608,972, up $188,895 or 1.3 percent from last year’s budget.
   According to Montgomery, part of the district’s plans for the opening of a new neighborhood fire station on Don Donnelly Trail in Gold Canyon in 2011 include the hiring of up to six new personnel.
   “We will be very careful in our hiring,” Montgomery said. “We don’t want to hire and then have to lay people off at a later date.”

See A-1 and see Fire Budget, A-3

Recall & Incorporation Phone Calls A Mystery
Pinal residents asked if they support San Tan Valley
By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski
The News
The San Tan Valley incorporation efforts hit a mysterious note the weekend of June 19 when auto-dialed calls were made to northeastern Pinal County residents.
   The phone poll asked residents whether or not they support making San Tan Valley a city and if they would support Bryan Martyn a recall of County Supervisor Bryan Martyn, who is pushing for an incorporation vote.
   One of those calls was made to Martyn, who lives in Gold Canyon.
Martyn said the message told residents to share their views with the Florence Town Council, which will decide on a resolution of support July 6.
   In response to the calls, Martyn said, in a prepared statement, “I have fought my entire adult life for the rights of citizens to vote within the democratic process. I’ve had more than a handful of friends killed and I’ve had my helicopter almost shot out from underneath me more times than I can count. I will continue to fight for the right to vote until my dying breath. And no auto-dialer, city council or utility owner will ever change that.”
   The City of Apache Junction voted 5-1 Tuesday, June 15, to request that surrounding cities and towns show support for their residents by rejecting the proposed “untimely” incorporation of San Tan Valley.

See A-1 and see Recall, A-3

10-11 All-Stars Play For District 7 Title
By Chuck Baker
The News
The boys baseball 10-11 All-Stars from Apache Junction Little League were set to play for the District 7 championship title this past Saturday evening at Countryside Park in Mesa. The A.J. All-Stars went 3-1 in “pool play” games, beating Red Mountain American 15-11, topping Mesa American 12-7 and edging Red Mountain National 9-8 to clinch a spot in the District 7 finals, before dropping their final pool play game to the Four Peaks All-Stars.
   The A.J. All-Stars were set to face the pool play runnerup, either Red Mountain American or Mesa American, in the championship game on Saturday but the results were not available when The News went to press. Red Mountain American and Mesa American played one another last Friday night with the winner advancing to play Apache Junction in Saturday’s finals.
   If the Apache Junction All-Stars win the District 7 title, they would advance to “sectional” play in Tucson this week, although exact dates were not yet posted on the www.az7littleleague.org website, the official site for District 7.
   In their opening win over Red Mountain American, Moises Rascon went 4-for-5 at the plate, scored four runs and drove in a run to pace the A.J. All-Stars, who as a team, banged out 14 base hits.

See B-1 and see All Stars B-2